Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-05-16
HOW TO MAKE the DAIRY PAY.

HOW TO MAKE THE DAIRY PAY.
Dsirying has come 10 be an important
industry among the farmers In this
state. The activity manlfested In differ
ent directions the past winter in the
| organic ltion Of new cresmeries gives evil
denee that the business is still on the in-
crease among Us. The Farmer contends
that this increasing confidence 10 cows
as desirable stock on the farm Il In the
right direction. The evidence Is lntensi-
fied each year as It passes that the true
policy OF our Maine farmers is In the
main to feed their crops to stock on the
farm. No stock will give better returns
for crops fed than a herd Of COWS well
handled.
No one questions to-day but the mar.
gin OF profit In the dairy business Is
wider where the principal feed Of the
cows Is grown on the farm where the
cows are kept. So long rs the herd Is
kept for the money TO made out Of
them this Is al important matter. We
armly believe that our Maine dairymen
have made a grave mistake Ia depending
On the market for so much OF the keep
Of their COWS. Often is IL heard that II
takes the larger part of the income OF the
cows TO paw the grain bill. With winter
iairying this Il literally true Of the
common dairy herds, and 30 long a. the
term winter dsirying, ss IL Is used, APP
plies to full half Of the year, the net
left TO the operator IL altogether too
small. IL Is not to be expected that In
the main higher prices will rule for dairy
products. II the farmer must have more
out Of the business, the way Is open for
him TO widen the netincome by reducing
the cost OF keeping the cows. This can
surely and easily be done bv growing
more of the feed at home. Very little
% studied attention has been put into
this line of effort-it has been 80 easy 10
90 into the market and buy. But the
cost of the grain feeds have been going
up while the price OF the butter has
been going down, till IL IL quite time to
review the problem from present stand
ards We wish to earnestly urge at
tention, therefore. To the importance OF
studied effort 20 grow the principal
feed Of the cows on the farm where
needed. We have the land, the teams,
called for additional Is 10 work them
more.
The first step calling for attention Is
to grow more OF those crops specially
adapted TO the keeping Of COWS for dairy
work. Too many dsirymen have been
following the growers handed down
from other dsvs instead of applying
themselves to present conditions. Every
feeder Of cows who has put his mind on
the business the past winter has noted
the superior feeding value OF the doe
crops Of clover harvested last summer.
Frequently have the favorable results
from feeding cows on this clover been
on. Light grain feeding
only WAS needed to 20 with IL. hence
small cost OF feed and more money left
In the hands of the operator. Prodting
from that experience, how many win
start out this spring to grow more OF
that valuable product: There eau be no
question about its superior value. The
sensible thing to do Is 10 grow more OF
IL. All that Is called for Ia TO leave the
land less years In timothy and come
around To the clover oftener; TO get out
of the ruts OF former practice and let
the judgment gained from experience
direct TO y shorter rotation which leaves
out year or tvo In grass and puts the
superior clover in its place.
Again, the great value Of the corn crop
was never SO much In evidence, both a.
a fodder snd grain feed, rs last year.
So, too, the silo as means OF storing
and preserving this valuable crop has
advanced 70 such a stage OF knowledge
a. 10 sscur. one of the lowest cost aud
~ the same time most desirable folders
for dairy work within reach, where local
conditions favor. As preparatory crop
for the valuable clover mentioned above
nothing excels Il or with the order re-
yersed the same holds true. Hence the
great economy Of the two crops in the
dairy business.
For grsin crops oats, mixed grain OF
oats and barley, and oats aud peas, my
safely se depended upon for bountisnl
WELD on good soil and under generous
treatment, and little but team labor IA
involved In their production. All these
are IN excellent accompaniment TO
clover hay and corn silage for cows In
milk.
With such round Of crops as we have
indicated n herd Of cows may be sup
piled from the farm with their full needs
and the money saved that Il nov being
ptid out for purchased feeds. All that
Is necessary 10 the case Ia 10 get out OF
the old ways, and 90 TO work with de-
termined energy aud grow these crops
on the farm. II Is only when dairy
msn studies his business and allows him
self 10 be guided by the light OF the
gsined that he can expect TO
reach better results. At this opening
season of active work on the farm we
urge dairy farmers 10 give this matter
close consideration. IL IL useless TO ex-
peet the dairy work TO pay any better so
long as run under Ike management.
To reach so desirable an end methods
must be changed. The production OF
the feed Of the cows on the farm where
they are kept offers an easy solution to
the problem of how TO make the dairy
psy.-Maine Farmer.