Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-03-31
The Dairy Compared with Other
Branches of Farming.


According to the most reliable es-
Inmates, there is at the present time
about $500, 600 cows in the United
States. OF this number, 6, 900, 900 are
kept for the production of butter
and cheese. Within ten years, the
number of factories has increased
from single factory to 1000 I'VE re-
fer to those factories that use 800
cows or over.) Then from the mag
nitude and rapid increase Of the bu-
siness, we are forced to the cOnclu.
sion that as a branch Of farming, it is
highly remunerative.
Twenty-Five years ago, the farm
ers of Orange, Herkimer, and other
counties in the State Of New York,
and the Western Reserve in Ohio,
were largely engaged in the manu-
facture of butter and cheese. They
have adhered strictly to the dairy
business, and have been very sue.
cessful. Is it probable that the bust
ness if properly managed would
pay equally well in Black Hawk and
adjoining counties? Our own expeN
rience prompts us to answer yes
The soil in the dairy districts of New
York and Ohio, is inferior to ours,
and our climate is equal to theirs.
We will suppose that! the farmer
who owns two hundred acres, and
makes wheat-growing n speciality,
will SOW at least half Of his farm 10
wheat; 80 acres to corn; 90 to oats e.;
two acres to garden, etc, the balance
to meadow and pasture. Now we
will estimate his average yield for a
series of years, at IS bushels per acre;
or, 1900 bushels for 100 acres. De-
duct 2jO bushels Oh account of seed
and bread, and there VIII remain
1000 bushels, which will not average
more than 81 per jushel, during q
series Of Years. \ careful estimate
of the labour expended in growing,
harvesting, threshing and marketing
his grain, will show that his wheat
has cost him at least 50 per acre, or
$500 per 100 acres. This will leave
him, above expenses, $3.50. But
will the one half OF his farm which
has not produced wheat, SUD-
port himself and family, and pay
all taxes and other incidental ex.
Penses. Experience proves that it
VIII not, and that nine times out of
ten, nothing will be left of the
profits of the wheat crop.
But in making wheat Especially,
there is another important cons der
alton: We must expect to hand
doWn TO our children almost WORTH
less farms. Farmers should raise
more calves, and always breed TO q
full or thoroughbred short horn bull,
Scrub calves will not pay. Let us
compare the dairy farm with other
branches of farming. On a grain
farm of 200 acres, Il would he OBLIGED
% invest SGJ0.00 in extra team. har.
ness, wagon, reaper, etc, that would
not lie required on the dairy farm of
200 acres, belonging to 3. The
horses, implements, etc, OH the grain
1arm are constantly wearing out :;
while COWS when they become too old
for the dairy can be sid for beef. If
Il should invest 81 10000 in 40 head
OF milch cows, he would have 500 90
invested in his business than A
would have in his wheat farm. Now
BIS 40 COWS will average 400 lbs. of
cheese per year, or butter and cheese
equal to 400 lbs. Of cheese, for each
COW; total for 40 COWS would be IS. =
600 lbs, and at IL cents per ID. would
be S2,2i0.00. Now, We will charc G
the 40 cows with the average rent of
l2O acres Of the farm which would be
necessary TO supply them with win.
ter and summer food, the milking,
manufacturing and curing the cheese
at 100000, and these charges would
not be high. The $4,000 for ex-
penses, taken from the total value of
cheese, would leave Sl,G40.OO to be
credited to the cows. The profits of
the dairy farm would then be $40. 100
more than the profits from the grain
farm, and only $7O0,OO more invested
IN the business. To be successful,
the dairyman must feed his cows
well and take good care Of them at
all times. We often hear men say,
that if they had the means they
would raise less wheat and try the
dairy business. TO such, we would
say ordinary, native calves general
ly make good mixers. Then buy
ten or more such calves at a nominal
price and you will soon have dairy.