% CHAPTER III 

 UTILIZATION OF LABOR BY DAIRYING 



Dairy farming has a number of advantages over other types 

 of farming as regards the farm labor problem. In the para- 

 graphs of this chapter are considered the several ways in which 

 dairying is related to the farm labor problem, which is so 

 often a difficult one. 



Dairy Products Valuable Per Pound — Any farmer located 

 some distance from market should consider carefully the value 

 of his commodity when measured in terms of the load to be 

 carried or drawn to town. Thus, while common wild hay is 

 worth from $6 to $10 per ton, wheat or oats from $25 to $30 

 per ton and cream from $150 to $200 per ton, butter is worth 

 $400 to $G00 per ton. There are few, if any, farm crops or 

 products which will return as much per pound as well made 

 butter. In regions of bad roads, the production of well-made 

 dairy butter should be encouraged. 



Regular Income. — The regularity and frequency of the in- 

 come from dairying is an argument in its favor. Current 

 expenses of the home may be paid as contracted so that when 

 the annual sale of field crops or livestock takes place these 

 proceeds are available for the larger items, such as making 

 payment on the farm, buying improved stock or machinery. 



Child Labor. — The diversified livestock farm offers the best 

 place in the world for the proper, profitable, employment of 

 children (Fig. 5). The chicks are to be fed, the calves must 

 have their little mess of milk, lambs need assistance, and cows 

 wait to be milked twice a day. Much of this sort of necessary 

 work may be performed by mere children, and that to their 

 advantage. While in calculating the cost of keep of any class 

 of animals the labor element should be included, the fact of 

 the presence of these animals makes it possible for children to 

 be wage earners in their own homes. Thus if the cow be charged 

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