Food Problem Individualised 209 



there was also an advance, but the " aisy goin " 

 farmer dependent largely on foreign food for his 

 cattle, stood to lose on the whole by the change 

 in values, even with the price of cattle increased 

 by 30 to 40 per cent. Bullocks and " dry " 

 heifers might live, if not improve, on the usual 

 products of the farm, but it was not so with milk 

 cows and their calves. Even on the best of soil, a 

 calf must have something more than ordinary 

 fodder and pasture until he is at least a year old, 

 and unless we raise calves to-day we can have no 

 cows to-morrow. 



I decided to produce at home also my con- 

 centrated foods for cattle. The war began just 

 early enough to sow winter crops, and I have been 

 cutting out these from May to October, buy- 

 ing next to nothing for stock food, while my 

 animals are in much better condition than those 

 of the neighbours, who are now buying at prices 

 increased by 40 to 50 per cent. They will 

 probably pocket not one cent in advanced prices 

 of cattle that has not already been more than 

 cancelled by the advance in imported cattle food. 



This method of dispensing with imports for 

 farm animals is probably worth description in 

 some detail, since the prices of meat, milk, and 

 butter are largely affected by it. The prices of 

 imports at any time are practically beyond our 

 control, and more so now than ever, subject, as 

 they are, to a hundred influences and chances 

 which no man living can foresee ; but not so our 

 idle soil, which is at our will, ready to give us at 



