Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-02-11

HAxnoSD. Agricultural EDITOR Oxford Dem
ocrAt. Paris, Ne.
The Relation of Dairying to Farm
Fertility.
The subject which seems to me o.
prime Importance today is that of sol
fertility. Fertility in the earth is gianI
inyincible. We have been q nation oi
soil robbers. We have passed from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, prodigsl In
our resources, taking the fertility from
the soil until We are compelled to pause
and repair the damage done or the ma
ton will be on the verge OF starvation.
The fertility of the soil in China, after
thousands of years of cultivation, has in
CT reased rather than diminished, showing
ths, constant cultivation should not i'm
poyerish the soil aud that with all our
boasted wisdom the heather Chinee' is
our superior.
| One OF the causes which makes for a
loss of fertility in our farms is selling
milk. In every thousand pounds of
milk sold from tue farm there are taken
away five pot uds OF nitrogen, about two
pounds Of phosphorus and two pounds
Of potash, at the Commercial price for
these elements about 81 AZ. 10 other
words, the farmer who sells the milk
from a five Thousand pound COW, sells
away from his farm 81 10 worth Of fertil-
izing material, TO say nothing OF the
feeding value of his skinned milk.
These fertilizing values must be returned
to the soil 10 order TO maintain its fertil-
ity. Had our forefathers understood
this great truth, We would not now be
struggling with the high cost OF living,
dependent on the under production OF
food stuffs. Today, through the agency
IF our agricultural schools and expert
ment stations, we know how to restore
and maintain fertility 10 our land.
Now To follow this milk after 1t has
been sold from the farm. New York
city has had for some time system OF
inspection, which consisted in sending
inspectors to the producer to examine
the conditions under which the milk
was produced, and to license only those
producers where right methods were
found. This resulted in constant fric-
ton, owing To the fact that the inspect
ors were not suited 10 the work. They
excited the contempt of the farmer aud
antagun zed him instead of aTOusing hi
interest and cooperation. The result
has been that today New York is trying
To have enacted a law under wb ch the
state board of health shall license the
dealers and handlers of milk, the Do
parlment uf Agriculture shail inspect
and license the dairies as to their me- D.
DDS and the health of the cows, aud the
city authorities of each city shall in-
spect the milk for bacteria content
they are on the right track, for nrmiy
believe in a compulsory test OF all cows
within the state until not Al infected
COW will be found within our borders,
and then | believe a rigid quarantine
should be maintained against the admis-
sion of infected animals. But | believe
that they should go still further and ed
ucate the consumer in the care OF TINS
most valuable food product after II has
reached his hands. The consumer must
be taught not Ouly how to care for the
milk, but what il costs TO produce It.
The farmer who sells his milk for two
dollars a hundred is barely getting his
money back. have been asked several
times what would take for the milk
made on my farm, and my answer has
been three dollars and half hundred.
You can readily believe that do not
sell il at any price. But what you may
not believe is that il brings me very
nearly or a little better than three dol
lars hundred.
Another subject of vital interest to us,
especially iu maintaining the fertility OF
our soils, is proper crop rotation. Thls
Al nj learn.
and has been worked out for Us over aud
over again BY our experiment stations
tBut we are often led away by the phan-
tom of high prices. For instance, hign
prices one year for some particular COM
modify stimulates overproduction 10
that commodity the next year, aud a
currespondingly low price obtains Tor
that year.
One of the difficulties encountered by
the farmer today is the help problem
Our boys aud girls have been leaving the
farms for the cities The labor problem
ON the farm has been likened to pan OF
milk from which the cities take the
cream. think this has been partly the
fault of our country school system. Our
teachers have been from the city, 10
many cases with no liking for the coun-
try, and have helped educate our boys
and girls toward the city. But also
believe that the mothers and fathers
themselves are somewhat 10 blame
Where YOU find farmer dissatisfied and
railing at his lot, you will find bis boys
seeking other occupations. How oiten
also will you hear the mother say she
hopes her girl will not have to work as
hard as she has bad 10, and encouraging
her daughter TO get AZ education, not
that she may become better wife and
mother, but that she may teach or go 10
town to become stenOgrapher or a
clerk.
Lam glad to say that there is a great
awakening taking place in education
pertaining to ayr riculture. Professor
Hills has been working for some time to
secure the passage of a bill for agrlcui'
tural extension. He tells me that YER
mont is the only state which has mol
fallen into line in this work. Last year
We passed resolution endorsing it, out
I am afraid that the outlook for the pas
sage of this bill during the present legis'
lature is not very bright. Later he Is TO
tell us what We will do with 1t II we
should get it. believe we should urge
upon our representatives and senators
the necessity for the passage OF this DILL
Concerted action on the part of the
members of our association at this tim"
would have grea' weight at Montpelier.
Sit down today and write q letter 70
your representative, urging his supPor'
| for agricultural extension. Every Two
wears We eject men to represent US az
Montpelier. They go up there and make
and unmske our laws. They faii 10
make the necessary appropriations for
he various needs of the state, and why?
Because they are afraid. They are
afraid they will be called extraVagant'
They practice economy.
During the past five years II has oeen
INV misfortune to be placed at tho head
of two organizations which were hope
lessly in debt. The policy 1 inaugural,
cd aroused a storm of protest. | would
ruin them. Today no word Of condem'
nation can be heard. Why? Because
the policies were successful. You cant
make something out Of nothing. You
can't build highways from AIR. You
can't carry on agricultural educat'oo
without money.
We need head organization to WORE
ont the problsms and to systemstizs al