The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-07-11
Commissioner Brigham Says Farmers
Should Refrain From Killing
Their Good Stock.
HOME GROWN RATION IS URGED
Dairyman Who Provides for His own
Feed VIII he Able TO Tide Over
Critle.i Situation

! Went 10 atlcnu meeting OF tue al
yisory committee on national agricul
tural problems recently appointed By
Secretary Of Agriculture Houston an,
Federal Food Administrator Hoover
The committee was advised II
detail regarding the food sit
uation in this country anC
abroad and advice was asked regard
Ing many important problems with
reference to their effect upon produc.
! ton. When asked If he had any
statement TO make regarding the sit
uation with reference to its bearing
upon Vermont's food production cam
paign for this spring, Commissioners
Brigham SAID
Dairy Industry May Face Critical
Situation.
Vermont farmers obtain the major
portion of their income from the dairy
industry and they are naturally con-
cerned about the prospects for the
future OF that industry. The pros
poets for the immediate future do not
seem to be very bright In response
to the appeals made upon our entry
into the war, the farmers of the Unit
ed States increased their dairy herds
and prepared for greater increase in
the future by saving large number Of
heifer calves We now have in the
country 100000 more mich cows and
% percent more dairy heifers than a
year ago There are prospects OF
much larger milk supplies than nor
NAL, butter receipts are 20 percent
more than a year ago, our stocks OF
cheese on hand are three times those
of year ago and our stocks OF
condensed milk are very large.
The foreign market would be glad
to get this surplus of dairy products
In England many households have no
milk at all and the use of milk is said
to be restricted to children and in
valids. The same Is true in France.
1t is said to be impossible to buy milk
in Paris at $40 per quart. The trouble
is that shipping is not now available
to transport our supplies of condensed
milk, butter and cheese to our Allies
who greatly need it. The result may
be in the next few months, pending an
improvement in shipping conditions,
q period when prices for dairy pro-
ducts will be below the present high
cost of production.
Shall We Reduce Our Live Stock2
"The question is, shall we keep our
live stock? For years agricultural
agencies have urged doing away with
cows which do not pay
for their feed This is good time to
Gull such stock more closely than us
ual, but further liquidation seems to
me to be unwise Yhe chances are
that shipping conditions will improve
within year so that dairying will be
very profitable because the worlds
supply of dairy products is very short
Then we have a prospect for great
demand for live stock after the war
which will repay well the man who
stays In the business. Representa-
tives of three foreign governments
have already visited the dairy division
at Washington to locate dairy cattle
10 be shipped after the war. Two OF
these governments were Belgium and
Servia, which, with supreme faith In
their ultimate destiny, are looking
to Restocking their war de-
fields with dairy cows. Ger
many is reported to have less than 80 |
per cent of her live stock and the !
numbers in other countries are great
" decreased. We alone of the belli- |
gerent countries have increased. Doc
tor Taylor of the food administration
recently said that the country which |
maintains its live stock will be five
years ahead of the others after the
war. Therefore, even II prospects
Turing the next few months are not
bright. the Vermont dairyman will do
we'll to keep his good stock.
Plan for Home Grown Ration.
I'VE need to change our methods
however, in anticipation OF
what may happen. We have adjusted
our dairy methods to the purchase OF
atge quantities Of grains from out
,ide sources These grains have
doubled IN price while dairy products
nave not gone up In proportion. The
prospects are that there will be little
relief from these high prices during
the war Therefore, prudence would
suggest in the present situation that
we plan to make our farms more sell
We may do this in three
ways
IA good supply Of well cared
corn silage from corn which will ma
.ure in this climate.
"2-Plenty OF well cured, early cut
clover hay
Some home grown grains such
Is oats or barley
The dalryman who plans now TO
provide feed for his herd in this way
will be able to maintain milk produc-
lion at the least possible expense.
hereby tiding over the critical period
just before US and being able TO meet
he demands for our products when