New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-20
The Farmers Plant
Under Present Expenses He Often
Operates at a Loss

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
! Sir: In YOUR editorial on Delayed Food
/ Control" in to-day's paper you say: THE only
reason given by farmers other than the gem
oral one of increased expenses IS that people
are cutting down on the use OF milk ana
eliminating cream entirely" Why they should
consider it necessary to give any other reason
than the general one of increased expenses
cannot see The cloud Of increased expenses
looms very large and black on the dalryman
horizon His business has always been DIM
cult and unucrative, and present conditions
are forcing many Of them to give up their
herds. The marvel to me is that so many
have managed to keep going,
II takes three years TO raise heller 10 Il
profitable milking age. 1t has been proved
that il paws TO raise to maturity only nellers
that come from heavy milking strain, and
AS half the calves born are bulls 1t VIII not
be the work of day TO rebuild the DAIRY
herds if the owners are forced TO SEND them
TO the butchers block. "Hoard's Dalryman
some years ago made an investigation through
out New York State and found that most or
tho small dairy herds were kept at an actual
poor stock and unintelligent methods, but also
to inadequate returns from the milk. TINS
investigation was carried out at time when
the prices for feed and labor were far below
the present ones. The Eastern dairyman buys
a large part of his mill feeds from the West,
and must do so to keep up the production or
his cows When one knows the long hours OF
work, beginning at 4 in the morning., the
never cessing grind Of daily chores, 10 posi-
Bile let-up for Sunday, when cows have 10
be MIXED and milk delivered, it does seem as
if he might expect fair return|for his labor.
The dairymen that supply Eew York City
with milk do not live in China; it is perfect
Is possible and easy TO investigate what I'm
creased prices" mean to the asryman and TO
become convinced that the reduction in price
must come from the distributor, and not the
producer, if the public " not TO be eventually
deprived of an adequate milk supply. 1t
seems to me that the distribution of milk will
have to be organized to eliminate unneces-
ssry expense Look out Of your window in
the morning and see the number of wagons
delivering milk in the same block.
Milk STATIONS could be distributed through
out the city where milk graded and super
vised by ting state could be sold and an extra
charge made for delivery Skim milk. which
is highly nutritious. should be sold as such
at lower price. Experiments with pigs have
shown Tat those raised skim milk made
a highe gain than those fed on whole milk.
The poultry business is in the same condi-
ton as the dairy business. Everywhere dis
" HI. IL,
and empty poultry houses are becoming too
frequent a sight. Even under normal cond-
lions and with eggs at their highest prices
they face loss in the months of October,
November and December, when the hens lay
few eggs. but must be heavily fed for future
production. How many will be able to stand
the huge deficits this year, with the present
high cost of all grains? Yet if the price of
eggs does go TO 81 dozen. what howl there
will be from the public and the newspapers.
I For the protection Of both the public and
the poultryman the law that all storage eggs
should be stamped and sold as such should
be strictly enforced. This should keep the
/ price OF the storage eggs in reasonable
bounds and still allow the producer of fresh
eggs in winter to get his legitimate returns.
/ The farmer in the East is ground between two
stones, the dealer in feeds on one side and
/ the commission man on tne other lie is
obliged to pay the highest prices for all his
supplies. and he has no control whatever over
/ the price for which his commodities sell. but
must accept what the commission men send
him. He must be organized and cooperative
selling must be adopted. The Dairymen's
League is step in the right direction. 1t is
a serious question and worthy of the most
serious thought Of our best organizers
A WOMAN FARMER.
( Garrison on Hudson, y. Y, Sept. II, 1917.