St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1907-06-15
DAIRYiNe IN THE SOUTH.
Has the Best Cow Feed In the World
and q Fine Home Market.


Has the Best Cow Feed In the World
and q Fine Home Market.
BY dairy I mean the thing in its
true sense, and not a creamery or
combination of farmers to furnish
cream or milk to a factory for the
purpose of manufacture. I mean SIM
ply the farmer, his family, and his
cows. 1t takes the three to. make the
proper combination for a farm dairy.
and in this limited article we will only
discuss these three, eo-partners, as it
were, leaving the other details for
later work.
1.-The Man Behind the Cow.
He must not expect to make sue
cess unless personally interested and
responsible. AS evidence that he can
make it profitable, just take a look
for a moment at some figures taken
from the last census, showing the
relative value as regards profits in
the different sections Of the country:
Increase
Section. per acre.
North Atlantic States...........$7.S7
South Atlantic States. T.32
North Central States. ........... GAG
South Central States. SAC
| For Western States. 374
So you see our section in profits
per acre leads all sections except the
Northeast, and comes within fifty-fve
cents of that section with its home
markets, and fancy dairy butter re-
failing at fifty and seventy-fve cents
per pound. These figures show his
profit is all right.
Yet it is fact that the Northwest
sends annually over two million dol
lars worth of dairy products into
these same Southern Atlantic States.
Why is this SO? Simply because our
farmers do not take hold Of the bust
ness in a rational manner. He has
the best cow feed in the world right
at hand-coWpeas cottonseed meal,
corn fodder and alfalfa. He has a
market for good butter at a higher
price than the Western farmer who
has to pay excessive freight commits
sions.
2-Tha Cow.
It is useless for him to try for the
best results in dairying without the
proper COW. I need not specify any
particular breed, for there are several
fine dairy breeds. I would only say,
let each man get the best of the breed
he likes best, and see that she has a
line of ancestors noted for milk and
butter. Especially let him see to it
that her sire is noted getter Of dairy
cows, for it is from that side the dairy
qualities come.
And remember it is the breed before
the feed that makes for dairy quality.
Some COWS you can feed on five
pounds Of cottonseed meal per day
and not have as rich butter fat as
some that get only. corn fodder daily.
In other words, it has long been an
established fact that you cannot feed
butter fat into butter; 1t must be born
there But let her have a gentle dis
position, large digestive, well formed
udder, large milk veins, strong con-
stitution free of ali disease, and you
have-may netsay?-the ideal dairy
cow.
| 3.-The Family About the Cow.
| 1t is a pretty well recognized fact
that the family about the cow has a
great deal to do with her profit Even
the dog must have a kindly feeling
toward her and not disturb or worry
her in any way.
In early life the boy should be
taught how to milk Clearly, carefully
and quickly. / commenced milking at
seven years of age, and taught my
boys about the same time of life. ]
| never could quite understand the
chivalry of the man who allowed his
women folks to do all the milking.
True, as rule, they are more careful
and clearly mixers, but this ought
not to be so. They should know all
about it, since often on the farm that
may fall to their lot But if they make
sweet and clean and carefully fixed
for market, that should be their part
So l conclude: We have the mar
ket, we have the feed, climate and
need. The dairy proposition carried
to the same extent as in Wisconsin
would mean double values for our
lands, better and richer lives for the
farming community and more attrac
tive homes, with better roads, schools
and churches for our couptry.-L c.
Wade, in Progressive Farmer.