Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-03-11


1928. Middlings are quoted as having
fertililzing value of $l436. As they
can be bought for less than that, they
cost less than nothing besides serving
their purpose in milk production. Corn
meal is selling for SIG ton, If as
manure it is worth $685., its real cost
would be $685.. The farmer who has
timothy hay and could exchange it for
an equal amount of clover would make
$3.50 on each ton on account of the SUI
perior feeding qualities of clover. In
cheap feeding upon the basis of these
tables, however, it must not be forgotten
that no one of the substances named
forms complete ration. The MANURE
rial basis is only one Of the three legs
of the stool. Bran, for instance, is
worth its cost for manure, but makes
white milk, poor butter and poorer cows
when fed alone. 1t produces little heat
or fat. Mixed with corn meal in the
ratio of two to one by weight, or one to
two, according to the condition of the
animal, gives us feed which is good
for the COW and is the cheapest grain
ration known. A change Of feed is
profitable at times to rest and invigor-
ate the digestive apparatus and keep the
appetite of the animal keen.
In the limits of this article | have not
space fully to enter upon the discussion
of this comprehensive question. One
word about watering cows that are in
milk. For six years | have followed
the practice of giving my cows warm
water in winter. The size of my dairy
has varied from twenty to fifty cows.
| began warming the water after | had
purchased in one lot Al cows and had
succeeded in making them do almost
everything but give milk l had part
ner, bright, enterprising fellow, and
we both lay awake nights and studied
hard days to think of a scheme whereby
we could stop the drying-up process
and carry the election in favor of more
milk. We fed them hay and then corn
stalks and clover We tried bran and
then shorts and then both. We fed
oats and corn ground together, and then
made one grand general purpose move
by mixing up every kind of ground
feed known to our market and giving
them fifteen pounds each day of that
They held the fort and continued to
shrink. We then commenced giving
them warm water in the stable with a
small amount of bran and shorts stirred
in. Within two weeks our milk supply
increased % per cent. The cost OF
that supply had not increased 5 per
cent. The cows drank more water, d.
gest0d their food better, ate little
more, and looked the picture of COM
fort and health. A COW takes lot OF
cold water into her stomach and it
takes heat from her body to warm il
up; it takes feed and vitality to make
that heat. They are better expended
in making milk. So we can make our
woodpiles reduce the cost of our butter
and cheese. In other branches of farm
work large primary expense often
limits materially the cost of products.
Machinery costs considerable, but there
is an easy rule that should control its
purchase. Where the interest on the
cost of a machine, and its annual de-
probation in value by wear, amounts
to less than the labor in another form
would cost, then it plainly reduces the
cost of a crop to buy it.
The management of the labor ques-
ton has much to do with the cost Of
crops. Many farmers swamp them
selves by hiring more labor than they
can profitably employ; but far larger
number increase the cost of their BUSH
els of grain, their tons of nay and
pounds of butter and meat by their
short-sighted notions of economy in
saving the expense of labor that they
actually need. An expense of five dol
lars, for instance, in procuring ad-
| ditional force to put in ten acres of hay
quickly at the proper time will frequent
ly save half the value of the hay. la
the rush of spring work the farmer is
often unable with his usual force and
with the time he has, to put in his
crops properly. He dislikes to hire the
money to pay for additional help. Corn
ground is left lumpY; grass seed fails
to come up for lack of thorough prepa-
ration of the soil, the wheat fields that
should be so thoroughly pulverized and
fitted near the surface are hastily
scratched over with the drag two or
three times. This is spigot and bung-
hole sort of economy. 1t doesn't pay.
There is no excuse for this kind of bust
ness on the part of those farmers who
have ready money, or that larger class
who have ready credit. | don't believe
| <l..t.e
property. A small debt incurred to
make big crop is different matter.
An Ohio farmer, writing for an agricul-
tural paper, states that he raised wheat
for five years without profit by ordinary
culture. He then added 81 worth of ex-
ira labor to the preparation of the
ground, and increased his production
80 per cent. without manure. Most
Wisconsin farmers are largely depend
ent upon hired help. In close times
many of them endeavor to shut off ex-
penses by discharging their assistants.
Lit seldom has that effect. A certain
| amount OF work must be done upon ev-
cry farm, otherwise it is not worked ND
to its full capacity, and diminished pro-
ducts more than balance diminished ex-
penses. Again, an effort at economy is
often made by discharging high priced
men and employing those who will work
at lower wages, This operation seldom
aceomplishes its object. Men are like
other commodities, they bring about
what they are worth in the market.
The most profitable man | ever had re-
ceived $3.50 per year and board. The
most costly was one who wanted only
ten dollars per month and was willing
to work for his board. He would 90 to
sleep milking COW. and the COW would
follow suit. Finally, nothing will help
a farmer more in reducing the cost of
his crop than good agricultural papers.
They are the public carriers, which
gather up the knowledge and expert
ence of practical men engaged in farm
ing, the results of scientific experiments
in agriculture everywhere, and take
them into each farmers home. The
best thought of the county upon farm
topics is found in their pages, and if
some chaff is found with the grain, we
must not forget that divine wisdom has
made editors like the rest of us-imper-
feet.
To sum the matter up, the farmer
who would make his expenses bear as
small ratio to his receipts as possible