The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1911-09-19
STOCK ON DRY FARM
Milk, Eggs and Meat Contribute
10 Comfort Of Family.
comosnionship Of Animals 10 e'e~'
Factor In Developing Spirit o.
Country Life In Young reo
pIe-No Idle Period.

nI0-No tOtO
tBy PROF. X. w. CLARh as % Huiis.n')
the Dry Farming Coasre"s Du'e
DRY farming as carried on at 'ns
present time is cold business piop0
sition. A visit to the average ui'
/ farm reveals lonesome, SOMEWHAT
gloomy situation; there are many
things lacking that are necessary "
make this home a desirable. pleasant
nlacs to live. The wife-the mistress
of the home--feels this more than
anyone else. If she were raised Wneie
fruits vegetables and live stock were
grown. the lack of them to her now Is
keenly felt. No farm can be truly
home without live stock. MIX, cream
butter. cheese, eggs and various xmas
of meat are necessary. These COL
tribute to the comfort and happiness
of the family. Furthermore, the COM
panionship Of animals is great lac
tor in developing the spirit OF coun-
try life in young people. The lamb
colt calf, 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 comranonship OF the farm AMI
mails
There are other reasons than the
one mentioned why live stock should
be kept on every dry farm. Grain Is
the main dry crop. The farmer S
eggs are all in one basket" Grain
Is his only source OF income, and II
storm and insects take it. the expendl-
lures and efforts of the whole year
are lost. With few mich cows. there
Is an income all the time; butterfat
Is sold to the creamery every day,
and 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 is 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 Is true when there are
, horses, beef cattle and hogs to sell
They provide an income when the
, farmer needs 1t, and he can pay cash
I and thereby secure many advantages
, that cannot be secured by credit
When the farmer keeps live stock
he can give employment the whole
/ year. but on the grain farm there Is
long period Of idleness during the
winter season. Most desirable labor
4 cannot be secured when there Is Z
, short period Of employment, and con
g sequently the farmer has to put w
a with low class Of farm hands, which
|, is demoralizing to the young people O.
|. the community. On the farm without
d live stock, production ceases during
Y the winter season, while on the farm
r containing live stock it continues tn,
' whole year. and because of it tn,
g community is more prosperous.
g. The question OF maintaining the fer
@ tility Of the soil is important. Tn
d time will come, though slower than Il
II humid climates, when the productiv
r capacity Of tho soil will be greatl
a reduced, unless the plant food no,
Y being taken out is replaced. Som
c. crops remove a great deal from tn
IS SOIL For instance. one ton Of whea
e removes 81 worth of fertility Thi
a Is greatly In contrast to the amour
e $50 cents worthy removed in ton b
q butter. In the raising of live STOCK
n the farmer must grow leguminou
a plants that add fertility to the sol
II as peas, clover and alfalfa. About 8
\. per cent. Of the fertility constituent
}, OF crops is retained on the farm whe
& live stock Is fed and the manure re
"a turned to the soil. BY growing leg,
n minous plants and feeding live stool
N the fertility, to large extent, is mar
II tanned and depleted soils are rapid
n built up. This il impossible withou
70 live stock,
ID Before going into the Ave stoc
IS business too effectively. the farme
In must learn what kind of crops On
= Do prontably grown This varies xrea
II. ~ between and within the state
i. some crops that can be grown su,
la cessfully In Kansas and South Dakot
e. would probably fail in Montana. an
la some that can be successfully grow
,r IN one part OF the state would fail
- another. Alfalfa, where 1t can h
n grown. Is the best all around Gro,
n. II can be safely pastured BY hogs an
i'd horses. and Is a good feed in wipt,
ID and summer for all kinds Of animal
y, even tho chickens.