a most favorable showing, and ought to be conclusive evidence that nothing pays better than stock raising.

In this latitude the mildness of the climate affords a long season for grazing, the entire year, with the exception of about ninety days of moderately cold weather, which, together with the cheapness of lands and feed, and the excellent transportation facilities, constitute advantages vastly superior to states in a colder clime, where feed is scarce and expensive, and more shelter and labor required to carry stock through the long, bleak winters. In Pettis county nearly every farmer raises stock for market, and many of the wealthier, who do not make stock raising a specialty, buy from adjoining counties and fatten for market, turning off from eight to fifteen car loads every spring, and many of more limited means ship from two to five car loads, which contribute largely to increase the aggregate exports of fine stock to vast proportions.

Added to the warm, fertile soil and mild climate, is the inestimable advantage of a dry atmosphere, which contributes in no small degree to render sheep husbandry one of the most profitable industries of this region. The surface of the country is high, dry, and gently undulating, affording excellent natural drainage, and there is scarcely a quarter section of land in the county on which a lake cannot be formed from the rainfall by the construction of a simple and inexpensive dam of earth, thus affording an abundant supply of pure and wholesome water.

In Sedalia and vicinity water can be obtained in inexhaustible quantity, of the purest and most excellent quality, at an average depth of thirty feet. In the northern, northwestern and eastern portions of the county the well drillers seldom need to go more than eighty feet to obtain an abundant supply, although in the southwestern portion there are several wells in the neighborhood of one hundred and five feet deep, and splendid flowing wells obtained by means of wind mill pumps.

It will be observed that while Pettis county has but few natural flowing springs or running streams, nature has in other ways afforded facilities for securing an abundant supply of pure water, which added to the splendid grasses produced spontaneously upon the open prairies, and everywhere untouched by the plow of the tiller, shows this to be a most admirable region for stock raising in all departments, as well as for dairy and for general agricultural purposes.

Blue grass is indigenous to the soil of Pettis county. Everywhere it flourishes in rank profusion-on the prairies, in the fields and in the wood lands, conquering everything, crowding out the coarse weeds and less succulent herbage and furnishing to the farmer and stockman a free and exhaustless source of wealth.

Clover also springs from the soil spontaneously-a companion of the blue grass-and flourishes everywhere. While orchard grass, timothy,

and other meadow grasses, with but little preparation of the soil or culti vation, take root easily and quickly and grow with great rapidity and luxuriance, yielding a bountiful harvest of hay, equal in every respect to the best produced in any region on this continent.

Major Wm. Gentry is probably the most extensive stock raiser in Pettis county, and during the many years he has devoted exclusively to this branch of husbandry upon a large scale, he has achieved wonderful success. At present his landed estate comprises six thousand acres of choice land, well watered and timbered and in a remarkably high state of cultivation. His home farm "Oakdale," containing twenty-two hundred acres, is located two miles northwest of Sedalia, and in full view of the city. It is a magnificent prairie and timber tract, well watered by numerous flowing springs, by Brushy Creek and by several fine artificial lakes. The residence is handsome and commodious, and the approaches arranged in excellent taste and with a view to convenience and economy of space. The lawns and shrubbery surrounding the residence are arranged, well cultivated, and kept in excellent order, and the entire place presents the appearance of refinement, comfort and affluence, suggesting to the visitor the application of that beautiful and pathetic song, "Home, Sweet Home."

Only about four hundred acres of this magnificent farm are devoted to the cultivation of grain, the balance being seeded down to blue grass pasture, and to clover and timothy meadow. Major Gentry's herd of breeding cattle consists of between thirty and forty thoroughbred Shorthorns of the most popular families, and two fine bulls of about 2,300 s. weight. He has also fifteen fine brood mares and a thoroughbred Norman stallion of excellent form and qualities, ninety horse and mule colts, sixty work horses, six hundred pure bred Merino, Cotswold and Downs sheep, and one hundred high grade cattle. His annual sales of live stock average thirty horses and mules, three hundred to four hundred steers, six hundred swine, and six hundred sheep. He also has on his farm "Locust Grove," "Denmark Chief" and "Denmark Jr.," the very highest grade of that class of saddle horses. They are both premium stallions, having taken premiums at St. Louis, Cincinnati and at various other large fairs in 1874. Denmark Jr. is a young stallion of great promise, and is one of the fastest racking horses in the state.

