The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-07-18
FARM TOPICS.
Thoughts for Dairxmen.

III is very 6Vlu60G 10 ID6 U1OSG CdSudl
observer that "new departures " must
be taken in the dairy districts with
view to increasing the revenues, or
rather, adding to the capabilities and
production of the farm. The success
full farmer of the future will have to call
in aids other than his dairy, to secure
the income he ought to have from his
land. When dairy products sold at high
prices the farm required no other reve-
nue. than that furnished by the dairy to
enable the proprietor to come out even
at the end of the year, or with hand
some surplus to reward him for his la
Dor. The average dairy cow would
produce $50 or S75 worth of butter,
cheese or milk, as the case might be,
and hence no thought was ever gwen to
the production of other articles which
would yield returns in themselves. The
dairy supplied all poor COW would
yield at fair profit, and thus, gradually,
the minor farms and auxiliaries were
abandoned and the dairy became the
farmers one source of supply. With
hard times and lower prices, however,
came new demands and new inquiries.
How can the revenues of the farm be
kept up to the old standard, or made to
cover the same ground is now the vital
question with the thinking farmer.
In answer to this question we would
say he must revise his old methods,
must take an advance step, and enroll
himself among thinking, actiUe men of
the day. A college education is not
necessary to do this. Good, practical
common sense will put a man on the
right track and keep him there. But to
descend from generalities:
First, the dairy herd must be toned
up to the standard of three cows giving
the same amount of milk that five COWS
are now supplying. Increased pro-
duction without increase of stock" is
the coming maxim of the dairy. To
reach this standard there must be an
abolition of the system of "going West
after cows or its equivalent, as prac-
ticed in so many dairy districts, and in
its stead the farmer must breed his own
stock. He must not be content with
ssany thing but cow" but must pro
cure bull from some well known milk
ing strain and raise his calves from his
best cows If properly managed these
will, at two years of age, begin to I'LL
up the ranks of the old and defective
cows, and almost before he is aware of
it his dairy will be of his own raising,
and instead of drawing the larger part
of his summer earnings to pay "cow
notes." this money can be applied else
where, and the actual cost of the far
better COW will not be realized.
With a decrease of cows and an actual
increase of the milk product, part of
the farm may be used to supply the de-
ficient revenue. The farmer can then
raise the grain consumed on the farm.
A few years ago field of wheat in a
dairy section was novelty, and the
merchant at the station found his most
paying customers TO be grain-buying
farmers. This outlay can all be avoid
ed by simply putting in few acres Of
corn and taking good care of it; and so
with wheat, oats, etc. But few men
realize, until the end of the year, how
much their flour bill actually amounts
to, and were they to raise every year
four acres of wheat, well put in, they
would soon stop large annual outlay.
n Dbtt6r cuitlfdllOu VI luo sui uluc1
also follow. The dry. years and the
thousand enemies of the grass crop have
had telling effect upon the old pas
lures and meadows. The one is becom-
ing barren; moonshine" spots them
over, and sickly, spindling June grass
furnishes but scanty food, at best, for
the COW. On an average, five acres are
required to summer COW, whereas two
acres could be made to answer even
better. The meadow is becoming
bound" out, and the crop of the dad
dies'' is almost unknown. The remedy
is-to turn these unproductive spots
over; not to crop them. but TO stock
them down at once, and when they
again require it, do the same thing over.
The plow-lands will require most of the
supply of stable manure, but for grass
simply blowing and stocking down viii
show surprising results. even without
manure, but better, of course, if manure
can be supplied.
Devote portion of the farm to rails
ing young cattle, sheep, hogs-some-
thing that viii be growing into money