The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-09-01
THE FARM AND HOME.
SUCCESSFUL DAIRYINC FOR
THE COMMON FARMER.
Grading Up the Herd to . Profitable Point
Roots for Foed-More EARLY Apples
Needed-Tho summer Hog WY Farm
Notes and Home Hints. ;.

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fore the Kansas Dairying association
by Joshua Wheeler:
BY the term common farmer" we
do not mean the man Of large estates,
who counts his broad acres by the
hundreds and thousands, with costly
buildings and lsrge herds Of cattle
with fashionable pedigrees; but own
ers OF small farms OF eighty, 100. or
$50 acres, who do their own labor with
in themselves and their families. This
class of farmers-and there are thous-
ands of them in Kansas-eenerally
keep but littlesto and do but little
in the way of dairying. not much more
than to supply the wants OF their
families. they run in the same
groove year by year, planting their
corn, sowing their grain, and haul
ing it to market They seem to have
the opinion that to engage in dairy
ing successfully requires large stock
and large capital. While we believe
that capital invested in the dairy
will'pay as we'll as" any kind of farm
operations, yet it is not necessary to-
success to own herds. of full blood
Holsteins or Jerseys. There is profit
in the grade of Shorthorn COWS that
comes within the means of the COM
mon farmer.
Among this class Of COWS can be,
found some very good mixers, giving
from twenty-five to fifty pounds Of
milk per day during the summer
months. Their market value is from
$50 to $50. Good Shorthorn bulls
can be bought from $50 TO $75. These.
figures put them within the reach of
the common farmer. With a good
bull on the farm it takes but snort
time to raise up a supply of dairy
cows. If one-half of the eighty and
100 acre farms of Eastern Kansas
we're seeded to grass, and the pro-
duct, with all of the corn fodder care
fully saved and converted into dairy
products, it would greatly improve
the financial condition of this class of
farmers and greatly improve the con-
dition of their farms We believe
the common farmer can probably
milk from six to twelve COWS through
the entire year. The revenue de-
rived from this would be quite an
addition to the income of the common
farmer.
The COWS we have described will
give from 5000 to 1000 pounds of
milk during the season; 5000 pounds
would be a good average. From jan
uary 8, 1891, to January 6, 1892, the
patrons of the Nortonville cheese fac
tory received sixty-eight cents per
100. pounds for their milk. From
January, 1892, to January, 1898, they
will have received seventy cents per
100. At these figures COW giving
5000 pounds of milk would give to
her owner in season $40, fully the
market value of the COW. BY using
Shorthorn bull from good milking
family and carefully selecting the
cows, better results than this might
be obtained.
The time required to take care of a
dairy of from six to twelve COWS
would interfere but little with the
other business of the farm. One hour
night and morning would do the
work. Of course there must be a
good supply of feed and water and
some convenience for milking, but q
building for the latter purpose can
be built cheaply at the present price
of lumber.
At the present day creameries and
cheese factories will be built in
neighborhoods where there. is suffi-
cient milk to justify the enterprise.
Sending of milk to these factories
greatly lightens the labor at the
home, but even if the factories can
not be reached, we still think it will
pay the common farmer to give. at
tention to the dairy, for in all our
cities and towns there is a. good de-
mand for good article Of home made
butter, and good article can be
made on any farm, by the use OF
modern methods.
We believe that the successful
farmer Of to-day must be progressive,
take advantage of useful improve
ments and patronize every new in
dustry connected with his calling.
The farmer that still adheres, to old
methods and old ideas and RUNS in
the old ruts, will surely come out
behind in the race.
The summer Hog.
Summaries. the ytime 0f vea,> for the.