Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-03-12

alton OF good corn season and good price,
and 1t proves TO be poor season and a low
pnce, we might be greatly in arrears Of our
estimate when commencing the crop. Then
II We had to make pork of il at eight cents
per pound, doubt whether it would be a
profitable Drop, whereas with good season,
suitable land, and good price It might be
the most profitable crop for that piece Of
land.
II we were confined to the raising Of one
crop. no doubt the hay crop would be the
most profitable and the most indispensable.
And think tho hay crop rightly cultivated
and rightly disposed Of is the most profita-
bic, and partly for this reason, that we get
the greatest value from IL to return to the
laud, which is one very essential considera-
ton. Also if fed to the right kind Of stock
we certainly get the greatest profit from it
Of any crop that we raise. But to get the
greatest profit we want to feed it to COWS
that will yield 800 pounds of butter per
year. Thus il will pay to raise hay crop,
and also to take some pains to raise a good
one Perhaps it is as profitable to feed
TO cowa of one-half that capacity as it is to
feedSo Abys other stock, but II wo feed to
raise young stock, we must estimate the val
ue Of that portion returned to the land pret.
ty high,--et the rate "middlemen" want to
buy our young stock-n order to make il
profitable crop to raise.
If we have piece of ground that is run
out for hay, aud we have no means of re-
cruiting it with manure, probably crop of
oats or potatoes would be the most profitable
for Que year Such land turned over aud
sown to oats and cut green for folder would
yield us much profit as our grass lands aver
age or more, aud wocid probabiy yield as
much profit in potatoes according to the
cost.
Wheat would not be 50 profitable a crop
AS grass when We can buy -four Tor SO to 81
per barrel. Oue acre OF ground IA a suiil.
BILE condition 10 rpiFY a good crop oi wheat
or corn would cut hay enough To winter
enough Of the best COWS to make 400 or 800
pounds Of butter in the year, which would
be worth from Sl2j to S175, and with less
expense than the wheat or coru. Such
crop, thus disposed Of would pay to raise
Therefore think the hay crop can be made
IT 1t is not, the most profitable croPtor farm.
ers in Vermont to raise.
| also have a good opinion of root
crops, but We don't want all roots, but what
we can reasonably feed to our stock, | think
is the most profitable of anything excepting
hay. We can raise a pile of them on a
small piece of ground and think suita-
BILE quantity Of them are worth more to feed
to stock in the winter-according to cost
than any other crop.
There is one other point in connection with
the most profitable crops to raise which |
think is not sufficiently appreciated by YER
mont farmers, and that is to keep the best
quality of cows, if they keep any, and to
keep them in such manner as to get the
greatest profit from them. And the only
way to get good COWS is to raise them. OF
course farmers cannot keep supplied with
cows unless somebody raises them, as cows
will get to be old and worthless in time,
like most everything else. l frequently
hear farmers say that they can buy COWS
cheaper than they can raise them. No
doubt they can. but what are they good for ?
Do any Of you believe that farmer has any
cows TO sell unless they are some that he
wants to get rid of because they are not profit
able to keep2 If farmer has good COWS,
aud he intends to keep cows, he will not sell
them unless it is occasionally at an extrava-
giant price, to accommodate friend. There
fore the only way to get good COWS and keep
supplied with them is to raise their calves
and prove them before selling any. Then
such as you do not think best to keep turn
for beef. Then with COWS that would pro-
duce three hundred pounds of butter year,
and land that would yield four tons of hay
per acre, lt can be done) who doubts that
the hay and root crops would be the most
profitable to raise, and that farming would
pay.