Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-11-22
AGRICULTURAL.
A:EDUCATIoN
PUSH THE DAIRY BUSINESS
40 SUCCESSION fARhAlN9r

Butter is IS cents a pound and going
up. This standard article OF the hui
man dietary is becoming so expensive
in America. so long regarded as the
home OF plenty, that many people AZ"
beng forced TO cut out the use or out-
ter a1torether. IL is only a few years
ago that the farmer who secured year
Nv customers in the towns and cities
Tor his butter at 3 cents a pound re-
rarded himself as extremely fortunate
In a uerfod OF less than ten years the
price OF this most desirable and whole
soma article has almost doubled sure
II there is an opportunity Tor develop
ment along this line which IS oeins
overlooked. and an examination or the
statistics fully confirms this opinion
What is the matter? Why are the
farmers OF the south neglecting a ousi-
ness which is better calculated than any
other 10 enable them 20 build up their
lands. utiIizs the products OF the farm
in the home factory. and make iarse
return on the investment
some viii say that the labor problem
deters most people from entering the
dairy business. and IL is true that II
is an exactinE business. requiring at
tention SIS DAYS out OF every year But
when there is so much complaint about
the low price OF cotton and the small
yield obtained. is there any reason why
a percentage OF our farmers should not
taI-e nm that line OF industry which
promises the largest returng In faet
the writer has never known OF any in
divfduaI who has succeeded in any line
OF life without making a great personal
sacrifice whether his friends knew II
or not. Similarly. on the farm the bust
ness which Is the easiest and the most
attractive viii seldom IL ever be the
most profitable. AS a matter OF fact,
the dairy business can be followed
with greater financial advantage on the
rart OF the farmer than any other line
of agriculture in which he can engage
at the present time
the tendency 10 crowd into the cities
is still marked. which means an IN
crease in the cost OF living and higher
prices for butter in the immediate fu-
ture. A good COW such as can be found
in many localities in Georgia may be
depended On TO give two gallons OF
milk a day for about ten months OF
the year. where she is properly fed
and cared for. II she IS OF Jersey ORR
gin the milk win probably run per
cent OF fat or slightly better. and the
COW may be depended on 10 return 10
the owner the equivalent OF a pound Of
uuENEF q Jay with a. 81 1t--- 1850
about As cents. The cost OF feeding this
COW on a most liberal estimate should
not be over IS cents a day; under good
MANAGEMENT IL may be reduced to from
Is to Is cents Surely. this leaves q
good margin OF profit AS a matter OF
fact, there is in the college herd a COW
which has produced better than 40
pounds OF milk a day for several
months, and has made the equivalent
OF nearly two pounds OF butter. Sup
pose such a COW cost 5000 to purchase
She is still a profitable dairy machine
IL is true that she is greatly above
the average. but stiIl there are number
or farmers I'm Georgia who started out
with limited means and have built up
magnificent herds OF high-grade or pure
bred cows at comparatively small out
lay OF money. These men are prosperous
and successful and are living witnesses
70 the great opportunity which the dairy
business affords hundreds Of Georgis
farmers who are following the old line
methods Of agriculture and are dis
posed to grumble about hard times