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or
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vol. Lvm.
INDIANAPOLIS, OCT. 3, 1903.
NO. 40
^xpcricucc geparttimil.
GIVE EXPERIENCE IN DAIRYING FOR PROFIT.
-WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DISPOSE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS?
Keep None but Profit-Making Cows.
lst Premium.—The profit side of any
business is what we are all looking for;
l.ut allow nie t.i say there are more machines (cows) kept iu the dairy at a loss
to the owner thnn would be allowed
iu any otner business. There are hundreds of farmers that are making butter
and selling it for less than it costs to
make, just for the reason that they have
no idea what it costs them to keep a cow.
They don't test their cows separately, or
keep any account of how much butter
par cow they are making; or, if selling
milk to creameries, how much each cow
is paying for her kaeeping aud how much
for profit. I have made dairying a business for 10 years. 1 have always made
ii a point to discard any cow that does
not pay me a profit. 1 don't sell her to
some other farmer wanting a cow, but I
sell her to the shipper for beef. Also if
I have one of her heilier calves, I discard
it in the same manner. Wheu I first
commenced dairying, my eows only averaged me 285 pounds of butter per cow, per
year, and then I sold it at 20 cents per
pound, or $57 per cow, and it cost me $35
per cow to feed my cows throngh the year,
on an average.
I sold bntter at 20 eents for six years,
and my average butter per cow was increased every year. Then for three
year prior to October lst, 1902, I sold
my butter at 25 cents per pound, and my
cows made me an average of 360 pounds
of butter, or $90 per year during this time.
It cost me $40 per cow to feed them.
Since last October I am selling butter at
30c per pound, and I hope to be able to
continue raising the average of my cows
until I have reached the 400 pound mark.
I consider the milk worth $10 per cow to
feed to my calves and pigs, for you must
hnve both to make a financial success of
dairying. As you will see, I have always sold butter, and to make a first
class article of bntter you should have the
Jersey cow. I prefer registered stock,
but, if you haven't them, use a registered
bull all the time, nnd save the helpers
from your best cows. Also, if you intend to make butter, you must have a
cream separator, for you not only get more
cream but a far better grain and flavor
of butter, and it will keep longer and sell
for 5 cents per pound more. Also nse
a good brand of dairy salt. I salt the butter
with three-fourths of an ounce per pound.
I work it just enough to get the salt into
it, then let it stand about two and one-half
hours, anal then* work it over. By so doing, I avoial showing any streaked or
welty butter.
One of the reasons a great many people make a failure in dairying is, they are
afraid to give their cows enough feed, or
what they do feed is inferior. I have
seen them feed all of the soft moldy corn
and musty hay to their cows. When I
speak to them about it, they will say,
"that is good enough for the cow." If
you want first class butter, you must feed
the very best of feed and plenty of it
Give them plenty of a balanced feed, and
then you may rest assured of a good article 'f butter, provided yon do yonr part
in taking care of the cream. I might say
both milk and cream, but I separate my
milk with a cream separator, and feed It
while Is warm, and I don't have it to
contend with.
The best way to dispose of dairy prod-
ii.ts .lep.nals am where you are located.
Some may have a market for cream, and
some for cheese, while it may be more pr.a-
fitable to others to sell the whole milk
lo creameries or private customers. I
have always sold butter to private customers, and find I cnn realize more by so
doing. But which ever way your market
demniiils, put your product in the very
liest Of .Condition, Bear in mind that
the best of any article always sells for a
premium, and it costs very little if any
more to produce high grade than it docs
to produce an inferior grade. If you
have no love flor dairying, don't ever attempt to follow it, if faar naa .atlur reason
than the cows' sane. J. W.
Henry Co.
fecal six aar eight cows per minute, their
ground feed, and the hay is fled direct
from mow to eaeh COW, the opcuiug iu the
uiaiw lacing directly over the manger. We
feed whent bran, corn meal, clover ha.v
and com Stover. We do uot milk while
cows are eating, but feed before milking
of a morning, and after milking ut night.
It matters not when you feed or milk,
just   so it is  regular. The  stables  an
t-leaned just befOM retiring at night, as
soon as the cows are fed in the morning,
(•ad they nre the first thing fed), and each
time the stable is entered during the day.
We deem it absolutely necessary to keep
tiie stable clean. The cows are milkeal
in the same order each time. The buckets are never placed upon the floor of Unstable.       We used a centrifugal machine
The Crister Mill, Shelby Co., Ind.
If You Have Good Butter Cows, Keep Them.
