Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-07-24

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&. L. Luther. demanded the at
tention of those
who would make the farmer more ef-
ficient, and a great deal has been ac-
cOmplished. But production is only
one-third Of the efficiency process. The
farmer has to buy and sell as well as
to produce SO let us consider efficiency
farming under efficient buying, efficient
producing and efficient selling or mar
keting.
Do We Buy Efficiently?
Has the farmer been an efficient pur-
chaser? For years the Society OF
Equity, the Grange, the Patrons OF
Industry, and other farmers organiZa-
lions have endeavored to get the farm
ers to cooperate more in buying and
thus to remove some Of the profits of
some of the middle men. Yet in very
few cases have the farmers taken adj
vantage Of and perfected such buying
plans. Again each farmer has done
most of his own experimenting in pur-
chasing farm appliances with the re-
suit that immense quantities OF use
less machinery has INSTRUCTED his eff
forts and taken his money. A little
community investigation would at
least have helped to determine the best
machinery for certain work Having
determined that, machinery of one kind
in quantity can usually be secured at
a better figure than can one piece of
machinery and repairs, for such ma
chinery can be made more quickly and
lcheaply too. Again each farmer has
been law unto himself in purchasing
feed. 1t would seem that it would be
"a much more efficient method of buying
feed for group of farmers to deter
mine a well-balanced ration for the
whole group, correspond with various
concerns for prices of the different in
gradients, and buy each ingredient in
Quantity, divide it up, and mix it on the
farm. Certainly buying in this way
would remove warehouse profits and
various costs for maintaining the same,
all of which must be paid by the indi-
vidual consumer patronizing it. Co
Operative thought and action will make
for more efficient buying.
What About Production?
Has the farmer been an efficient pro-
Queer? Can he be more efficient? When
we think of the stupendOus figures that
sum up the seasons production in the
nation, it seems hard to dispute the
efficiency of the farmer as a producer
But in seasons of severe drought when
area of pasture meant good dollars
pastures have been in evidence where
the grass on One-half of the area of
the pasture has been eaten into the
untouched weeds claimed undisputed
sway. The average potato crop is
usually reduced by weeds and potato
bugs, blight and failure to cultivate
instance the case of the orchard.
Loads of apples annually go to waste
about our cities while Hood River APP
pies hold the market. Just now comes
to mind the case of an unprOductive
farm orchard which was rejuvenated
by pruning and cultivating and by con-
sistent spraying. A handsome profit
was realized on splendid apples that
the West cannot approach for size
quality and perfection.
At the National Dairy show in Mil
waukee in 1911 digest of the dairy
situation in Wisconsin was given, only
a portion of which is here reproduced
The average COW in the dairy state of
wisconsin produces $50 pounds of but
ter Some of the best herds produce
800 pounds of butter on the average
for the herd, while some COWS here
and there produce from 500 to 1000
pounds. 1t is perhaps too much to ask
the farming fraternity to come up to
the point where every cow would pro-
'duce more than 500 pounds. Such a
thing may not at present be economi-
cal. But if the average COW produces
only $50 pounds when all the good
COWS are averaged in the production
what must be the production of those
EbelOw the average Of $50 pounds !.
tSIlll WIFI the ,eNIuoIlCe OF the posi-
bility of a production of $50 pounds as
the average for herds of pure-bred
for high grade COWS, the farmers of
Wisconsin are keeping these below
the average cows and feeding these
'boarders" good grain from pedigreed
seed and good hay from we'll kept
meadows, while the market is not sup
piled with butter, although the prices
are high. Farmers grade up the seed
every few years, but still the speckled
herds dot the hillsides. The farmers
of several live stock shipping asso-
lciationS have received for their scrub
COWS $50 apiece. Farmers in the
same county who have been making
use of pure-bred bulls have been SELL
ing their grade cows at the same time
lat an average of $3.50. This was a
clear gain of $50 per cent efficiency
in production over the owners of scrub
bulls. The owners Of scrub bulls are
not efficient farmers With all Of tina