Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-05-02
THE DAIRY BUSINESS OF THE
UNITED STATES.

THE DAIRY BUSINESS OF THE
UNITED STATES.
There are few persons who have any
conception of the dairy business of the
United States, and fewer still will re-
alize the fact that it is the largest in ex-
tent and value Of any other branch,
either of manufactures, commerce,
mining or agriculture. The Mississippi
Valley Creamery and Dairy Associa-
ton, embracing the states of Missouri,
Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Mime
soto, held its annual meeting last
month at st. Louis, Mo-, and the pres
ident, the Hon. Norman J. Colman,
(just appointed commissioner of agri-
culture by President Cleveland) ad-
dressed the convention, and stated that
in the states represented the dairy busi-
ness f1Ourished, and was the most pro-
fitable branch of farming. 1t had to a
great extent displaced other branches
of farming. 1t was not difficult for
traveller to distinguish dairy district,
as they gave evidence of greater thrift
than any other farming section. VI all
the weaithiest as class. As a rule,
they had the best farms, farm buildings
and largest bank accounts. The dairy
man was not only farmer, but man
ufacturer. He converts grass, hay and
grain into a product which is shipped
to all iparts of the world. A curious
feature connected with dairying was
the fact that it was carried OH only i'll
The northern part of this country, north
of the parallel of 40 degrees, and un-
der very serious disadvantages which
do not exist south of that parallel. The
disadvantages consisted in long, severe
winters, which prevent dairying at The
very time butter commanded the high
est price and was in the greatest de-
mand. Dairying was much more ex-
pensive as carried on in the north, and
land was more costly than south Of the
fortieth parallel, which was really much
better adapted to the business. Yet
under all these disadvantages dairying
was very profitable in the north.
The farmers of Maryland, Virginia
and neighboring states can take note OF
the results of a change which has been
going on at the west, and, i'll view OF
the restive feeling which is manifested
by them at the prospect OF their inabil'
ity to successfully compete with Other
sections in the growth Of those crops
which they have been cultivating al
their lives, and learn what in a few
years can be accomplished by diver
sitication of their labor, or by strenu
GUS effort to improve their system, il
such term can be applied to the ole
border states of the Union. In thu
language of an earnest farmer, in hi!
appeal to his brethren. "We tell you
the day for poor farming has passed
by. Another age is upon us. The rac'
is only won by the power of reason
IT'S an age of brain power, not muscle
We come into close competition will
} the brightest minds of the day
and we cannot farm withon
the use of brains. 'Tis brazil
power that twirls your saws, tha
throws your shuttles, annihilates tim
and space, by the economic and practi
cal use of steam and electricity. ri
brain power that makes your laws an
7 expOunds them. Exercise yours, Civ
it development. In no place on God
green earth is there better chanc
than upon the farm. God helps thos
3 only in high degree who help them
a selves. Luck has nothing to do wit
: our fate. 'Tis our own actions an
work that make for us failure or sue
!. cess. You must learn to grow hi
q crops. You must exercise gumptio
f in all your farm work, and if you d
l. it, it Will enable you to keep up wit
. the age and secure the benefit and wi
dom OF all the most important labor
Saving machinery of the day. 1t wi
enable you to fill your homes wit
. plenty, furnish your families the be
. educational advantages, and with got
: behavior you can in course of tin
a grow up to be n real good granger, al
be most triumphantly pointed out
IS one of the salt of the earth"
a In word, you must read and stut
IT. more, and exchange thought and mil
'e and experience with one another in Il
e club room or the grange. You mu
IS experiment for yourselves and pro
e necessities of the soil you till for Il
IS crops you wish to raise. You must :
3. to work, and although you may
1t times have more manual labor to pc
1t form than is required in the conduct
" other branches of business, yet "
E. will find in the result that you are be
ls ter off, more indendent, and freer fro
10 racking care than they.
ot AT the meeting OF the association Il
al luded to above, the secretary, Mr..
IS w. Sheppard, made an address, iro
le which we extract the following. 1t II
y only demonstrates great research
l. the part of Mr.. Sheppard, but plac
he the dairy Interests in position II
ye contemplated by many. Mr.. Sheppar
D. during his remarks, said:
nj 81 take pleasure in calling your a
We tention to the report of the dairy e
pit hibit at the last St. Louis fair, whc
+ there were not less than 500 tubs
lr butter entered in competition for t
We different premiums. Although the
tie was butter from every state in the Nj
~ sissippi Valley entered, only one bran
IS, and that made in this parallel, stO
IT. the standard test OF one hundred poll
ld to perfection Most butter made in I
ld west was manufactured north Of Il
parallel, Iowa taking the lead. L
number of butter factories in the Il
AZ teremt states is as follows: lndial
80; Nebraska, 40; Missouri, 6l; Ks
sas, 100; Minnesota, 100; Visions
mn oo' iiiiuoiS, fJt lONd, Ooo, tOldl
,,s eight states, l,19S. This value of I
+, dairy product of the state OF To-
II. alone in the year 1884 amounted
aI $40 100000; while the value of I
M =; butter, cheese and milk product of I
- whole United States for the year "
ho $500, ,0O0,009. The entire value OF |
"s 'rs oat crop for the year had only be
70 Sl5o,oOO,oOo; pig iron product, es
=. mating the price per ton to be $lS, W
SSi ,OUO, 200; converted into steel
!" might reach value of $243, 5000, ,0(
w. cotton crop, $3.50, 100000; wheat CT,
w SlOO 100000. This showed the dai
- ~ product to be of more value than a
10 of the others. 1t was hard to estim
inv the amount of money invested in I
na manufactures, farms, buildings, sto'
Il etc, i'll the dairy business, but
v; milch COWS alone in tie United Sta
were estimated to be worth more th
800, 100000. The entire capital ste
of all the national bankers in the cou
fry la St war xUas only xSDl 1kf AK q