The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-11-03
with conservative estimates based on

with conservative estimates based on
known premises:
Freeborn county contains % cream
cries (all built within 10 years., about
2, 500 creamery patrons, with 10.OOO
COWS. The combined income from
butter produced by these creameries in
1898 is given by the state dairy COM
mission as $64O. 600, equal to about $500
for each patron, or $50 per cow. These
figures do not include the value of the
skim milk and butter milk, which
amounts to considerable. The United
States bureau of agriculture estimates
the number of milch cows in Mime
sofa, Jan. 1, 1899, at 647, 900 There
fore creamery facilities throughout the
state equal to those in Freeborn county,
combined with the same kind OF care
and feeding which prevails In that
county combined with the same kind OF
care and feeding which prevails In that
county, and which still has large room
for improvement, would give an an.
nual creamery revenue for the state OF
more than $40, 900, 600. Again we have
at st. Anthony Park, at the state ex-
detrimental station, herd of cows, not
high bred but taken from Minnesota
farms and kept for experimental pur-
poses to demonstrate to the farmers OF
the state the possibilities of intelligent
dairying This herd averages an in
come from butter, at current market
prices, of more than $75 per COW, and
there are many private herds doing as
well. The same kind of care and feed
ing applied to the SAT. 900 cows through
out the state could produce $49. 600, 600,
upwards of five times the income now
obtained and ten per cent more than
the value of the 1898 wheat crop of this
the greatest wheat crop in the union.
Just think of it, here we have the pos.
sibility of increasing the revenue from
one our greatest industries five fold
the only requirement being care, work
and intelligent effort. We have all the
capital Except the comparative small
amount necessary to build additional
creameries). We have the cows and
the finest grass and water on earth. 1t
is needless to say that the COWS at the
state farm and in the best managed
herds are not turned out to frozen fall
and spring pastures, nor permitted to
Stake their thirst with snow or icewater
in winter. Neither are they allowed to
expend their energy and vitality in
fighting flies in summer.
It takes thought, care and work to
produce the best results in dairying as
in anything else. More thought, care
and especially work than many farmers
want to devote to anything; but it pays
and pays we'll, year in and year out,
probably beyond any other department
of Agriculture. The farmer who will
not do any work that cannot be per-
formed on a spring. seat naturally fights
shy of cows But the idea Of diversified
farming is rapidly gaining ground in
Minnesota. The "spring seat farmer
depending on grain alone, is gradually
being replaced or educated to diversi.
fication of crop and industry.
This change and advancement is due
not little to the good educational
work carried on by the state farmers
Institutes, held in all portions of the
state every year, by Supt. Gregg and
his able assistants, and also to the in
telligent experimental work conducted
by Prof. Hacker at the state farm.
Minnesota is destined to become the
greatest dairy and creamery state in
the union. No other state can match
us for natural dairying facilities Our
butter leads in national contests. Its
keeping qualities are world-renowned.
The creamery industry presents to US
almost unlimited possibilities 1t is a
practically inexhaustible mine of
wealth. The farmers and the COM
munities which soonest realize and act
upon this idea will soonest reap the
benefits. OF all departments of in
dustry the cow is queen. Treat her as
such; give her the care she deserves;
supplement the facilities which nature
has provided with proper thought, care,
work and appliances and she willrepay
all with compound interest
G.. II. HIGGS.