The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1894-06-28
SOMERSET.


SOMERSET
AS>oN-To this date, MAY 2Ist, never
s1w the spring prospect more iattefihs'
Mix sells for i've and one-hai cents per
quart. old measure. An increase OF I'VE
Der cent in thoroughbred Jerseys from
last year. Only about one-hali OF our
farmers use thoroughbred bulls. ABOUT
the usual quantity OF iruit trees were set
this spring. Fruit indications oue hund-
red per cent better Than last year.
GEORGE FLlNr.
ENnUEN-From January l. 1898 to
Ianuar !, 1904. we MIXED fourteen COWS
in all. ten COWS and four two year'oid
heiers. and they made, on an average,
as pounds of butter per head. ne
average test Of their milk was per cent
Of butter fat. Sixteen pounds OF their
milk makes one pound Of butter. we
make the butter ourselves, and Il mas az
eraged about twenty-five cents per pound.
We feed about twelve pounds OF nay ana
SIX quarts per day OF corn meal cotton
seed and shorts, mixed equal parts ~
measure Feed a very little proYender all
summer The spring has been remark
ably carly. We have Just had two inches
Of water fall. and everything is looking
vers hnc. | think the farmers in this
vicinity are doing more this spring than
ever before. for which am very thankful.
Every fruit tree is blossoming full.
r. ". ELLIS.
NoRrH FARFIEIp-Farmers have most
of Heir 5 ed in the ground With the eNcep-
ton OF a few pieces OF sweet corn. Farm
ers are generally hopeful and the indiea-
tons now are fer a good hay crop.
o. a. BOWMAN.
SopTH NoRRIDGEWoCK-O urcows have
averaged PSI pounds OF butter each the
last year. We enjoy receiving the crop
bulletin and will add few lines. The
general outlook for the hay crop IS very
good We have cream and milk factory
here and it is gaining in amount oil butter
every week They made 1905 pounds
last week gain of s64 pounds over the
week before. Dairying pays the best OF
anything at present, for farmers in this
section. GEORGE II. GREENWOOD.
SoLoN-My experience in regard to
difference OF feed is, there are no better
feeds for flavor than corn meal and shorts.
Cotton-seed meal added, will increase the
quantity Of cream, SO will linseed, Feed
flour will add greatly to the cream but 1t
affects the solldity OF the butter. Other
feeds can be added with profit, such as
roots of the right kind. Fresh clover hay
is very fine feed for COWS in milk.
STEPHEN MERRILL.
ST. ALBANs-My COWS have averaged
315 pounds of butter the past year. IT.
requires " IL pounds of milk for one
pound of butter. My experience corrobo
rates the recent theory that in general,
feed does not effect the quality of milk,
so far as the per cent. of fat is concerned.
OF course the flavors of the milk are effect
ed by the feed. Fruit trees are blossom
ing well. |. O. WlNsLow.
NORRIpGEWOCK-lf had not made
veal of any OF my calves my COWS would
have made an average of 365 pounds OF
butter for the year. | made an exact ac-
count with the skinned milk fed to hogs,
and after paying the market price tor the
other feed used, the skinned milk paid
me twelve dollars per COW, for the year.
CHARLES L. WARREN.
CoRXvItfr- The farmer is again en-
qaeed in the labors OF the season, tiling
The Ground planting the seed. toiline and
bopnp with a faith varying as circumstar-
ces are favorable or adverse. AT the best
his reward is small. his gains moderate
And still much depends upon the condi-
tons, the man. the line he works on, the
pains taken. the care exercised and the
kind of labor put into any special branch
pursued. Dairying appears to offer. at
the present time. favorable inducemen
to earnest and faithful effort on the part
OF the farmer. If he is adapted to tie
business, and is favorably located, it S
undoubtedly the best pursuit he can follow.
To be highly successful at dairyine, there
are MANY conditions that must not be dis
REGARDED. Maine has never ranked high
as A dairy State and it is lust because the
conditions that insure success have not
been needed But since the creamery
system WAS introduced A reform has be-
Gun, and the hope is cherished that it may
90 on until Maine butter shall stand as
high as the best in the markets of the
world. And this is fairly probable. The
natural conditions are most favorable.
The cool climate. the pure air, the clear
water, grass-producing soil, are all-im-
portant elements in the production OF nice
milk, cream and butter. But there are
other condi ions to be needed Cows
should be kindly treated, made comfortable