28 



BULLETIN OF 



Massachusetts Boaed of Agriculture. 



SOME CAUSES AFFECTING THE PROFITS OF DAIRYING. 



By Prof. F. S. Cooley, Professor of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Massachusetts 

 Agricultural Colltge. 



It is hardly necessary to assert that dairymen are deriving less profit 

 from their investments and lower wages for their labor than they would 

 like, or even than that which a good business should lead its patrons 

 to expect. The purpose of this paper is to notice briefly a few of the 

 things that stand in the way of the best success of dairy farmers. We 

 shall consider only those concerning the producing end of the business, 

 not because these are of greater importance than those affecting the 

 marketing end, but because the remedies are in the main simpler and 

 more under the control of dairymen. 



It will be generally conceded that capital invested in agriculture 

 yields smaller returns, and that farm labor is poorer paid, than capital 

 and labor employed in manufacture or commerce. Is this disprojDor- 

 tion due to conditions inherent in husbandry, or is it the result of a 

 lack of intelligent efforts, poor business methods and failure of dairy- 

 men to master their business? Will not the same degree of skill and 

 intelligence expended in agriculture command equal compensation 

 here as in other pursuits? Occasional instances of marked success 

 appear to indicate that it will. Indeed, the speculative element is 

 more largely eliminated, values are more stable and dividends are more 

 certain than in the majority of business. 



The Kind of Cows kept. 

 One of the most important factors in profitable dairying is good 

 cows. The.se should be adapted to the particular business and con- 

 ditions of each dairy farm. No single breed or tj'^pe meets all condi- 

 tions, else what need of such diversity of size, conformation and quality 

 of product. To be specific, for butter and cream production it is 



