138 PROFITABLE STOCK RAISING 



FIGURES ARE CONCLUSIVE 



A very complete book account was kept by Mr. 

 Pratt, including absolutely all expense items, in- 

 cluding also depreciation in value for such cows as 

 had passed the age of greatest value, also deteriora- 

 tion of machinery, taxes and insurance, and allow- 

 ing 5 per cent interest upon an investment of 

 $20,000. Every item which could reasonably be 

 charged against the gross operation of the farm was 

 added to the expense account, and even then the 

 net profit amounted to $1,977.40. This record is so 

 remarkable as to have occasioned doubts of its ac- 

 curacy among some well-informed dairymen, but 

 Mr. Pratt has the figures, the bills for cash ex- 

 pended and the statements of the condensery as to 

 amount of milk received, and the figures are ab- 

 solutely conclusive. 



After ascertaining the fact that the record was 

 actually made under genuine farm conditions, by 

 a dairy operated for profit and not for pastime, I 

 was especially interested in learning from Mr. 

 Pratt the methods of feeding and management 

 which contributed to this result. The distribu- 

 tion of his crop has already been described. Very 

 little dependence was placed upon pasture, its prin- 

 cipal use being to give the animals exercise in the 

 fresh air daily. All feeding was done, summer and 

 winter, in the barn. Stated amounts were not given 

 each animal, but the amount fed was gauged rather 

 by the consuming and producing capacity of the 

 animal. The previous year's supply of corn silage 

 lasted until June, and at this time four acres of rye 

 and three of alsike clover were cut and placed in 

 the silo for summer feeding. This was run through 

 the silage cutter and very finely chopped, carefully 



