Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-07-20

other conditions equally favorable, will
produce but half that amount. In COM
mon practice, however, the failure in
production results from both want OF
adaptation and care.
The cost of production is as important
a factor in the problem of loss and gain
as Is the market value of the article pro-
duced. We will assume that the food of
dairy COW costs $40 per year; that the
skinned milk and buttermilk, in a butter
dairy, will, as it should, when iudiciously
used, pay for the labor required /; that the
fertilizing material produced will paw
the interest on the money invested in the
herd, and appliances used in conducting
the business. With these conditions
the cost of production per pound of but
ter will be as follows: With a herd so
well adapted to the business that it will
produce an average of 300 pounds of
butter per COW per year, the cost of pro-
duction will be 13s cents per pound.
with yield of POO pounds it will cost 20
cents per pound, and of but 100 pounds,
1t will cost 40 cents. When the market
value of butter is but 20 cents per pound.
as with most summer diaries, the former
would receive profit of 81 cents per
pound on his product, which would
afford an annual profit of $40 per COW.
and of $500 on herd of 20 cows. The
second would realize no profit, though. in
common with the rest, he would have
the benefit of his home market for the
food consumed and receive full market
price for it. The third would lose 20
cents on every pound manufactured, an
average OF $50 on each COW kept, per
annum, and S4OO on herd of 20 cows,
This represents difference of $500 in the
annual financial results of these two ex-
tremes OF dairy practice. Incredible as
1t may SEEM these wide extremes in in
dividual diaries may be found i'm Cham
plain valley.
Let us approach this subject from an
other standpoint. We will assume. as
above, that the cost of feed per COW per
annum is $40; the annual butter product,
800 pounds per COW; the market value. %
cents per pound-not a high average
price for winter diaries. On this basis
the gross receipts would be S75 per COW.
If from this we deduct the cost of food.
we have balance of S35, which, with
the offset as above for labor. interest on
capital invested, etc.. will represent the
net profit, sum equivalent to 500 per
annum on herd of 20 cows.
where the annual product per COW ia
but loo pounds, which is doubtless as
high as the actual average of the cows of
this section. the gross receipts of the
owner will be but $3.50 per COW. De-
duct this from the cost of food, and we
find loss of $3.50 per COW, and of
SoO.oo on herd OF 70 cows, making a
dl1ference OF 500 In the annual financial
results with herds of 20 cows.
Every practical dairyman who will in
vestgate this matter will recognize the
Importance OF adaptation in dairy stock.
The butter maker cannot afford to waste
his stock-food in the production of an un-
necessary amount of caseine, which to
him is of value only for food for calves
and swine.
The illustrations which | have given,
taken from actual dairy practice. will
serve to explain the wide difference
in the opinions of men with regard to the
profits of dairy farming, and also in their
estimates of the value of farm land for
dairy purposes. One dairyman pronoun-
ces the business extremely profitable;
another holds precisely the opposite opin-
ion: Both may be right, when judged by
their individual practice. The farm Of
the former may pay per cent interest
on valuation of 500 per acre. that of
the latter may not pay per cent on "a
valuation of $40 per acre. This is a
question of business capacity and appli-
cation. With the requisite qualifications
for the business, the dairyman can lust
as surely bring his herd up to an average
productive capacity of 300 pounds of
butter per annum as those engaged in
other callings can by skill and applica-
ton organize success in their respective
departments. Without an intellrent
understanding of his business and dill
gent application to it, the dairyman. UNI
der present conditions, will as surely fail
OF success as the lawyer, the doctor, or
the merchant, with corresponding per-
sonal defects. If he is out of debt. he
may get comfortable,living but if he
is doing business on hired capital. his
creditors will surely get him.
Let US consider the question regarding
the actual value of farm lands in Cham
plain valley when used in connection
with an intelligent dairy practice. We
will assume that it requires four acres of
land to produce food for superior dairy
COW. am aware that some may pro-
nounce this an absurdity, when taken in
connection with my claim in reference to
the superior quality of the lands in this
section. But am not in this connection
, advocating that high order of farming
where one acre is an ample allowance
for the maintenance of COW. We will
assume for the benefit of this class of
directors that a portion of the four acres
is hill pasture. and cannot be cultivated.
win a productive capacity of 300
pounds OF butter per COW, sold at an av-
erage OF 20 cents per pound, the gross re-
/ ceipts from the four acres would obvious
, ly be S15. If we estimate the value of
the land at 5000 per acre, and allow six
per cent interest on this capital, we shall
: have 1913 per acre with which to pay
the cost of labor, etc, in the yearly pro-
! duction of crops. Such are the induce
ments which Western Vermont offers for
profitable dairy husbandry, and yet our
young men are leaving for the booming
J West.
To illustrate what may be done in the
, line of dairy improvement, by entire
communities, will quote from a paper
read at late meeting of the New York
= Dairymens association: "The town of
Bovina, Delaware county, is inland, hav-
ing no railroad, cheese factory, or cream
erv. Every farmer makes his own but
ter, and it is said that woman, to be adj
NIT fnA m tlan hoe Al. 4.