Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-29
DIARIES IN VIRGINIA.
Major AlYord, Chief Of the Division al
Washington, Advocates Them.
THEIR BENEFITS TO TIE SOIL.
The Natural Advantages or THIS
stntc-VaIunbIc suggestions ms 10
the Busincss-What crops S"""'"
lie Sold. &c.

lie Sold. &c.
Major Henry r. Alvord. Chief or the
Dairy Division OF the United States De
partment OF Agriculture, and owner anu
manager Of Spring Hill Farm, FAIRFAX
Va. has submitted by request. to Col
onel Thomas whitehead a most able
paper on the question Of dairyng, TO De
embraced I'm the annual report OF the COM
missioner OF Agriculture Unfortunate
~ the document. which would nave peeh
a very valuable contribution to the
Commissioner report, reached that gen
tleman too late TO be incorporated IN
the publication. The paper Is IN erect
what Major Alvord has had to say to
virginia, audiences upon this subject
wherever and whenever he has addressed
them. owing TO the important nature or
the paper to Virginia farmers. the
Dispatch here prints it in full 1t Is as
follows:
Based upon twenty-five years OF eX-
perience as owner and manager Of
dalry-farm IN Fairfax county l feel that
can advocate the exten .On Of dairy
farming in Virginia
There seem to be good reasons for
doing this As rule, the farmers Of
the State have 10 work upon worn soils.
/ do not call them exhausted soils, for
they are not. They are, however worn,
reduced I'm their natural fertility, and
Improvement in some way IS necessary
I'm order that the farms may produce In
creased crops. The farmers OF Virginia
spend yearly $4,000 for artificial feri-
lizers. This is an average Of about $50 TO
farm. and IS entirely too much. Com
mercial fertilizers unquestionably have
their place In the economy Of farm man
aeement; but they are too often pur-
chased and applied irratonally, and con-
sequently uselessly and at q loss. In
approved methods Of farming CONNER
cial fertilizers carefully selected, bought
with definite purpose and judlclods-
IS applied, can be used 10 very great
advantage. But there are other things
which Virginia farmers need more. Upon
our heavy soils and upon our light SOILS
tho pressing need I'm most cases IS the
addition of organic matter. This Us want
cd fully as much for the mechanical
effect II has in improving thu soil as
Tor tho additional supply Of plant-lood-
30 organic matter is equal 20 FARM
mauures for this double purpose We
need farm manures. There is nothing
like them 10 bring up a worn farm.
STOCK AND THEIR FRIENDS.
More manure means more live stock
and the production Of satisfactory
quantity OF manure is one OF The
strongest reasons for increasing the
number Of domestic animals kept upon
our farms in considering the question
OF what additional animals 10 keep the
different classes Of stock will have Their
special friends, and In some cases the
iH fUh .it.. ~
or swine the most desirable. Most ue0-
pie, however viii settle upon horses
or cows as best adapted 10 their wants.
i'm comparing these two classes Of ami
mails many points arise. But. when
all Of the advantages and disadvantages
have been weighed and contrasteG, i
venture the statement that the argument
viii be found 10 be decidedly in favor
OF the COWS. Mich COWS are certainly
most satisfactory farm animals. They
may be kept and cared for with compare
lively little labor. on the average. they
are not expensive and the investment
represented by quite herd is not
large. They are as a rule. rugged and
healthy-free from accident and disease.
They work up the coarse feeding ma
terials, which are usually abundant
on farms. as well as any class Of animals,
and good cows yield a double and daily
D
NIRGINIAS ADVANTAGES.
The natural conditions existing in Vlr-
/ ginia favor the keeping Of more COWS.
| The grazing is good over the greater
| part Of the State Pastures are easily
| supplemented by growing forage crops.
] and the latter are easily produced in
/ abundance TO supply winter feeding
| Good water IS plentiful almost every
where IN the state. The shelter and feed
| ing seasons arc comparatively short
| and the shelter necessary for cows is
simple and inexpensive in comparison
with that required i'm many parts Of
the country where dairyiug is found so
f, profitable. These are the essential con-
diuons to cattle-keeping. In short, this
state is a good cattle country
In times past there have been some
conditions regarded as ess initial 20 dairy
farming which are no longer found TO be
! necessary. Ice is useful I'm dairying. but
not essential Springs. spring streams
| and sprins-hOuses are very desirable.
| and thes- abound I'm Virginia. Yet il is
even possible TO get along without these
and pursue dairy-farming successfully.
Some cool and pure water is wanted, bd:
q good well IS all that Is really neces-
sary.
TRANSPORTATION AND MARKETING
The transportation and marketing Of
farm products are important questions
in connection with all farming 10 is
the difiiculty and expense OF Transporter
ton which causes coarse and bulky pro-
vender To have such low value on
the farm. especially on farms remote
from markets, and without exceptionally
good facilities for transportation. Ex-
perience plainly teaches the expodiency
OF condensing farm products and re-
ducing them TO the least possible bulk
before sending them to market
Hence we ind that hay and straw,
and stalks. corn. oats, and even wheat.
/ can be prOhtabiy fed and transformed
into flesh. There Is much greater econ
Omy in sending beef ami pork 10
market than in trying % dispose Of the
farm crops which produce them. Dairy
products are a still more condensed
form of farm crops. and can be placed
In market with still greater ease and
. economy.
WHAT SHOULD BE SOLD.
The question Of maintaining the fer
uiity OF the farm Is also involved. What
products Of the farm are sold, Is a mat
ter of very great importance TO the future
Of the farm itself. When we compare
the selling of farm crops with the selling
of the products Of these crops we find
a great difference In effect upon the
farm This is because some classes OF
saleable articles contain the elements OF
ertility in so much greater proportion
han others DO. For preserving the fertility
II the farm IL is vastly better to sell
neat than to sell hay or grain. II is
stil better 10 sell milk than any kind OF
meat. unless IL be fat pork. And the
selling OF butter Is better than the selling
If milk Indeed the composition OF but.
ter is such that it may be sold from a
farm I'm any quantity and for an indo-