The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-08-12
During Be last twelOe
months the American coD
helped her master make
three and a half billion
donars-Od BoSsv is a
regular gold mine when
given proper treatment
By ROBERT II. L

H~N HE value of the products of the
AW%A American dairy COW is greater
than the value of all the metal
lie minerals produced, such as
a. gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc,
NRswuzsMHwuH pig iron, etc. 1t is also larger
HE1VNSN1N0N than the total value of the non"
#WAxy3k%kNn metallic minerals, namely, BIZ
WN41AE luminous coal, Pennsylvania an
thracite, petroleum, natural gas,
brick clay and cement. Milk production of the
United States for 1915 was 11,590,0O0,00 gal
Ions. or an average production of 537 gallons
per cow. This production is equivalent to about
AS gallons per capita population OF the country.
At an average price of 20 cents per gallon, the
years production of milk is valued at about
$780, 600 900 to the farmers. On January 1,
1916. there were estimated to be 21,9SS,OOO dairy
vows In the United States, valued approximately
nj $500 per head, or an aggregate grand total
valuation of 81, 1876 10000 for all mich cows. The
United States exported $3.50, 705 pounds of butter.
valued at $2,392,4S0 during 1915.
Americans are great consumers of butter, and
yearly more than 1900, 900 pounds is manu-
factured in this country, a large proportion of
which is made at the farm home. The rural cream
eries have proved a big factor in farming business,
and form the center of marketing operations. The
valuation Of butter made in factories approx
mated more than $1S2, o 1000 last year, while this
season gives every indication of reaching the $780,
100000 mark. Farmers are finding that co-opera-
zaTs effort In the manufacture Of butter obtains a
higher market for them.
The loss made in butter on farms has been ire
unendous. Dairy experts, by actual Investigations,
calculate that Of the annual 100000 product,
On the basis of 30 cents per pound for butter Mt
xhs local market. the annual loss averages between
eUo and five cents per pound, or from $50, 1000
b $SO,OO0,000. due to the careless methods en-
yAoyed on the average farm. This great item of
boss would save enough in a year almost to buy a
noderate-priced automobile for every farmer not
soday owning one.
The increased high cost of dairy feeds has de-
Enanded that the dairy farmer become a specialist
m COW rations. The profitable production Of milk
in a dairy farm involves two very difficult prob
kezns: The formation of a herd that will give In
rhe milk pail liberal returns for the cost of feed
md care. and caring for the milk to keep it IN the
BEST marketable condition. 1t was found several
years ago that two or three cows might be large
2soducers while the remainder of a herd Of a dozen
COWS would possibly fail to give sufficient milk TO
nay their board bill. This fact has caused the
organization of the community contrasting asso-
stations In various parts of the country, this work
having as its object the calculation of the indi-
vtdual cows production. By the aid of the Bah
cock testing apparatus, modern dairymen place
their cows on record, giving due credit for butter
Nat produced. This work has built up one Of the
highest specialized features Of present-day farm
Ting.
A great and intricate problem is involved in