Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-07-24
Improving Dairy Farms.

There are more than ten million cows in
the United States, the money value of whose
production does not aggregate more than for
ty million dollars per anuum. Few Of these
cows pay their owners any profit the vast
bulk Of the whole do not pay expenses of feed
and labor This is readily shown when we
come to figure up the cost Of a years pro-.
vision for a cow and allow fair margin for
the protection Of these which really pay a
profit over and above the cost Of keep and
labor Of attention, aud preparing dairy pro.
ducts for market. This, too, is owing to the
gradual depreciation Of stock for it is APP
parent to any man acquainted with the gen.
eral run Of our stock, that it is not mprov-
ing in quality. nor even hading its own
Every succeeding year finds dairy stock IN
creasiug, aud pcrlorco degencralug for
where no careful selection is made, stock will
certainly run down Originally our stock
was the produce Of the best obtainabc from
European breeds, for we cannot suppose that
any but the best was brought by our FIRST
settlers from Europe. Aud now, although
much money is beihg spent ia improving our
breeding stock, the wave Of improvement
only ripplcs here aud there without affecting
in the least the wide general level Now it
is far from profitable To keep retrograding
stock aud dairy stock cannot stand still IL
must improve or 20 back Neither eau we
, afford to permit any further retrogression, or
1t would be more profitable to put our stock
out Of existence forthwith. When it is clear
/ ly understood, it will be seen how absolutely
necessary it is that our dairy stock should
he improved. The improvement needs to be
begun by getting rid, as soon as possible, OF
the worst Of it, from which we suffer such a
loss as can only be appreciated when we con-
slider how low an average is made by includ-
I Ing our very best. All such poor, prof,les-
cows should be dried off, aud fed for the
butcher, and their places supplied by The
most promising hclsrs. 4 stop too, must
be put to the pr rctce Of selling good hcfer
calves for veal for here is the chief road we
have travelled in reaching our present stage
Further, improved bulls must be introduced
either by cooperating farmers or by the ef.
forts Of our agricultural societies, aud then
produce carefully improved Ia this and
other ways that will readily suggest them.
selves, eau comparatively Inexpensive improve
! meuts be begun and continued. A taste fol
| improved stock has been created in the gen
orh mass Of agricultural communities by
the efforts Of wealthy breeders, but the idea
is prevalent among farmers that it is hope
less to attempt to compete with them in rails
ing improved stock, and that nen of ordinary
means can never hope to possess such animals
But it may be done, and by cooperating an,
combining small capitals Of individuals fo
their joint benefit / such efforts are made
and an improvement begun in this respect,
few years need only elapse before our dairy
products will increase annually in value t,
the extent of hundreds Of millions Of dollars
An increase Of ten dollars per anuum in tn,
product of each COW would now amount {,
100000 GOO. -Neio York TriJuRe