The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-22

maximum returns from his farm sc
long as he maintains the proper rcla-
ton between livestock and what may
be considered his field work. The
two must supplement each other. We
do not know definitely as to the TX
act relationship that should exist
This would vary with farms and con
ditions. We know, however, that eX-
IRENE specification along either line,
except under very favorable condi-
tons, is not as profitable as where a
good proportion of the income of the
far ms secured from either stock or
grain products. Apparently the ideal
relation of livestock to the farm is to
carry sufficient productive stock to
consume all roughage and cheap
coarse grains. purchasing the mini
mum quantity of feeds and concen-
trates, unless the prices as compared
to livestock products are comparative
ly low. This makes it possible to car
ry on the best type of crop rotation
and to develop a stability of cash in
come that is highly desirable.
Conclusion.
Farmers of the northwest should
at this time carefully analyze the
conditions that confront them. A
change must be brought about in the
methods of farming: 1t is we'll recog-
nized that we cannot long continue or
the single cropping system. Some
class Of livestock must be made use
Of. Every farmer should begin to ar
range his farm practices that he will
grow into the class of stock that is
best suited to his conditions. In some
localities it may be dairy cattle, in
others the beef animal, or the sheep
or the hog or the horse, or in some
cases a combination of the five. Di-
rect profits from livestock in this state
are not absolutely necessary in order
that the farm shall be more profitable
The grain growing farmer can afford
to keep livestock even at a loss, anC
will then find his farm more profit
able. 1t should be remembered
though, that foregoing direct profits
from the livestock enterprise is bat
business policy. 1t merely indicates
hat the farm owner has not made the
study of conditions hat he should. A
very careful estimate of the effect o,
livestock on farm profits would indi,
cate that a large direct loss a bt
sustained if necessary.
"From data at hand it appears tha'
the northwest farmers engaged in the
| growing of grains as the principa
| source Of income, can keep a COW at
loss of IS to $40 annually, and yer
make more money than he could with
out the COW. The losses that may b.
| sustained from the other classes O.
livestock without affecting farm prof
it's are somewhat in the same proper
ton. I want to emphasize again
however, that these losses are no
necessary, and putting it rather con,
cretely, If you will keep sufficient
livestock on the farm to force yot
into some good system of crop rota.
ton, and granting that the stock tina
you are keeping are SO inefficient tina
will only pay for the cost Of producing
the feeds they and the labor
without any profit, yet the farm will
be far more profitable than withou
the livestock enterprise.
Colonel Houser's Talk.
Colonel Houser was one of the in
teresting speakers Of the morning. He
presented Some Of the Essentials ir
Successful Horse Breeding
Colonel Houser is perhaps one Of the
best known horse breeders in Wiscon-
sin and has done much by his articles
on this practical subject toward as