Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-02-08
Trne Dniry Gospel.
by Prof. W. A. Henry, Madison, WIS.,

Ireccntly received a letter from al
intelligent farmer in Iowa asking help
ON dairy matters. After putting sew
eral very pertinent and proper ques-
/. tions he closed by asking mo 10 ASSIST
i. him in making a food ration for his
cows, saying he did not care for quail.
| ty In his milk, but quantity, as he sold
II to the factory at 80 much per hum
dred pounds, no matter whether IL
was rich or poor In quality.
This question exhibits sad condi-
ton of affairs in that mans neighbor-
hood unfortunately II exists In thou.
sand other communities and Is one OF
the most serious drawbacks in the
whole dairy business Of to-day. NO
business on earth can succ led IN
which men are careless of what they
do, and the dairy business could not
struggle year after year under such a
staggering load were it not that 1t is
naturally q profitable business and can
stand more abuse and yet live than
most other lines of production.
Let us parallel the case. Suppose a
man were to breed horses with noth-
ing in view but pounds of horsefesh,
or raise potatoes and care nothing
about the quality of the tubers, but
only the bushels. Think of reduction
works buying gold ore at so much per
ton and paying all men alike for
whatever ore they might bring, re-
CARELESS Of the quality. We can see
that in this case man conducting
such a business would be ruined in
few months, and that the only way to
do is TO pay for each ton by the
amount of gold it contains.
l told this man that what he needed
most was not the knowledge of how
to feed better, but that he should seek
to bring about q reformation in that
factory. First OF all he should call his
neighbors together and reason with
them upon the present improbable,
unbusiness. way OF dividing
money on the basis of pounds of milk
and that there should be means en-
ployed which made il possible for tho
man who delivered the best milk TO
get the best pay, and those unfortu'
nate individuals who had poor milk
should suffer in proportion to their
deserts. TO bring this about there
must he some way of measuring the
fat in the milk, for argue as we may,
milk is rated and valued the world
over by the fat it contains. just as
soon as the factory will start out on
this basis there will be leaven placed
in that community that will be worth
more to it than anything that has
struck it in a decade. When milk is
bought upon its merits, men will com.
mence 10 breed good dairy stock and
to feed for rich milk. The stimulus
will be apparent oil every farm and
the good results will be measured only
by the amount Of intelligence and
perseverance cxerted. There are more
ways of watering milk than by turn
ing in a pail Of water fresh from the
pump into the delivery can. There
are men who thank God they are hon
est and make long prayers in church,
who water their milk just as success
fully through poor feed and poor cows
as other less ostentatious sinners, who
dilute milk in the old-fasbi0ned way. |
It may take some time to work the
community up to the standard of in
sisting upon having the milk tested at
the factory, but men who have their
eyes open should insist that the right
way is the correct way, and that JUS
tice will not be done until each man is
paid for just what he delivers.
But it will be said that no one can
yet analyze milk practically in the
factory 80 as 10 divide money on that
basis. If this is true there is some
thing wrong and it is time matters
were righted. When any business
cannot be run On business principles
the earlier dissolution takes place the
better. But il can be. At our dairy |
school we now have boys learning to
analyze milk and in short time the
careful ones will be able to determine
the fat in one or fifty samples Of milk
Just about as accurately as the most
careful chemist, and far better than
most city milk inspectors do their
work. The patrons should insist that
if the head Of the factory is to draw
good pay, as he certainly should, he
must furnish brains and the education
necessary to conduct his part of the
business properly, just as any other
man who calls himself an expert. The
time 1s At hand when patrons should
insist that butter aud cheese makers
understand their business and only
trust their milk with those who have
gu Allied themselves for their calling.