INTENSIVE AND EXTENSIVE FARMING 817 



sively developed in regions rather far from cities, such as northern Iowa, 

 Minnesota and to some extent the Dakotas. 



Formerly, much butter was produced in the summer time because 

 pastures afforded the cheapest form of feed for cows. Cows were generally 

 allowed to go dry at the approach of winter, and maintained as cheaply 

 as possible on dry feeds during that period. This resulted in marked 

 difference between summer and 

 winter prices for butter. More 

 recently farmers have found it 

 advantageous to have cows 

 freshen in the fall or early win- 

 ter, and feed more heavily during 

 the winter period. While this 

 involves the storage of more feed, 

 which is somewhat more expen- 

 sive than pastures, it affords em- 

 ployment during the winter 

 season, and avoids so much con- 

 flict with the production of crops 

 during the growing season. This 

 distributes the labor and enables 

 the farmer to grow more crops 

 to feed more cows and conse- 

 quently increases the total of 

 production. It also lessens the 

 fluctuation in the price of dairy 

 products. 



Receipts per Cow and 

 Profits. — The difference in the 

 value of cows should be rela- 

 tively greater than their relative 

 milk or butter-fat production. 

 It costs considerable to maintain 

 a cow even when she is producing 

 nothing. The cost of mainte- 

 nance is increased slightly with 

 the increase in production. Pro- 

 duction involves work in the transformation of crude products into milk 

 and butter-fat. Cows, like types of soil, differ in productivity, and like 

 the soil, the yield may be increased by better care and feeding. The 

 same principle applies to both relative to the degree of production that 

 will be most profitable. The more valuable the cow and higher the price 

 of her products, the greater the intensity in care and feeding may be. 



On the most profitable farms in Tompkins County, N. Y., the 

 receipts per cow were 48 per cent better than the average of the region. 



52 



Rye and Winter Vetch Make an Excel- 

 lent Early Soiling Combination 

 for Cows. 