2d Premium.—My experience in dairying has taught me some good lessons, and
if I should drop a word that will be of
profit to anyone, it is freely given. I constructed my cow stable on the warm side
of the barn, and it is very comfortable
for the cows and well ventilated. The
cows are kept in here most of the time
during winter, being turned out in day
time, when the weather will admit and
allowed to sun themselves at the foot of a
hill that is 20 feet high. While in the
stable they are tied with ropes to keep
them in place. The stalls are three feet
four inches wide, and the partition is
short enough for the milker to sit at the
end of same.
The cows are bedded with litter, saw
dust, straw, or anything that will keep
th.-m clean, which with some cows requires considerable skill. I find it necessary to keep the following tools in the
cow stable, ready for use: Manure fork,
scoop shovel, garden hoc, broom, currycomb, brush, a small towel and frequently some warm water. These each have
a place in the stable and are easily found.
The feed is kept so handy that one can
to gather the cream for several years, but
gather by gravitation now. We sell the
butter to private customers, who are willing to pay 25 cents per pound delivered
once each week. We sold our machine
and reduced the herd to a basis that would
not pay to run a machine. If I were
milking six or eignt good cows, I should
use a machine, because you can make more
butter and of a better quality.
The best way to dispose of the dairy
product depends upon many circumstances.
I knew a farmer who delivered from 60 to
100 pounds of butter per week, and drove
from 12 to 14 miles in doing it. It would
not be profitable to change from butter
to milk in such a case.
If one is in close touch with the consumer, the profits are probably
greater to sell milk than to
sell butter. The returns from a cow
when milk Is sold is probably twice as
much as when butter is sold, assuming
that the milk tests 4\_ per cent butter
fat. It is more difficult to secure a
herd of good butter cows than a herd of
good milk cows. Out of a herd of one
hundred cows, one might select 20 good
milkers, and of that number there would
probably be from five to ten fnir butter
a.aws. ot you have good butter cows,
keep them. The man who sells milk is
putting in much imaie time than the man
who sells l.utt.r. lia* is at more expense
for wagaans, must lieep an extra horse
for this purpose, has no milk for calves
and pigs, nnd is deprived of many privi-
kagea that tin- bntter maker can enjoy. If
you sell milk, that must bo your primary
object. If yon make butter, it may be
HQfondaij. and tai tin- girls who have been
at school all week, air doing house work,
are only too glad to take the butter to
town on Saturday. Pardon me wheu
I say that it would be difficult to lay down
a rule for all, but r.-mi'inlier that the profits lie iu your opportunity.
Hancock Co. V. T.
Have Regular Customers.
Bd Premium.—In order to hnve best results iu dairying, it is very essential that
one have gaa.ail cows, good pasture and •
pun* water. Without these, dairying
will In- a failure, as far as first class prod-
nais are concerned. With poor pasture
and impure water, the milk is sure to be
tainted, which it readily imparts to butter
and a-ueese alike. For good results cows
mav range on any ot the grasses or clover,
alining the summer season, and stock
puis make excellent fall pasture, increasing the flaiw ofl milk of a very rich quality. .Milk should be strained and set
away t,i eool as rapidly as possible. I
hava* faiund shallow stone crocks to be
lai'st for milk. Tin is not satisfactory
for holding either milk or cream, or even
for churns. Never use stone churns, as
wooden churns are much better and so
cheap to be within the reach of all. Always skim milk, when first passing to the
Mini* state. I have found it much better to churn cream when quite young, as it
will produce a greater amount of butter,
also butter of a fiuer flavor than when
allowed to stand longer. It is better
taa wash butter, especially if not very
solid. One must use his own judgment
as to the amount of salt to add, as some
automata prefer more than others. Butter snould be molded into pound or half-
pound cakes aud wrapped in parchment
paper or muslin.
I know a lady who wraps her one pound
cakes in old bleaches! muslin, which looks
very neat and also brings the highest
market price.
In making cheese some skim the milk,
but it is far better, I have found, to make
it full cream, even if you do not make
as much butter. Full cream cheese will
bring a price in advance of other cheese,
and one can get regular customers who
are willing to pay enough for it to move
than make up for the butter not made
while making cheese. As to which is the
most profitable, to make butter or cheese,
that depends to a great extent on the
locality in which you live. Always seek
for regular customers who are ready "and
willing to pay the highest market price,
and sometimes in advance of tliat, for
butter and cheese which they know to be
first class in all respects. Be sure and
use perfect cleanliness. Churn at as
low a temperature as possible, not above
GO degrees.
Market the butter while fresh. I always find the pig trough the best paying
market for all skimmed milk and buttermilk. A Farmer's Wife.
Richland Co., 111.
Premiums of $1, 75 cents and 50 cents
are given for the first, second and third
Confined on page 9, column 3.