The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-04-13
THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.
An Industry in Which the United
States Has Two Thousand Million
Dollars Invested.
Employees 10000 Men and One Mill.
ion Horses, and Requires Fifteen
. Million Cows.

"a y thot CduuOb IN 6uTpdb6c
for the superior quality of it's grain an
feed, as also for it's almost counties
herde OF cattle, it is somewhat remarl
able that this industry is yet in its il
fancy. In fact it might be said ths
those sections in Montana which contai
the most cattle are the very ones whic
pro rata import the largest amounts @
dairy products.
This naturally is the cause of al
amount Of money going out of the state
the size Of which is little understood b
an average observer. This status O
affairs is unnatural, and to make GU
state as prosperous as it ought to be,
radical revolution in affairs must tax,
place.
Looking at the reports from variouI
states, it is readily perceived that dairy
ing is an industry Of national Importance
An interest in which the enormous
sum OF S2,0C0,C10,O0O is invested in this
country; which requires 100000 COWS
and 100000 acres of land to produce
stuff to feed them; which has 100000.
GOO in agricultural and dairy machine
implements and employs 10000 men
and over l,OOO,C0O horses, and of whose
details many other enormous figures
might be produced, is naturally of the
first importance and. IN twenty five years
has 80 developed from moderate dimsp.
sions that it is overshadowing all the
other interests Of the agricultural popu-
lation of many Of the states. From the
zoo creameries in Minnesota last year
100000 pounds Of butter were turned
out, which Melted the producers four
million dollars.
In Minnesota alone in 1893 from the
creameries and dairy butter makers came
a butter product of nearly 36,OOO,OOO
pounds last year from 527 ,424 cows, while
the total investments and production
last year in the dairy business aggre-
gated ~SlS,S52,OO. The total value of
the butter produced was s6,O6O,OOO.
These reports are object lessons Of the
Importance which dairying possesses
when carried on on improved processes.
At present the dairy industry of the
states stands only second to the wheat
industry, and, If the prices which have |
obtained during the past two years con.
tinue much longer, the relative position
OF these two Industries will be reversed.
Hce ouSh pOSOilO tnc Cdot, NlOUtaDA |
Will witness a period of agricultural
prosperity far greater than has ever been
her lot. 1t may seem strange that our
future prosperity is largely dependent
upon the partial failure of the wheat in
dustry, but such is really the case.
India and Russia are now formidable
competitors in our grain trade, with the
future prospects greatly in their favor.
Those countries will soon adopt improved
sethodskof wheat growing, and, with
tLair che4P labor we cannot expect to
successfully compete with them in OK.
ports.N 1t is therefore a m after of the
greatest Importance that our farmers
commence at once to prepare for coming
events. No industry has such a bright {
future as that Of dairying. And closely !
ailled to 1t is pork raising, in fact, the
TWO naturally belong together. The by
products OF the dairy can in no other I
way be turned into SO much cash as by >
!eedlng them to swine. In addition to a
tnis we have larger quantities of barley, !
etc, that can be profitably n
10 hogs. These facts added to the
or meadows, pastures and b
pure water make our own state especiallv r
adapted for the development of darwin o
tate. ' o'A =
IL 10 now generally conceded by farm h
'rs who have given this subject any az. n y
lous thought that their best interests sSf
WI be most speedily reached by gradn. q,
ny working into dairying. To sccom =,
'lish this we must first increase the "
lumber Of COWS. This can be done in
Vo 'fR$s. first, by purchase. and second 81
y raising all the hAifer calves. 1t IL hi
oGhtful II any considerable number of th
"4srs are IN a position 10 ENQy COWS in i!
's5r hard times, and while he,latter is Ii
.;her a SLOW process it is, ae a \general tn
lie, safer. We have not only 10 tsecure CO
cows, but we must learn how to ca
ed q care for them. We must ac ye
Iire the habit of providing them with ha
nDerai supply of green fodder during tn
summer when our pastures become Eli
'oft' III COWS are allowed to shrink at frl
us season OF the year, they will not re- pei
their normal flow until they CONE Ore
again; Ihey should also be supplied NIL
IN a liberal quantity of succulent fool cou
ring the winter months, which can be the
accomplished by providing them
Ia ensilae, or roots. or better still.
10 both, for all kinds of stock will y
i've Nv ana give better results by an oc- App
'ional change of diet. a d,
nile we have within our borders an
pie supply Of bran, shorts, and other d.
a stutfs having a high percentage of snsi
TEN, yet it is to the farmers interest sioh
'alse on his " farm, if possible, ali ~
iced required by his stock, and in resu
or to DO this he should raise crops craft
ing all the nutritive elements neces. lists
to secure a large flow OF milk dur nv
the winter months, such as clover. III
! and oats in large quantities, and DUG
e, with prairie and timothy hay. copi'
|eey, corn, fodder corn and clover will well
|ish all the feed needed except, possi- w,
q small quantity OF linseed meal, West
Fnarket price OF which, however, is nearl
now ABOVE it's food value. A limited will
pnt OF matt sprouts or cotton seed days.
m!gnt Dc fed to advantage. While -
can conveniently for their stock,
necessity of feedino to -, all 7