The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1911-09-08
STOCK ON DRY FARM
Milk, Eggs and Meat Contribute
to Comfort Of Family.
companlonshlp q Animate 10 Great
Factor In Developing Spirit Of
Country Life In Young Peo-
plo-No Idle Period.

t6y PROF. r.. w. CLARK. Montana, In
thS Dry Farming Congress BulieIn)
Dry farming as carried on At the
present time IL . cold business propo-
DitiOn. A visit to the average dry
farm reveals q lonesome, somewhat
gloomy situation; there are many
things lacking that are necessary to
make this home q desirable, pleasant
place to i've. The wife-the mistress
Of the home-fsels this more than
anyone else. II she were raised where
fruits. vegetables and live stock were
grown. the lack Of them to her now IL
koenly felt. Mo farm can be truly .
home without i've stock. MIX. cream.
butter. cheese. eggs and various kinds
Of meat are necessary. These con-
tribute to the comfort and happiness
Ct the family. Furthermore, the COM
panionship Of animals 10 . great fac
tor IN developing the spirit of coun-
try life in young people. The lamb.
colt. CALI pig and chick all help to
make The country pleasant and at
tractive. The writer's most pleasant
recollection Of his childhood days was
the companionship Of the farm ami
mAls.
There are other reasons than tho
one mentioned why live stock should
be kept on every dry farm. Grain Is
the main dry crop. The farmers
eggs are all in one basket" Grain
10 his only source Of income, and IL
storm and insects take 1t, the expendi-
lures and efforts Of the whole year
are Lost. With few mich cows, there
10 an income all the time; butterfat
y sold to the creamery every day,
Ind q few calves can be vealed and
disposed Of to the local butcher. A
few hens will pick up = great deal Of
waste grain that otherwise would be
entirely lost. and the revenue there
from y usually SUFFICIENT to provide
the family with groceries A few sheep
Will furnish meat for the table and
cash at various times during the year,
when the farmer has NO wheat to sell.
The same IL true when there are
horses. beef, cattle and hogs to sell.
They provide an income when the
farmer needs It, and he can pay cash
and thereby secure many advantages
that cannot be secured by credit.
When the farmer keeps live stock,
hO can give employment the whole
year. but on the grain farm there IL
= long period of idleness during the
winter season. Most desirable labor
cannot be secured when there Is 4
nhnrf rnriON ~ am v>inwnou< nuI 49,.
SeQuently the farmer has to put up
with Z low class of farm hands, which
Is demoralizing to the young people OF
the community. On the farm without
i've stock. production ceases during
tho winter season, while on the farm
containing live stock 1t continues the
whole year, and because of 1t the
community is more prosperous.
Tho question of maintaining the fer
sility Of the soil is important. The
time win come, though slower than in
humid climates, when the productive
capacity Of tho soil will be greatly
reduced. unless the plant food now
being taken out is replaced. Some
crops remove q great deal from the
soil. For instance. one ton of wheat
removes 81 worth OF fertility. This
Is greatly In contrast to the amount
60 cents WORTHY removed in a ton of
butter. In the raising of live stock.
the farmer must grow ieguminous
plants that add fertility to the soil,
Is peas. clover and alfalfa. About 80
per cent. Of the fertility constituents
Of crops n retained on the farm when
i've stock IL fed and the manure re-
turned TO the SOIL BY growing legu-
minous plants and feeding live stock,
the fertility. to a large extent, is main
tanned and depleted soils are rapidly
built up. This IL impossible without
live stock.
Before going into the I've stock
business too effectively, the farmer
must learn what kind of crops can
be probably grown. This varies great
~ between and within the states.
Some crops that can be grown sue
cessfully In Kansas and South Dakota
would probably fail in Montana, and
some that can be successfully grown
In one part of the state would fail in
another. Alfalfa, where It can be
grown. Is the best all around crop.
1t can be safely pastured by hogs and
horses. and IL good feed in winter
and summer for all kinds of animals,
even the chickens.