Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-12-12
FARM AND Fl1ESlDE
Thoughts from a Farm.

their feed; but the writer thinks he
can prove beyond the slightest doubt
that there are circumstances under
which this gain is altogether Elusive.
For instance, farmer might have a
useful dairy of COWS and be going regs
ularly making butter orselling milk
bat a dealer IN cattle comes along and
says: "You have some nice fresh grass
there. Now | can sell you 20 cows
which will pay $500 for their keeping
and there is plenty of room"
But these 20 COWS eat all the grass
in field which the dairy COWS would
have had for change if the others
had not come, and consequently the
milk falls off, and instead OF the milk.
butter and cream making about $500
the full value does not exceed $50,
which shows loss of all but $50 out
OF the 5000. But, over and above
this, there is to be taken into account
the tact OF grazing the afterfeed on
the meadows very much shorter than
would have been done but for the buy
i"g of these 20 cows, and this biting
Oft the grass so close to the grorn
wi affect the next years crop of hay
about half a ton per acre, which on
100 acres would be so tons of Lay
lost, and then the account would stand
by valuing the hay at only $40 per
ton, $500 lost on hay and $3.50 on the
dairy products-total, $3.50. Then
deduct the 5000 gain on the 20 cows
and the absolute loss would be $3.50 :;
aud, good readers, there are men of
intelligence on other subjects, who do
literally lose $3.50 while they fancy
they have gained $500.
Again, another farmer might have a
hundred ewes from which be IS in
tending to raise lambs ard to sell
these lat in the spring; but just as the
ewes have settled down and are doing
30 well as to promise good results.
and that they VII drop at least 100
lambs worth So each, thus yielding
$3.50, Ike owner Is persuaded to buy
30 wethers TO make a clear 81 per
head for their keep. Well, these are
put by themselves, but it is soon
found that the fences are scaled, and
shortly all run together, grass becomes
scarce, the room in the sheds and yard
where they are sheltered at night from
dogs. DC, is too much crowded, and
as the ewes get less active the wethers
jostle them when entering or leaving
the pei, and also at tie troughs when
feeding, and the consequences are 81
lambs instead of lL0. ami IS each
inst ad o IS. Thus the account will
tand:-Sl00 gained for Ike, ping the
weathers, and on the other side-20
lambs lost, which would have made
$3.50, AMI loss Of 81 each on 81
lambs, amounting to $l6O or more.
Total loss OF 1920; balance, after
deducting 800 gain on wethers, 1920.
These statements about cows and
sheep are not intended to discourage
the keeping Of large tiocks and herds
nor are they meat as arguments
against the possible profits from fat
tenlng beef and mutton for market,
although they may appear so at first
sight. The fact is, that Americans,
and especially those who have been
successful in mercantile pursuits, think
it advisable to carry out economy and
frugality to an injurious extent in ag
ricultural matters, and in managing
live stock they make false calculations,
sometimes IN the way just indicated,
and often in other ways also. The
uueaucated tenant-farmer in England
could easily show them their ignor-
ance of cause and effect, and theil
want of foresight in attempting to
evade necessary expenditure, which
invariably end in producing results
decidedly contrary to what was expec-
ted.
The English farmers buy the oil
cake with which the Americans are
afraid to feed their stock, and al
though the freight and profit to the
shipper must then be added to the
price In the United States, yeti: pays
t, use it.
The American farmer makes bis
calculation in this way:-10, 20 or 80
steers, cows. or other animals, as the
case may be, have eaten, say, ten
tons of oilcake at $50 per ton-total,
$500; and they have only made $3.50
more than similar lot have sold for,
which eat no oilcake; consequently,
there is loss of $780," (which nobody
can deny" says be.
The English tenant, on the other
hand, calculates in this fashion,
Cost of cake for feeding beef, mutton,
and forcing growth of young stock,
&c. say, 81, OOO-for the poor rack
renter would think less of 81, 900 than
the United States gentleman-farmer
would Of $500. His set-off would be.
say, for increased beef and mutton,
$3.50; increase of wool and increase OF
size of young stock having eaten some
cake, $3.50; increased value of the
manure, 500; ten tons of hay, which
was not eaten because the use of the
cake made ANIMALS require less hay,
$200-Total, $1,100. The price of
the best hay in market would be
$500, perhaps; but since it is not all
lowed, as general rule. to be sold
off farms, there is always what is
called spending price put on hay,
which amounts to about the above
rate. Now, as this klnd of Iarmir :
b,ings on an increased yield of crop,
all over the farm, and as there is
therefore an inducement to consume
more and more oilcake and other good
feed, there is still greater saving of
hay; and as it is usual also to give OIL
cake to animals when at grass, there is
likewise corresponding saving of
pasture, SO that the hay and grass
saved through eating the cake, and
also the much greater quantity grown
in consequence of the rich manure,
both together enable the English far