The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-11-25
The Cow and the
Hen Spell Prosperity


the datrying and poultry Industries in
the Boise valley and the future pos
sibiiities of these two industries are
reflected by total revenue for the
pesent year up to this time of approx
imately $3,958,333.33, and which for
the entire year will amount to some
thing like $4,750,000, says J. r.
Stotts, the loop correspondent of the
Capital News.
THE annual revenue of the dairy
/ ing industry will be slightly in excess
lof $3,000,000 and the poultry indus
try about $1,750,0O0 according to
the estimate of Prem Moore, of the
poultry department of the state uni
versity. the best posted man on the
industy in the state.
Mr.. Moore foresees great posi-
biiities for the industry in the Boise
valley which he considers particularly
adapted to it and he firmly believes
that the present proportions will soon
be trebled.
"One of his reasons for this belief
is that with the establishment of the
big receiving station in Caldwell by
/ the Pacific Poultry Producers asso-
citation of Portland. with which the
organization perfected by the farmers
of southwest Idaho recently, is to be
affiliated, that present prices will be
doubled for eggs and greatly increas-
ed for all kinds of poultry.
THE Significance of the station is
indicated by the prediction that its
annual business will be close to
50, ,000,0 600 to commence with and
that rapid increase is certain.
Upon the assumption, and it is sus-
tanned by number of farmers, that
hen may be depended upon to pro-
duce 200 eggs in year and that her
expense of maintenance will not be
in excess of So annually net reven-
| ue will be derived from her of about
$3.50 taking the average price of eggs
for the year to be 35 cents per dozen.
Two hundred hens, considered fair
average flock for farmer, would
produce at this rate a net revenue of
$720, not taking in consideration the
value of labor in caring for the flock.
"Of course, to get the best results,
the industry must be correlated with
dairying and general agricultural OPP
cations. For instance, if the farmer
has as many as six high grade cows,
| too, his income will be materially
increased. To illustrate, assume that
each of his six cows will produce as
much as 250 pounds of butter fat a
year, and a cow which will produce
much less is to be regarded as a
boarder' and should be placed on the
block at once; that he can get 40c
la pound for the butterfat and that he
feeds each COW four tons of hay, val
ued at $40 per ton, annually, he will
add to his poultry revenue some
thing over $500.
| This does not allow him anything
| for his labor, but it does allow him
l$10 a ton for his hay and gives him
his skinned milk in addition to pro-
viding him with a small amount OF
ready cash each month to meet cur
rent expenses and keep out of debt, a
benefit, the import of which will not
be lost upon the average farmer with
practically no price for hay and a
price for wheat that will not equal
the cost of production.
"The value of the fertilizing incl
dent to dairying will almost equal
| the revenue of the industry if ap-
piled to the land properly. Then argu-
lment is not necessary to convince
THAT If the land feeds the people il
Imust, itself, be fed and increased in
fertility. In fact this is problem OF
Import, and ! am Impressed that the
leverage farmer will stress that il is
lso.
/ Now, understand that the pro.
Iduction of the average COW in the val,
Iley Is It's pounds of butterfat an
lnually and it must be admitted that
Ithis cow will not pay her way, but is
Ito be elassed as "a boarder' Such COWS
iwill not produce the revenue l have
Iapproximated, but cows which will
produce as much as 230 pounds oi
lbutterfat year will, and this is not
Itoo great a production to expect
There are scores of cows in the valley
(which will produce more. Monroe
lDille, a pominent dairyman neal
ICaldwell, has herd of Jerseys which
lunder test last year produced 4ot
pounds of butterfat each, and in al
lmost every communityas good COW;
Twin be found. To be conservative,
Ihaye based my calculation upon COW:
Iproducing slightly over half that o.
Mr. Dille's cows.
THE need In the Boise valley is foi
Imore and better dairy cows. Never
before was the importance of diver
Isity In agriculture more apparent
|never before was it more plain that i
Iwill not pay to produce hay for ship
iment to the markets. 1t must be fed
.aThe one slogan OF the valley should
Ebe Let there be six good dairy cows
sRa.N Sys q h