Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-02-15
House, Farm and Garden.
1. d. r.. COLLINS. Editor.
Craffsbury Farmers, Club.

SrdftSDufy TdFHcfS CluD.
Subject-Resolved that stock raising is
the most profitable of any branch of farm
ing.
A. A. Randall Did not suppose it was
the best way for farmers to confne their
whole attention to the raising of cattle, or
any other one thing in particular. The
best course for us to pursue in relation to
this matter was to diversity our efforts, and
whatever we do, to be persistent and thor
ough in doing it. Any branch of farming
will pay if the labor devoted to it is done |
as it should be. Believes we can raise
stock with as much profit as we can make |
butter, if We take as much pains with our
calves and other young cattle as we do with |
our COWS. BY obtaining the best breeds
we can just as well raise calves, which at
six to eight months old, will dress from
four to five hundred as to raise the small, |
i'll shaped calves that the majority of farm
ers now raise, and which bring only six to
eight dollars per head and are dear to the
buyer at that. Although it requires lit
tie more capital to stock farm with the
Durham cattle than it does with the ma
tive breed, he believed the farmer would
be abundantly repaid in the enhanced pri-
stock. since he had kept the Durham
breed his calves had sold for from twenty
| five to one hundred dollars each. For dairy
purposes, he considered this breed fully
equal to any, and cited several instances
where the COWS of this breed had yielded
very large quantities of butter.
VIM. J. Hastings thought stock raising
might be profitable five obtain the right
kinds from which to raise our cattle. But
although this business may pay the farmer
small profit be was decidedly of the opin-
ion that where farmers wers so situated
that they could keep COWS, they had better
keep them in preference to any thing else.
Believed that lie could buy his COWS for
his dairy, as long as somebody else would
raise them, cheaper than raise them him
self Perhaps Mr.. Randall and some 9th
ers may be so situated that they can derive
larger net income from producing young
cattle and bed, but the generality of farm
ers would find it for their interest to retain
their diaries and make no change in this
respect, The West can produce beef and
mutton cheaper than we can and cOnse-
quently undersell US in the eastern markets,
and as long as this state of things exists it
behooves US to produce such articles as
come not in competition with Western pro-
ducts. The West either could or would
not make butter and cheese to any great
extent, and as long as we comparatively
have the monopoly of manufacturing these
two articles We had better bend our ener-
gies in this direction and give these pro-
ducts the preference to the exclusion, rel
atively of everything else.
A. A. Randall-what shall we do with
our sour milk? We can feed it to calves
at a greater profit than we can to hogs, and
as long as this is the case he believed we
had better do so.
w. J. Hastings had no objections agains
raising calves as long as he could find pur
chasers in the fall, but preferred not Il
winter them himself.
Moses Root thought it self evident tina
stock raising is profitable, but the stool
that we should raise should be mainly COWS
The West can grow beef and wool at mucl
less cost than we can in Vermont; and !
seemed to him that if we consulted on
, plain interests that we should not attemp
to compete with that section by producing
either of those articles. Let us GO wher
we would in New England, wherever W
find farmer who has kept dairy for
=, considerable length of time, we almost in
variably find him in good circumstance
This was the case in our own town, an
gentlemen had only to compare the dairy
men in this town with the stock raisers t
become satisfied which is the most protita
BILE Did not believe, however, in KILN
every calf but should raise enough to kee
!. our diaries good and perhaps to furnis
beef for home use. Had tried severa
breeds and gave his preference to the Ayl
shire as mixers.
Geo. F. Sprague believed that we coul
not grow stock to sell and make it profit:
Bile as to pursue some other branch of fa
ming. Considered it of little use to pr,
duce an article and be obliged to sell it ft
A less than its bare cost as we now have
Id sell our beef in Eastern markets. Thong
or farmers may possibly live by producin
lr beef there is no need of following this bus
)u ness when they can do so much better |
I'd turning their attention to making butt
n, and cheese. The end of all neat stock
Oh beef and person has but to compare Il
e, income arising from a farm stocked vii
i'll COWS with the income from another far
of equal capacity stocked with beef catt
t to become satisfied what kind of stock ia
y. mers should keep. But while dairying
nd now carried on at a profit he thought the
at was still room for great Improvement
nd regard to the quality of our cows. Did n
IL suppose that our native cows were equal
gs some of the fancy breeds, if we can re
i'll upon what is reported concerning thel
do Had not had sufficient experience in 7
it gard to this subject to be entirely satisf
he which breed he would prefer, but from |
present knowledge of the different bree
hit he concluded the Devons the best for be
ne, and Devon grades the best for milk.
ass Jas. w. Simpson, believe it is a st
ey tied question with farmers in this vicini
ey that the dairy takes the lead in maki1
de them money. The question with the fa
me mer is, how can l turn my hay, grain, &
on into money and not impoverish my farm
ks and this question farmers in Northern VI
mont have answered, and as [ think, a
~ swered correctly, by stocking their farl
of mainly with COWS. But although tn
nd have got the right kind of stock Tor tt
latitude it seems to me that they have L
got the best quality, or the best bret
which is obtainqble for butter and chez
making purposes For dairying the pu
ing blood Devons and Durhams are general
Inc among intelligent farmers, conceded to
al failure. Although many of our natl
6ut COWS are Of excellent quality yet they {
ons not uniformly good mixers. If we wor
ven have all good COWS we must resort to Sol
hat other breed than those | have named, a
md l know of none that can be relied on
lis satisfy our needs with so much certain
in as the Ayrshire breed-a breed that
re- been bred for many years with especial T
erence to developing their milking qua