Another splendid farm owned by Major Gentry and sons is "Locust Grove," consisting of 1,400 acres and situated eight miles northwest of Sedalia. It has many pleasant surroundings, is in a fine state of cultivation, and is regarded as one of the most valuable tracts in that vicinity. J. B. Gentry, son of Major Gentry, occupies the farm, and keeps there two hundred steers, one hundred and fifty stock cattle and three hundred

Major Gentry is a native of Missouri, has resided in Pettis county fiftyeight years, is an intelligent, progressive business man, and intimately associated with many important public enterprises.

Nine miles east of Sedalia is the valuable farm of V. T. Chilton, consisting of six hundred and fifty acres, supplied with an abundance of water, and improved in a very complete and substantial manner. One hundred and sixty acres are reserved for plow land, and the balance is seeded down to timothy and clover meadow, and blue grass pasture. Judge Chilton keeps six hundred to seven hundred Merino, Cotswold and Downs sheep, twenty-five to thirty high grade breeding cows, and ships annually sixty to one hundred fat steers, and one hundred and seventy-five to two hundred swine.

Three miles northeast of Sedalia lies "Greenwood," the home farm of William M. Gentry, consisting of nearly seventeen hundred acres of beautiful prairie land, well watered and improved. An elegant residence and numerous farm buildings of a very substantial character, fine orchard, shade trees, beautiful lawns and pastures, and other valuable and pleasant surroundings, contribute to render this one of the most desirable farms in that locality. Mr. Gentry is an extensive planter and stock-raiser; plants annually about three hundred acres in corn, from which he gets an average of sixty bushels per acre. He has one hundred and forty acres in timothy and clover meadow, twelve hundred acres in blue grass pasture, and keeps constantly about three hundred stock and beef cattle, fifty thoroughbred Short-horns, and two fine bulls; one thosand high-bred Merino and Downs sheep, from which he gets annually several thousand pounds of wool. Besides a number of choice brood mares, from which he raises superb carriage and saddle horses, he fattens yearly from one hundred to two hundred steers, about two hundred swine, and three hundred sheep for market.

On Cedar Creek, two miles northeast of Sedalia, and in full view of the city, is "Cedar Vale," a magnificent farm of sixteen hundred acres, situated mostly on a prairie of deep rich soil and gently undulating surface. Cedar Creek and numerous flowing springs and artificial lakes furnish an abundance of water, and renders this one of the best stock farms in the county. An elegant residence which cost $11,000, is surrounded by fine shade trees, and well-kept lawns, and at convenient distance in rear are numerous substantial farm buildings, surrounded by fine blue grass pastures. This was the home R. J. Gentry, recently deceased, who was one of the most enterprising and successful stock raisers in Pettis county. Four hundred acres of this farm are devoted to the cultivation of grain, and twelve hundred acres to timothy and clover meadow and blue grasss pasture. On this magnificent tract Mr. Gentry kept a herd of one hundred thoroughbred Short-horns, and two hundred stock

cattle, and fattened annually sixty to one hundred steers, and two hundred high bred Berkshire swine. He also keeps five hundred Merino and Downs sheep, a number of fine brood mares and horses, and sold annually from twenty-five to fifty mules.

Directly east of Sedalia two miles, is "Sunnyside," a valuable farm owned by John M. Sneed, comprising seven hundred acres of prairie land of rich, warm soil, in a high state of cultivation. It is furnished with a substantial residence, and farm buildings, is well watered, and is divided into fields of convenient size for cultivation and stock-raising. One hundred and fifty acres are devoted to grain culture, and the balance, five hundred and fifty acres, to blue grass pasture and to timothy and clover meadow. Mr. Sneed grazes one hundred and fifty to two hundred stock cattle, two hundred Southdown sheep; keeps fine thoroughbred horses, and sells annually three to five car loads of fat steers, and two to five car loads of swine.

