SYSTEMS OF FARMING ON DAIRY FARMS 229 



profitable tp employ much hired help. The farmer with 

 the help of one member of the family at chore time can milk 

 20 >r 25 cows and, therefore, under this system, the women 

 oft"n help with the milking. The farmer can do the re- 

 ma nder of the day's work alone. In haying time he may 

 nee d a little extra help. Such farmers usually find that it 

 pa; s best to have the cows freshen in the spring so as to pro- 

 du< e most of the milk in summer and thus reduce the grain 

 bill. One of the important reasons for winter dairying is 

 to lave the summer free for field work, but on farms where 

 litt e field work is done this is no advantage. 



1 fnder these conditions the milk production per cow is the 

 most important problem because profits depend almost en- 

 tin ly on the cow. It is sometimes possible to find some other 

 prc duct besides milk that can be raised without much extra 

 cost. Berries, eggs, honey, or hay will often add much to 

 the income. Sometimes pure-bred stock is kept and a good 

 profit made from the sale of the surplus animals. 



205. Roughage and Grain Raised. Where the land is 

 good enough to raise grain, this system pays much better 

 than the preceding one because the grain feed can be raised 

 wit hout having to hire much extra labor, and with practically 

 the same number of horses that must be kept anyway. 

 (See Farm Records on page 281.) 



206. Roughage and Cash Crops Raised. One of the 

 most profitable types of dairy farming is the combination of 

 intensive cash crops with a dairy. The manure is used 

 to grow potatoes, cabbages, apples, tobacco, hops, peas, 

 or sweet corn for canning factories, or some other crop for 

 sale. Where the soil and markets are favorable for one or 

 two of these crops, this system usually pays much better 

 than trying to raise the grain feed. It is, of course, much 



