"Despite the seemingly adverse character of the climate, Illinois has been, for some time, little, if any, behind other leading states of the Union in stock growing. In 1850, this state stood sixth in milk cows, and seventh in work oxen and other cattle. In 1860, it was tenth in work oxen, fifth in milk cows, and second in other cattle. In 1870, it was twenty-sixth in work oxen, fourth in milk cows, and second in the supply of other cattle. In 1880, it stood thirty-sixth in work oxen, second in milk cows, and third in other cattle. Iowa then had 240,280 and Texas had 1,812,860 more cattle than Illinois. "The average value of milk cows in Illinois in 1884 was $35, and of oxen and other cattle, it was $28.04, while the average value of milk cows in Iowa was only $31.75, and of other cattle $26.00. The blood of the Shorthorns was used more largely than that of any other breed in the improvement of the cattle of the state. The first, and for some years, the only representatives of pure races of cattle in this state were Shorthorns, and to this date they exceed all other breeds in number." The growth of the cattle interest in the State of Illinois, from 1850 to 1884, inclusive, is shown by the following statistics, taken from the United States Census Reports. The first figures of close accuracy on the number of cattle in the state were those gotten in 1850. ----+--------------+-------------+----------------+----------------- | Milch Cows | Work Oxen | Other Cattle | Total Year|-------+------+------+------+---------+------+---------+------- | No. |Inc. %| No. |Inc. %| No. |Inc. %| No. | Inc. % ----+-------+------+------+------+---------+------+---------+------- 1850|294,671| |76,156| | 541,209| | 912,036| | | | | | | | | 1860|522,634| 77.3 |90,380| 18.6 | 970,799| 79.4|1,583,813| 73.6 | | | | | | | | 1870|640,321| 22.5 |19,766|-78.1 |1,055,499| 8.7|1,715,586| 8.3 | | | | | | | | 1880|865,913| 35.2 | 3,346|-83.0 |1,515,063| 43.5|2,384,322| 38.9 | | | | | | | | 1883|716,102|-17.3 | | |1,253,765| -17.2|1,969,867| -17.4 | | | | | | | | 1884|919,404| 17.7 | | |1,471,191| 17.3|2,390,595| 21.3 ----+-------+------+------+------+---------+------+---------+------- FOOTNOTES: [1] Report of the Bureau of Animal Industry, 1885, p. 362. [2] United States Census Report and interviews with old settlers. [3] Report of Bureau of Animal Industry, 1885, p. 365. [4] Bureau of Animal Industry, 1885, p. 365-66 II. CATTLE FEEDING INDUSTRY[5]