Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-12-30

This is the one big problem be-
for the farmers of the country today.
How are we going to increase our
farm income? How are we going
to pull ourselves out Of the hole?
Are we going 10 increase our cash
crop acreage, increase our live stock
or farm more efficiently? We have
included these problems in our
agricultural program for Iron county
this year
Our first big problem in this coun-
ty is the cleared land situation. We
haven't near enough cleared land in
Iron county to farm efficiently. If
we are to feed our live stock pro-
perly and profitably we must grow
our own feed and we haven't the
necessary land to feed our stock that
we have at the present time. Our
live stock holdings per farm are al
together too low for profitable
farming. We have been purchasing
altogether too much feed in the past,
and If we are to make more money
we must grow our own feed. But
to grow that feed we must have the
land, and we must clear that land Ia
get it,
Our second great problem is the
scrub bull. We have in Iron county
something like 100 scrub bulls. The
scrub bull is the most expensive bull
in the world. Scrub bulls prevent
all live stock improvement. Using
scrub bulls on native cows as a
starting point, we have only about
half blood animal at the end of the
fifth cross Starting with a pure
bred bull and native cows we have
ut the end of the fifth cross, animals
that carry thirty-one thirty-seconds
of the pure strain of the sire. The
production is increasing at the same
time that the blood line increases. In
one case where farm herd was
graded up with a pure bred bull, the
dams averaged 1860 pounds Of mill
and III pounds Of fat, their daugh,
ters averaged 1898 pounds of mill
and 2G1 pounds Of fat, and tbs
granddaughters averaged S40l
pounds Of milk and 1858 pounds OF
fat, In other words the milk pro
duction Of the daughters was in
creased Cd per cent and the fat 81
per cent, and the granddaughter 12g
per cent for milk and 1903 per cent
for fat. This increased production
was not due to better care or feed
for all the animals received the sans
care. The increase was due to bet
ter breeding. Two crosses more
than doubled the production. If il
has paid others it will pay us. Thirty
Iron county farmers have seen tn,
light and are using pure bred bulls.
Our third great problem is to gef
rid Of the boarder COW, in Other
words can her 1t cost very littl,
more to keep a good producer thar
1t does poor producer. A COW, t
pny actual cost Of feed and care
must produce from 1000 to 5000
pounds Of milk year, depending OF
the breed and the fat content. The
average production of all the COW.
in Iron county is about 1000 pounds
This shows very clearly that only
portion Of our COWS are paying fol
their feed. How are we going t.
make profit in dairying if our cattl,
only pay for their feed. Dairy
farming is the only real substantial
line of farming but if we are to make
1t profitable we must get rid of the
ooarder COW A farmer with gooC
COWS can make more money with
butter at Zoe pound than a farmer
with poor cows with butter at zoe 8
pound Get rid of the boarders and
feed the good ones right.
This office will have a milk test.
ing outfit and Will begin to test milk