The Holly chieftain., 1909-05-21
PLANT NOT GROUND, BUT RE-
DUcED BY sHREDDlNG, BEAT
ING OR CUTTING.
How TO INSURE SUPPLY
TWENTY-TON MILL CALLS FOR
CROP OF AT LEAST 2.5co
ACRES.
fBy William i. MOnroe.)

.bS "lll!diD L. AonIOe.J
There is such widespread interest
throughout the West in the milling of
alfalfa and so little definite informa-
tion concerning the different methods
and cost of milling, the cost of mills
and markets for the finished products
that brief outline of these subjects
seems appropriate. Alfalfa cannot be
ground, as the term is understood, but
must be reduced by shredding, beat
ing or cutting. Shredding is the least
satisfactory and least used method
The product is too fibrous and stringy
and contains large percentage OF
lint. Beating and cutting or granGat-
ing are the most used and most salts
factory methods. The cutting or
granulating method can be built ia
farm units, but the beater method cau-
not because of the weight Of machin-
cry and the high power required liz
operation.
commercial mill Of twenty tons
daily capacity, daytime run, is gener-
ally the most economical to operate
per ton of output and VIII usually han
die all the alfalfa grown tributary to
it. 4 mill should be 50 located that
an ample supply Of loose alfalfa. de-
livered to the mill on farm wagons di~
rect from the stack, will be assured
If hay has to he shipped TO the mill it.
would have to be balcd-the baling-
freight and extra handling adding from
$500 TO $3.50 to the cost of each ton
a handicap almost impossible to off
set. Before mill is located, con
tracts between the mill owners ana
alfalfa growers should be executed for
the growth of sufficient acreage to as
sure the desired tonnage. These con-
tracts usually stipulate fixed price
for the alfalfa ICr a definite number
of years. Such contracts. are neces-
sary to protect both parties. A milt
of twenty tons capacity should have
contracts covering at least $500 acres
for continuous daylight run, and
5000 acres for day and night run.
The cost Of commercial milling de-
pends on the method used, rate OF
wages and cost of power. The ton
cost of the product in wages is from
so cents to 81 if not sacked, and 81 To
SO if sacked. The cost of power Is
from 25 cents to 81 ton on the basis
OF s. a ton for coal. With the right
equipment of machinery, average
wages of $40 a day. and coal $3.50 r.
ton, the cost of milling a ton of pro-
duct is close to $l.25 sacked. With
higher priced labor and fuel, and wrong
equipment, the cost may be doubled
or even trebled. The product is gen
orally sacked for shipment and sold
in bulk locally. The cost of sacks is
$l.50 to s1.75 ton. A fair price for
the best quality alfalfa, delivered loose
at the mill in eastern Colorado, is 81
a ton. Shrinkage should not exceed
31a per cent, making the net cost OF
alfalfa $725 a ton. Assuming good
Management, cost OF milling, $1.25-
sacks, $l.75, and alfalfa 1925; the en-
tire cost to the mill of ton OF pro-
duct is $l025.
The selling price f. o. b. cars at
eastern Colorado points for properly
milled products from good quality al
contracts and SIS in single car lots.
The demand for the product comes
from everywhere-the West, Middle
West or corn belt; the East and South.
There are instances where local feeders
take the entire output. What does
twenty tons daily amount to-
in an active feeding commuur-
ity? The cost OF mill of
twenty tons daily capacity for milling
alfalfa alone Is from $4,000 to $25,-
900, according to locality and details
all complete and ready TO run. Grain
milling equipment would involve addi-
tional cost. commercial mill OF
twenty tons daily capacity requires
fifty to two hundred horsepower, de
pending on method and equipment
Tie cutting or grannlating method
because of light weight Of machinery
and low power requirements can be
built in sizes and capacities adapte1itoy
farm and feed lot. When so huiIt the
machines are adjusted to make "a
coarser product than the commercial
mills, giving a corresponding increase
of capacity in proportion to power
These machines can be arranged for
on wncels If desired. ana
then can be operated in the field and
moved and run with a traction engine
like thresher separator These ma
chimes OF ten tons day capacity re.
quire ten horsepower and cost $l,5O0;
of twenty tons daily capacity require
fifteen horsepower and cost $4,000. The
cost OF operation is from SO cents