The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-06-19
Unlimited Market In State,
Adds Fertility To Soil.
And More Income.
By ]. A. AREY
Extension Dairyman

AoAOA OdITym3n
The dairy cow stands uneoual-
led among all farm animals as a
producer of human food. She con-
verts pasture, hay and other non
edible products of the field into
human food more economically
than any other farm animal. The
food which she produces, milk, is
essential for the proper develop
ment Of children and is needed by
adults to build worn out tissue and
aid in maintaining a high body
resistance to disease.
AS a producer of farm income
the dairy cow leads all domesti-
Gated animals. In 1899 the Nation
al farm income from milk was eq-
ual to the combined cash income
from cotton, tobacco, corn and
hay. The income from the dairy
cow is not only the largest re-
ceived from any one agricultural
enterprise, but it has the added
advantage of being a monthly in
come, a thing greatly needed by a
farmer depending upon cash
crops, the revenue from which
comes in one time a year.
Unlimited Market
There are many farms in this
State the incomes from which
could be substantially increased
by the addition of a few cows.
They would provide a good mar
ket for the feed grown on these
farms and at the same time act
as supplement to the cash crops.
A ready market is now available
in most of the Piedmont and
mountain counties for milk to be
manufactured int condensed
milk, ice cream, butter or cheese.
A good feature about this mar
ket is that it has no surplus in
North Carolina Instead, it is con-
servatively estimated that 8,000,-
900 pounds of butter, 100000
pounds of cheese and 25,000,000
pounds of condensed and eva
porated milk are imported into
this State annually.
Adds Fertility To Soil
One of the most difficult prob
lens confronting North Carolina
farmers is the conservation of soil
fertility. There is some difference
of opinions as to the best method
of accomplishing this, but judging
the future by the past, we can
safely say there is no way more
certain of results than the keep
ing of livestock. The farmer who
keeps cows is constantly increas-
ing the fertility of his soil, while
the crop farmer is constantly re-
moving fertility from his soil in
the form of plant food contained
in the crop sold. For example,
one thousand dollars worth of 25-
cent tobacco removes from the
soil $1,000, worth of plant food.
One thousand dollars worth of
cottonseed, at soc per bushel, re-
moves from the soil $442.67, worth
of plant food. One thousand dol
lars worth of 35-cent butter re-
moves from the farm less than
$1.00 worth of plant food.
Manure, a by-product of dairy
ing. on account of the organic
matter and countless bacteria it
contains, has much greater val
ue than it's chemical analysis
would indicated. The organic mat
ter improves the physical condi-
ton of the soil and increases its
water holding capacity. This i'm
proved condition aids bacterial &C
ton which tends to liberate the
inert plant food of the soil. Such a
value should justify greater in
terest in the production of this
superior plant food by North Car
DINA farmers, who find it neces-
sary to spend from Is to 80 mil
lion dollars annually for COM
merical fertilizers in order to
grow profitable crops.
Uses Idle Lands
According to the census report
less than one-ha1f the acres IN the
average North Carolina farm con-
tribute to the farmers income.
This condition is largely respon-
sible for the low income per farm
worker in this State. Although the
income is low, it is not advisable
to plant more acres to row crops
even if there was no crop control
program, since the market would
not absorb, at a profit, an in
creased, an increased production
of these crops, Pastures grazed by
dairy cows, afford way to pro-
fitab1y utilize a large amount OF
this land which Is now idle. Cow
testing records made in this State
show good pasture, when grazed
bv average good cows, to have a