American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-11-23

purposes 81 this paper, re mean farm
ing wherein live stock IL maintained
IN sufficient number 70 supply the
farm with manure. Il may include
farms %whereupon certain money crops.
which iii well into the rotations. are
grown.
While the matter Of maintaining soil
fertility IS q primary reason for in
Guiding live stock in our farming OPP
erations. there are other reasons also
worthy Of consideration. We not on
lv get plant food cheaper. but under
present conditions we actually get z
better price for the crops fed than
would be the case if the same crops
were sold. Otherwise il would not be
profitable 70 feed cows and sell milk.
TO feed steers and sell beef. 70 feed
and sell mutton, 70 feed chickens
and sell eggs. and so forth. When
this is not the case. there Is some
thing wrong with the market for ami
mails and animal products. On a veil
ordered stock farm. There necessar-
ily a number Of crops are grown, We
ind not only a better balanced ration
for the plants and the live stock, but
for the family as veil.
The matter Of properly feeding peo-
pie is really Of more importance than
that Of feeding the plants or the live
stock. Not only is the meal which
may be produced al home on the stock
farm better balanced. but il is more
palatable and generally more health
full. Certainly 1e may expect people
So nourished to be harder and better
capable Of performing their various
duties Of life than those who are i'm
properly nourished for lack Of a prop
or ration.
Then again is the matter Of assOcia-
ton with live stock. Any boy reared
away from live stock has missed a
fundamental part OF his general edu-
cation. Every boy and girl are natur-
ally admirers Of live stock and should
learn their habits an dtheir needs by
growing up with them Live stock
farming. therefore. is not only the key
10 the problem Of q permanent agricul-
ture. but is the type Of farming which
IS most conducive to health and hap
piness il the country.
The question may be asked. How
about the farmer who insists upon
growing crops instead o. live stock
for q living The answer is. nos
men-truck farmers. fruit growers.
and so forth-who md il profitable 10
grow crops alone. have access 70 q
cheap source OF manure Dr. other
plant food which really should have
been kept on the other fellows farm,
or which would otherwise 90 20 waste
in and around the cities. Another
type OF CROP farmer is the man VINO
grows feeding stuffs, but is unable.
for the time being. 10 keep hYe stock
On the other hand. there is the ranch
man who produces feeders in range
country. where crop production IS not
possible.
In the south. especially. an immense
waste OF plant food has resulted from
commercial feeding around the oil
mills and the packing houses. The
margin OF profits il finishing live
stock has become so narrow that II IS
no longer an absolutely safe business
for the commercial feeder. It Is a
much safer enterprise for the small
farmer Who usually has a lot OF stubole
which makes good grazing and lessons
/ the cost OF finishing. He al feed on
MS UEAuE aAA MS 2EAA-E 49,
of all the manure both liquid aud
solid. derived from the feeders. OBJ
lection may be made that finishing IS
a business unto itself. and that II Is
dangerous for the farmer 10 engage
in a business in which he has had no
experience. These things may be very
true. but il must be remembered that
the farmers throughout the country
are nov doing many things very sue
cessfully which only q few years ago
they we're unable 10 accomplish This
change in the ability OF the farmer has
been brought about largely through
the guidance Of the state agricultural
experiment stations and the demon
stration agents II the farmer IS en-
titled 10 this guidance in the matter
of crop production. he is equally as
much entitled TO similar guidance in
the matter of live stock production. In
many places the demonstration agent
is already rendering this service in a
most satisfactory manner. and all 4 a
is left to be done is for the state and
federal agencies 10 extend the work
10 every section. The crop farmer IS
busiest during the spring and summer
months. During the late fall and
winter months he and his equipment
are usually out Of productive en-
ployment. The finishing OF live stock
during these months would I'll in the
void. and make his farm d more pro-
ftabie and a more interesting propo-
sition.
Live stock is especially efficient in
converting materials which would
ordinarily 20 to waste into valuable
products. Poultry. for instance. con-
vert grasses. insects and wasted grain
into eggs and meat. Sheep convert
grass and weeds into mutton and wool