The sun., 1919-04-13

an acre and q large amount to pro-
tect them from the bugs or the blight.
The same principle applies to all crops
and to all animals that the farmer
raises. A thousand and one enemies
which increase every year In number
and variety as the farming in any
country grows older. require also a
large amount Of skill on the part OF
the farmer to control. This skill
comes as a result OF training and ex-
perience which in other lines Of busi-
ness would command a good salary,
and the significant fact is that unless
farmers can realize as much from
their present occupation as they can
get for the same amount of labor and
training in other occupations. they are
sure to turn to the other occupations.
All industry has been more or less
handicapped in the last few years by
lack Of labor. This has been especially
true with farming. Consumers COM
plain of the high cost of milk, but the
truth IL that the net price that dairy
men receive for the milk is still so low
that they cannot compete with other
industries to hire sufficient farm labor.
This is proven by the fact which Is
now generally understood by every
body, that the labor which left the
farm before the war and crippled
the agricultural industry is not now
returning to the farm, for the advan-
tages Of city life both financially and
socially are SO much better that even
the soldiers who came from the farms
are not returning to them.
Grain Costs Double.
The cost of producing milk has
greatly increased because all Eastern
dairymen have to feed large amounts
Of purchased concentrated grains. 1t
IS impossible to graw grain enough on
Eastern farms which are not natur-
ally adapted to growing any large
quantities to produce an adequate sup
ply Of milk and dairy products for
Eastern markets. The cost of many
of these grains has more than doubled
In price In the last two years, but 1t
should be understood also that the
farmer who grew the grain in the first
place does not get the benefit Of the
high prices paid by the dairyman who
buys it for his cattle, as there is an
excessive increase between what the
Western farmer receives for it and
what the Eastern dairyman pays
for It.
The depreciation on dairy cattle Is
very high. At the present prices II
costs in feed and labor more than
500 to raise a dairy COW before she
returns a cent. She Is more than two
years old before she produces any
milk, and It is not until she is five
that she has reached her maximum
production. She is on the average not
profitable after she reaches the age
Of eight, and she may die at any time
in the meanwhile. This depreciation
naturally adds to the cost Of milk, as
also does the depreciation on the land,
buildings and equipment necessary
for producing milk.
Consumers are more and more de-
handing high quality in all their
food products, and especially in milk.
This is exactly as 1t should be. Any
dairyman in any community is now
frowned upon by his neighbors IL he
Is not carefully producing clean milk
But 1t should be remembered that the
extra labor which the production Of
high quality milk demands must nee
essarily add to the farmers costs of
production.
Farmers feel that II the consumer
had better knowledge Of farm prob
lens and OF the conditions under
which milk and other food are pro-
duced there would be more SYM
pathy between the producer and the
consumer and a basis of cooperation
established that would be for the very
great benefit OF the consumer and his
country cousin.
1t is chiefly for the purpose of bring
ing to the consumers the knowledge Of
conditions under which milk Is pro-
duced and sold, and especially its
great food value. that the National