The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-28
THE HUMBLE COW.
Through the Creamerics She Is Proving n
Bonanza For Western Farmers.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
ABILENE, Kan, Dec. 1S.-Three epochs
have divided the past decade for western
farmers; three great industrial fashions
have reigned and promised to become per-
manent weathmakers The first was that
of wheat raising. During the latter seven
ties the wheat fields of Kansas and Nebras-
ka were the wonder of every transconti-
mental traveller. Along the bottom lands of
the kaw and Platte the beautiful leagues
of grain stretched away for miles, and the
passenger trains often stopped during har-
vest time in the midst of the toilers to allow
the travellers II nearer view Of the attractive
scene. Everybody who could started in the
wheat raising industry.
But there came bad crop years, and it
soon became apparent that wheat growing
could not be followed exclusively. Next
came sheep. Wool brought good price.
The unlimited pasturage and the mild win
tiers seemed singularly adapted to the rails
ing of sheep and production of wool Flocks
came up from Texas and New Mexico. tens
of thousands of head-long legged, hungry
creatures, with Il pound or two of coarse.
hairy fleece on their bony backs. Wrinkled
neckeu merinos also came from the sheep
growing centers of New York and Ohio.
The sheep population of the Mississippi val
ley leaped to amazing figures, Kansas Mt
one time having close to 100000 head
where now are but about 100000 In 1883
wool took u tumble, and the race was
changed to one of disposing of the focks
Then came boom times and IL period of
uncertainty, but now there has arisen !;
new savior for the struggling prairie farm
er, and 1t Is the most sensible of all-thc
mild eyed and humble COW. All over the
prairie states have been built creameries,
and morning after morning long process
sions of farmers teams laden with mill:
cans may be seen unloading their sweet
scented product at their doors. The teams
are frequently driven by the wives and
daughters of the household, as thus the
men are enabled to do n full days work at
home
From the receiving vat to the separator
the sweet fluid goes, and later the cream is
churned in great revolving boxes into pure
healthful butter that requires no colorins
material to fit it for the dantiest table in
the land Pressed into solid pound pack
ages, wrapped in tissue paper and marked
with some attractive device, it commands
the highest market price and goes to the
best trade OF the continent. Kansas and
Nebraska are sending many carloads rcgu-
larly to the cities of Mexico and north into
Canada. Kansas sold over 81 ,000. 900 worth
of butter i'll 1892 and this years product
Will be far in excess. of that figure. Ne
braska and Iowa are doing nearly as well
and are rcaping certain and rich harvest
from this new industry.
BY means of it the farmer with a few
cows is able to utilize his crops for feed,
being thus less dependent upon the mar
kets He receives at the end of the month
the cash receipts of the butter his milk has
produced, less Il small commission retained
by the creamery owners. He is usually a
stakeholder in the creamery, so even part
of this comes back to him. BY means of
improved machinery, familiarity with the
markets. etc, the manager of the creamery
succeeds in realizing the very highest pos
sible return for the butter produced, and it
all results i'll increased profit TO the farmer
Indirectly it benefits him as well. To
secure good returns from his stock there
must be warm barns, careful attention and
proper food. The farmer diversifcs his
crops and, in short, makes farming IL busi-
ness, as does his brother in the eastern
states, instead Of speculation and guess
work-the great fault which has been "A
constant brake on western development.
In many prairie county from $4,000 to
$4,000 month is being paid out by the
creameres. 1t is providing the groceries
and clothing and giving n residue for les
SEEMING the mortgage on the homestead No
industry III the west is returning so large
or satisfactory profit on the investment,
and yet the demand for good creamery but
ter is not supplied.
The humble COW is proving the salvation
OF many household. In the creamery
sections her value has been increased mar
velously, and among the chief factors of
western prosperity she must be reckoned
as one OF the most stable. With cheap
land, cheap feed and high prices for her
product, She Is better than Il silver mine on
western farm. {. NJ. LARGER.