Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-03-26
NO. ~.
miscellaneous.
WHY STOCK FARMING Is BETTER THAN
GRAIN FARMING.

The advocates of stock breeding and
feeding a. being more desirable farming
than making grain growing specially,
need not be without a reason for the faith
that is within them. Its not mere blind
assertion that the former will pay better
than the latter in a series of wears. II has
not simply "happcned' that this has been
true in the past. 1t can he shown that the
principles of good business management
strongly favor the plan of making live
stock Il prominent feature on the mass of
farms ofthe cUuntry-ccrtainly in the West
There are many farms OF which this is not
true, but they are IN the minority. not the
majority.
It is an obvious principle, that if we have
to transport our products. especially long
distances, ii Is wise to reduce the weight
and bulk II much It, possible. This the
farmer does in a marked degree where he
feeds his grain and grass to animals a>
wool or milk, or better, its products but
ter and cheese. are sold but the homely
provcrb, that the best sack in which To
ship corn to market is beef hide or hog
skin. expresses Il truth tortibly. if not elr-
gantly.
The one GREAT disadvantage Of Western
agriculture H. compared with that of the
East. is the great markets for farm pro-
duets. Complaint of too high charges for
transportation have been very common.
\ difference of even a small fraction of Il
cent in the freight charges per pound, for
shipping corn. may decide whether tie
crop il To rive n profit or loss, for it, value
at starting j. now less than half Il cent per
pound \ Ike difference would be less
important III the case of pork. beef, or
mutton. still less in the ease of cheese. but
ter, or wool Here is one indisputable adj
vantage the stock farmer has. II is n GER
orally recognized rule, that the selling
price OF amy article i, largely affected by
the time. labor. and skill required to pre-
duco on reproduce it. Ii is also usually
true that the more frequently we change
the form Of the product. the more we
"manuiactur" the greater i the proba-
Bile profit. In these regard, the stock
farmer has an advantage over the one who
stops at grain growing. Animals require
longer time for their production. and us
allv more care and skill than does grain
growing.
1t is one of the most Obvious of busine
principles that one should keep his capital
constantly employed. 1t i, better to loan
money to the Government at four per cent.
for Il LONG series of years. than to loan Il r
three months of each year at 10 per cent
then have the money lie idle the remainder
of the time. 1t is better to take steady
work at : IA day than to rely on uncertain
Jobs at - a day. Itis special advan-
tagc of stock growing and feeding that if
rightly managed, each animal may increase
in size, weight, and value each day. and
each day labor for its self. or require the
labor of its wnrrin some form. Payment
tor this labor i to be expected, and son
profit also. 1t isa special disadvantage
of exclusive grain growing that. especially
with spring >own small grains, all the
work may be done in les, than half Il e
year; then the crop ceases To improve or
change in actual value. except to lose bv
waste of various kinds. During perhaJs
half the year the farmer giving all his at
tcntion to grain growing is comparatively
idle, a> are his teams, while the stock
grower may find employment during Il e
entire year. The fact that daily labor
throughout all the year i an essential in
dairy farming, is one chief reason for the
mere than usual proiitablene>s of that in
tcre>t through Il long >cre, of years.
1t Is wise not only to keep capital con
>tantlN employed, but also To keep all the
capital employed whenever this is posi-
bic. stock farming here. again, has Il e
preference over grain farming. Vey
many farms are too wet. too hillV, too
stony, or H. Vet. too >tumpy for profitable
tillagr. but will give fair return when in
gras>. There are hooks and corners, there
are the sides of streams and fences which
produce good grass, but are not used whn
the land Is in grain. So. too. the stock
will proiltablN consume many products
which would be largely wasted ON grain
farms. The Waste of valuable food Where
no stock is kept on Il corn growing farm.
is very great. Even the straw from the
small grains can hc pat To better use than
simply To allow it to rot for manure
The use of the word manure readily
suggests one other marked advantage in
rearing and feeding stock over the plan of
grain or grass growing for sale Much
less i removed from the farm and much
more remains to be returned To the land as
manure. The hay seller disposeS of near
ly all the land has produced except the
roots; the grain seller saves the stalks:
the stock seller saves much of the grain
the wool or milk seller saves still more.
aS IA rule. although in some respect pastur-
age of dairy COWS i more exhaustive To-
land than j. terdin" NWioaM
1 Liz, -SiocG joHft0I