The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-05-16
An IID TO SMALL FARMERS.
Production of Butter-Fat a Profitable
Side Line-WitI Often Solve the
Problem of How to Make the
Farm Pay.

Problem of How to Make the
Farm Pay.
By W. B. STARR,
Assistant Agricultural Agent,
T. & P. Ry.
The locating of creameries in re-
cent years has brought prosperity to
many sections OF our country. Some
communities, through misunder-
standing on the part Of the farmers
as to what they might expect in fl
naneial returns for their product,
have suffered in the development OF
this industry; some ereameries, on
account of this, have had to close
down.
A farmer should not expect to re-
ceive as much for his cream at the
creamery, as he would for his milk
retailed around town. In fact, where
milk retails at 40 cents per gallon, at
the average price Of butter-fat he
would not get half as much for his
product.
However, production OF milk for re-
tail, and of milk for butter-fat to be
disposed OF at the creamery, are
really two different lines of work,
entainng different equipment and car
ried ON at different expense. The
business of producing butter-fat is
proper and profitable side-line for
general farming, and as such is car
ried on by thousands of prosperous
farmers located in every state in the
United States. On the other hand.
dairying and retailing milk is practi-
caIly business in itself and is gen
orally conducted as such.
Some dairymen do not even pro-
duce sufficient roughage for their
stock, not to say anything OF the nee
essary grain or concentrates; In fact,
some dairymen buy all OF their feed,
and by close management and a large
volume of business succeed financial
". This would be absolutely impos-
sibIe for a man to do who sold pro-
ducts in the shape of butter-fat. Yet,
more homes in the United States
are made prosperous through the
production and selling Of butter-fat
than in any other line of dalryIng.
This is because the demand is great
er than for milk in retail way,
which has very limited market, and
for the reason already stated, that
this line of work fits in more econom-
ieally with general farming. Where
the production Of milk is carried on
for retail purposes, it Is necessary
that the milk be taken to market at
least once a day and some dairymen
deliver their product twice. Wheth-
er one or two deliveries are made, it
is necessary that the first delivery
be made early. so the patrons can
use it with their morning meal. Ials I
Inecessitabss early rising Al The
part of the mixers. Most dairynen
start this work any time from one
| TO three o'clock in the morning. The
trip to town, the time consumed IN
delivering and returning home uses
up from two to three hours; the
best part OF half day for both the
man and the horses used IN the
| work.
Milking at an early hour makes 1t
necessary that the evening milking be
done early. Where only one delivery
is made, many dairymen milk right
| after dinner, SO the cows may nave
time to secrete large amount OF mlls
COR the morning delivery. using the
evening milk for butter purposes OF
separating it with a separator and sell
ing the fresh cream the following
morning.
| To make all these necessary steps
pay, enough cows must be kept te
produce a volume Of milk. This
means a large investment In cows
putting the business beyond the
reach of men OF limited means.
| From these few facts stated. it Is
easy to see that if farming to any
extent Was carried on with the bust
ness, it would be necessary to EN-
ploy additional help, as well as work
stock. So much for this branch OF
dairying.
On nearly all farms there is more
or less Land devoted to pasture. OF
ten this land is rough and unsuiteo
for cropping purposes. On these
pastures cows are carried which fur
nish milk and butter for the family
Generally a surplus is produced
which is marketed at the nearby
town.
It is possible at some of these
towns. by taking special care in max
ing your butter, to get five to ter
cents above the ordinary marke'
price for country butter. This mar
ket, however, is irregular and very
limited. At the creamery all tha1
can be produced will be taken, ano
4 .hntfgh the price of luLrer-Iat varies