March 1897.] GENERAL AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 



401 



portion ; it is also carried on in southern counties of the State 

 almost as far as the eastern boundary of Colorado. There 

 are, however, comparatively few farmers as yet who really make 

 a specialty of this branch of agriculture. It seems that the 

 majority milk only three or four cows, or half-a-dozen at the 

 most, and if they do not sell milk or cream their surplus butter 

 generally goes to the local storekeepers, and finds its way 

 usually to the " ladlers " (see p. 402) or dealers in promiscuous 

 butter. An improvement is reported to have taken place in 

 the quality of farm dairy butter made in the State during the 

 past ten years. 



In South Dakota the conditions are much the same as in 

 Nebraska, and danying has been developed mainly in the 

 eastern half of the State. There are said to be a few experienced 

 dairymen doing good work, but most of the milk is produced by 

 farmers who each keep a few cows, simply as incidental to their 

 general business. 



In North Dakota the usual milking period is seven months, 

 and of these four are passed on pasture. The bulk of the milk 

 is produced during May, June, and July. Butter is largely 

 sold to customers in the neighbourhood or within easy reach, 

 in 5 lb. and 10 lb. jars, at lOd. a pound in summer and Is. Q\d. 

 in winter, but a considerable quantity is disposed of to the store- 

 keepers at less than 5d. a pound, and is shipped out of the State 

 to be " ladled." 



The data given in the following table afford an approximate 

 estimate of the principal items connected with the dairy interests 

 in these States : — 







Esti- 



Milk produced— Yearly Quantity 

 and Value. 





<n 

 .2 



State. 



Milch 

 Cows 

 owned. 



mated 

 Value 



of 

 Cows. 



Ave- 

 rage 

 Yield 

 per 

 Cow. 



Total 

 Milk 

 produced 

 Annually. 



Value 



of 

 Milk 

 per 

 Cwt. 



Total 

 Value of 



Milk 

 produced 

 Annually. 



go 

 <S3 



<D 



1 



o 



ft 



© 



<S 



O 



Nebraska - - 



No. 

 563,313 



£ 



2,708,000 



Lbs. 



2,430 



Cwt. 

 13,688,500 



s. d. 



2 2| 



£ 



1,511,000 



No. 

 119 



No. 



2 



South Dakota 



278,928 



1,333,000 



2,500 



6,973,000 



2 6| 



886,000 



89 



2 



North Dakota 



146,328 



677,000 



2,300 



3,365,000 



2 3| 



386,000 



27 



6 



The most probable cause of error in this table is said to 

 be the low annual milk yield assigned to the cows, but the 

 rates given are sustained by reports of actual facts which appear 

 to be reliable. The figures exhibit the average milch cow of 

 this region to be an animal of very doubtful profit, for in South 

 Dakota, which shows the best results, the gross income per 

 cow in milk would be but SI. 2s. 6d. a year. Nearly all the 

 creameries in these States are built of wood, with iron chimney 

 stacks. 



