Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-05-31
Farm Dairying.N


the average farmer-located near large
towns or cities-a far greater return
for labor and capital Invested than
will any of the usual grain crops 10
which his lands are commonly devoted.
And even In more remote districts,
where the sale of milk and cream to
the consumer direct Is not practicable,
the farmer Of mixed husbandry who
omits the important branch of dairy
ing In connection with his businers, Is
running IL at loss and isnot reaping
the benefit of all the possibilities with
in his reach.
Modern appliances for managing the
milk aud cream and its manufacture
into butter have reduced The old time
drudgery Of dairy work to the mini
mum, and by the observance Of prop
err care and skill, good cellar or dali
ry room adapted to the purposes in
tended, and Q creamer; good butter can
be made and paying prices can be OBJ
tanned for Il IN every section of the
country. There is never an over-sup-
ply OF first class butter in any commu-
nifty, and it Is always in demand, ard
once the dairyman establishes the rep
utation of furnishing uniformly al
article of this kind and he Is master of
the situation and may command his
own price. regardless of q glutted
market and oVer-supply of inferior
goods.
The milk supply, under proper man
agement, is continuous throughout the
year and the demand for. it in the va
rious forms in which 1t is possible to
manipulate it, is active and fully as
lasting as the supply.
During most of the year that part of
the farm devoted to grass furnishes
support for the cows without any adj
ditional expense, and tho hay crop, the
corn and fodder, can find no market
that will make az good profits as when
fed upon the premises during the win
ter months to well selected, first class
dairy stock. Good cows, properly
treated, are sure to make profitable re-
turns, year after year, and no we'll
managed dairy, with the proper details
closely observed, ever fails to do this.
The usual crops raised by the farmer,
corn, wheat, oats and hay, very often
fail in yield, owing to unfavorable
seasons, the depredatiOns of insects OF
various kinds and other causes and
when the balance is struck between in
come and expense, how often does 1t
occur that the cost of production ex.
ceeds the amount received for the crop?
A favorable year of full crops affords
but little reiief as the over SUPPLY OF
these products of the soil force prices
so low that the same ends In the ledger
are reached, and the business OF the
farm is conducted at loss.
A dairy of ten or more cows will
return net income varying from $50
to 500 each annually with tolerable
degree OF certainty, depending, OF
course, very much upon location, the
suitability of the cows for the work
required of them, the manner in
Which they are fed and treated and
quantity and kind Of food furnished.
If the business of butter making is
adopted breed of butter cows must
be selected; If milk IN large quantities
is desired or cheese making the object
breeds adapted for these purposes
must I've used or disappointment will
follow. The best cows OF the best
breeds, most generously fed with suit
able food, will always make the best
returns, and no COW of any breed
should be kept that does not pay a
good margin over the cost Of her keep.
1t is not a necessity that the breed
should be pure in blood-this would
involve q cost often that would shut
out many farmers of limited means,
for. as a rule, thoroughbred cows are
TOO high for ordinary use in the farm
dairy-grades of The different milking
races are obtainable in most sections
at a little above and sometimes as low
as the common stock OF the country,
and are much better and more reliable
than natives, but the farmer whose
aim is milk should contine his sclec-
ton to stock bred for that purpose,
without regard to beef values, If fail
urcs in the object sought should fol-
low-the beef habit and milk giving
properties are incompatible in the
same animal-for highest results; in
either direction special breeding and
special feeding is demanded.
The general purpose cow has gone
out of fashion since the breeders skill
has so fully demonstrated the superi.
ority of special breeds for special
work.
The milking period of good dairy
cow-selected and treated as outlined
above-should continue ten months In
the wear; then she should be dried,
preparatory to calving again. The
dairyman should fix as a standard
Weld for such a cow $500 to 5000
quarts of milk, or $50 to 300 ponds