Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1915-10-01
BY Prof. A. b. Nystrom
(F1om Washington AgriculturisD


manent agriculture is well known. Never
the less the fact that the dairy COW re-
turns to the soil nearly as much terullly
as she takes from it is very important
factor. even in the Northwest. Where
Wa expect to raise good crops we must
keep up the supply of plant food in the
soil. Where the rainfall is light more
humus in the soil helps to give it water
holding capacity. The part that the dairy
COW can play in helping to bring larger
yields by adding fertility and increasing
the humus supply is one of the most i'm
portant problems with which our farmers
have to deal.
The states of Oregon and Washington
are divided into two distinct parts by the
Cascade Mountains. The eastern part of
these states is semi-arid, having a rain
fall ranging from ten inches near the
range to twenty-four inches at the extreme
eastern border of the states and extend
ing over into Idaho. The west side of the
Cascade Range is the humid section, where
the rainfall ranges from twenty-five to
one hundred inches or more annually
This difference in rainfall is accompanied
by similar differences in soil conditions
and for this reason there is large varia-
ton in the kinds of feed that can be
grown for the dairy COW.
The "West Side" Region
Consider first that portion of the North
west which lies west of the Cascades
Here the conditions are most favorable
fnr TO doir for
In the first place the climate is rather
mild in the winter and cool in the sum
mer. In all of this section COWS can be
kept out Of doors or without very much
shelter ten months out of the year. In
fact, in some parts it is so mild that the
cows do not need to be stabbed at any
time except just enough to keep them
dry. This fact makes it possible for a
farmer to go into the dairy business with
out investing heavily in buildings and it
enables a man with small means to put
practically all of his money into land and
cows, both of which will bring returns
right from the start.
In the second place. this mild climate
permits the growing of green feed practic-
ally all the year round. We are all aware
of the Importance of green feed for the
dairy cow The cow that gets some sue
culent feed in addition to the dry rough
age or grain which she may be getting is
going to make a greater profit for her
owner than the cow that is fed on dry
feed alone. In some sections of the coun-
try the highest production Is obtained only
during three or four months, when the
cows are on pasture. The dairymen in
this locality, however, get the maximum
every month in the year. For the most
part, this green feed is supplied by means
of luxuriant pastures. This is claimed by
some to be a wasteful method of supplying
feed, but when one considers the amount
OF labor saved by pasturing and at the
same time the value of freedom to the COW
and the privilege to eat at will, you can
not help to commend this practice, especi-
ally in sections where the land is reason
ably cheap and where pasture grasses do
we'll
When we look at the beautiful Jersey
and Guernsey cows and see the large
amount of milk and butter they produce,
and also the strong, robust Holsteins with
Lnolr enormous mix prOQuCLiOu, We "Ou-
der under what conditions these breeds
were developed Looking back we find
that all Of these breeds have been deVel-
oped In a country almost identical in CHI
mate to our own Northwest. Does it not
seem probable then that we should make
some wonderful development along this
line.
Marketing
In addition to these advantages we find
that the marketing conditions in the sec
ton west of the Cascades have been most
excellent Fully three-fourths of the popu-
lation of Washington and Oregon is to De
found in the Cities most of which lie on
the west coast Aside from this a large
part of the population Is engaged in the
numbering and fishing industries, all OF
which are heavy consumers and non-pro-
ducers of dairy products. There are also
a large number of condenseries in this sec
ton, which take large part or the MILK
that Is produced. In the state OF Wasnlng
ton alone over $4,000 tons of milk nave
been marketed in the condeseries annual-
ly during the past four or five years. THESE
conditions made it possible for the dairy
men in this section to market their pro-
ducts right at home and have given them
an opportunity to sell at high enough