In the vicinity of "Sunnyside" is the farm of M. O. Green, consisting of sixteen hundred acres, surrounded by a splendid hedge of Osage Orange. A creek and numerous springs and ponds furnish an inexhaustible supply of pure water. The residence and other improvements are good and substantial; the soil is moist and fertile, and for all purposes the farm is regarded as among the best in that part of the county. Six hundred acres are devoted to the cultivation of grain; two hundred acres to blue grass pasture, and eight hundred acres to meadow. Mr. Green keeps three hundred to four hundred steers, four hundred to five hundred swine, forty to eighty mules, and sixty to eighty cows for breeding purposes.

Twelve miles northeast of Sedalia, in an exceedingly fertile and attractive district, lies the splendid farm of H. S. Scott, one of the most thorough and enterprising stockmen in Pettis county. The tract comprises four hundred acres of excellent land, well watered and improved, and possessing superior natural advantages for successful stock raising. Mr. Scott has a fine herd of twenty thoroughbred Dutchess and Maries cattle, two hundred Cotswold sheep and one hundred Poland China swine, besides several fine brood mares and horses.

The farm of J. W. Cole, five miles southwest of Sedalia, is very favorably situated for all purposes, and is in an excellent state of cultivation. The soil is deep, warm and of marvelous fertility, yielding bountiful returns for the labor of cultivation, and springs and ponds furnish an abundant supply of pure and wholesome water. The farm of eight hundred and eighty acres is surrounded and divided into convenient fields by a thrifty hedge of Osage orange, and the buildings and other improvements are substantial and well kept. Mr. Cole makes a specialty of thoroughbred stock and has a fine herd of forty high bred Short-horns, led

by a bull of excellent form and qualities. He keeps also eighty to one hundred breeding cows of especial merit, one hundred to one hundred and fifty pure bred Cotswold sheep, and fifty to one hundred high grade swine.

In the extreme northwestern portion of Pettis county, twenty miles from Sedalia, is "Avandale," the magnificent home farm of Thomas B. Price. It consists of eight hundred acres of wonderful fertility, situated in the midst of an exceedingly prosperous agricultural district, and surrounded by well cultivated farms. It is adorned by a residence, which in architectural design and completeness and elegance of finish, is far superior to any farm residence in the county. The farm buildings are also of excellent design, very substantial and complete, and the surroundings of woodland and lawn, of fields and pastures, of meadows and highways are equally convenient, pleasant and attractive. The farm is divided into fields of forty and eighty acres each, by eight miles of well cultivated hedge fence; numerous flowing springs, creeks and artificial lakes furnish an exhaustless supply of pure water the entire year, and belts of timber here and there afford grateful shelter to stock from the scorching sun of midsummer. One hundred and eighty acres are reserved for plow land, and six hundred and twenty acres are laid in meadow and blue glass pasture. Mr. Price keeps continually thirty to forty Short-horn cattle of the most popular families for breeding purposes; fattens one hundred and forty to one hundred and sixty steers, and two hundred and fifty to three hundred swine annually, and keeps on hand three hundred young mules, fourteen thoroughbred brood mares and a fine stallion, and raises superb carriage and saddle horses.

Fulton H. Bradford's fine farm "Glenwood," joins "Avondale," and is a marvel of neatness and thrift. It comprises about five hundred acres, divided into fields of convenient size, and is well fenced and cultivated. Two hundred acres are devoted to the cultivation of grain, and the remainder to meadow and blue grass pasture. Water, pure and abundant, is furnished by streams, springs and ponds, and the place possesses many other natural advantages which render it valuable in the highest degree for stock raising. The residence, which is a model of architectural beauty, and the barn and other farm buildings are neat, substantial, and convenient. Mr. Bradford keeps his farm well stocked with good breeds of cattle, sheep and swine.

Joining "Avondale," on the west, is "Prairie Home," the model farm of Capt. Samuel Shanks, consisting of six hundred and twenty acres, which, like the others last mentioned, possesses many natural advantages for stock raising. There are two hundred and eighty acres in plow land, one hundred of the remainder in meadow and blue grass pasture, all well fenced and conveniently divided into fields, and a fine two