Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-12-19
AMONG THE FARMERS.
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CorresPondcnce on practical Agricultural topics
70 soncitsd. Address all eennonicasacns In
tended tor this department 20 HRNRY ID. HAn
noSp, Agricultural kdisor oxford Deuoera,
PArta. Ne.
PROGRESSIVE DAIRY FARMING.
Kxtracts from address before New YorA Farm.
ers' inssitute
l often hear farmers express the opin-
ion that scientific farming, rs presented
oy the farm Institute instructors and the
agricultural papers, 10 not sufficiently
practical for them 70 make . living by.
| think the class Of farmers Who believe
this are In the IN msjority In every locality
in which an Institute IL held. IL seems
20 be the mission Of the farmers insti-
tute TO convert these farmers, and give
them q new fAith In progressive and
scientifc methods. Whatever the farm-
er mxy think about what is called 'sscien-
tiic farming" however much he may
doubt us prscticability, tt is q fact, that
In all parts OF the country there is need
Of something that will help the farmer
only the few who own their farms clear
from debt, and are making comfortable
living.
Farmers are slow 10 realize that In the
last twenty-five years there has been q
grea, change In the condition Of dairy
farming. The world has been moving,
and many farmers have failed to adjust
their farming 10 the new order OF things.
fhese farmers must change their meth
DDS, because the old plan OF farming will
not meet the requirements OF to-day. IL
is not question whether he wishes 10 do
so or not, but he must face the fact that
be IL compelled 70 do 80 or fail. Those
good old times when the farmer could
have his cows all fresh In milk In the
spring, and make his butter at home
only during the summer months, let his
cows all 20 dry In the winter, and could
maintain the fertility Of his farm suffl-
GENTLY 10 grow his crops and allow =
part Of the fertilizer to 90 70 waste, and
still make the business profitable, are
past and will never return. The market
now demands his dairy products fresh
from the farm or factory, and OF high
and uniform grade, and because OF In
creasing competition, the prices OF these
products have become so low, that with
the eastern farmer, IL has become =
problem how 20 produce them and leave
q margin that will enable him TO live.
when dairy products sold for higher
price, there Was some profit In feeding
western grain; bot with lower prices,
this has become less profitable, and the
time has come when the eastern dairy
meu must grow nearly all the food for
their cows on the farm, and keep only
the COWS that return to them the largest
amount OF butter fat, II butter Is made.
To grow the crops on his farm that viii
save him the greater part OF bis grain
bill, the farmer must not depend on
compercisl fertilizers, for this Is an out
90 be cannot well sflord, but he must
make and save all the manure possible
up the iucome from the dairy as high as
possible, and reduce the cost Of feeding
the cows and the crops to the lowest cash
outlay possible. To the extent he can
make the crops Of the farm feed the
cows, and the manure from the cows
feed the crops, he makes the business
profitable.
The successful dairy farmer OF the
future must be man with progressive
ideas, 4 man Who can think and plan, q
man with executive ability. Dairy
farming now requires more intelligence
and skill, and We see the need OF the
education and training the farmers boy
gets AZ the agricultural schools. The
great need in the farming Of to-day Is
more science and more capital. II needs
the men with clear heads, good habits,
and with push and enterprise. In the
culture and betterment OF the man, We
get At the basis Of all improvements and
reforms.
The progressive dairy farmer Of to-
day will study the conditions which
exist In regard 70 markets and their Dr.
mands. He will study how 70 place his
products on the market In the best con-
ditiou TO meet its demands, and 20 re
duce the cost Of production as low as
possible. He will study his farm, and IL
II is adapted 10 the kind Of farming, he
will grow ensilsge corn, oats and peas
for a soiling crop, clover and oats or
wheat in four year rotation. he Will
a
ing. He will fiud which are his poor
cows by testing or weighing the milk.
he will produce the most milk at the
time when 1t brings the highest price
aud at the lowest cost. He will raise
his own cows instead OF buying them,
for he cannot buy the kind Of cows he
wants. He will make the surroundings
Of his cows in winter As near like those
in summer as possible, and, with ensi-
lage, he will produce milk nearly as
cbesply In the six winter months as be
can during six summer months he will
understand that his cows need succulent
food in winter, and he cannot add water
20 dry food and make as much milk ss
he can with green or succulent food,
containing the same amount or water.
When the pastures become dry and
short, he will supplement them with
soiling crops instead OF grain. He will
know that the butter TAT 10 the milk is
not fixed by the food the COW eats, but
by her breeding. He will lesrn the
elements In the different kinds Of foods,
and so combine them ss TO form
balanced rstion; also II he keeps his
animals warm in the winter, he can fes'd
more protein, and make them more
profitable. He will feed clover hay 20
balance the ensilsge In the ration fed.
He will provide himself with the best
implements for planting and cultivatirg
his crops, and the best utensils TO use IN
the dairy. He will liberate plant food
in the soil by frequent cultivation, and
add plant food ana humus 10 it by grow
ing and plowiug under cover crops when
practicable, and he will avail himself Of
all the helps he can get from the agii-
cultural papers, experiment stations ard
conventions.