1908. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
C33 
STORIES FROM DAIRYMEN. 
Profit at Four Cent Milk. 
In my business I travel among dairy¬ 
men, and have formed the habit of ask¬ 
ing them how much their milk costs and 
which cows fail to pay. It is only now 
and then that I can find a man who can 
answer these questions, though they rep¬ 
resent the basis of any possible way of 
telling whether the business means loss 
or profit. I found one man in New 
Hampshire who claims to have kept 
the required figures. He keeps a herd 
of registered Ayrshires and his statistics 
run as follows: 
This herd numbered 26 head and were 
registered Ayrshires. Some of them 
were three and four years old. The 26 
averaged 6321 pounds of milk per year. 
Ten of them averaged 7269 pounds; 16 
averaged 6859 pounds. As to the cost 
of keeping he allowed for grain, $35 per 
head; hay, $15; silage, $17; green feed, 
$6; pasture, $5; care, $24; making $102. 
The milk was sold at the door for four 
cents per quart, leaving a net profit of 
$24 per head. 
Naturally a man breeding registered 
stock would be expected to keep some 
sort of a record of individual production, 
for otherwise he could not tell what to 
claim for his cattle. The mere fact that 
an animal is “purebred” or registered 
is not of much importance unless we 
knew that its ancestors were superior 
milkers and thus gave it a good inheri¬ 
tance. It seems to be even more im¬ 
portant that a man who makes his living 
at raising forage and buying grain and 
feeding it to cows ought to know what 
those cows pay him for doing it. Here 
was this Ayrshire man paying out $78 
a year for a cow’s feed. If he had a 
few cows in his herd which gave him 
only $50 worth of milk they would soon 
eat up his profit. Or, look at it another 
way: By selling milk at four cents a 
quart this man made a profit even at 
this high feeding. That is more than 
the great majority of dairymen can get. 
If he were obliged to sell at three cents 
or 2J4 he would lose money on all he 
sold. Thus every way you figure it a 
man ought to know what his cows are 
doing and what it costs to feed them. 
v. A. 
Cows That Lose Money. 
The condition for the farmers around 
here is very bad; the land is poor and 
sandy. The farmers, to make a living, 
keep a few cows and sell the milk to 
the Elm Farm Milk Co. for 29 cents a 
can, 8 l /2 quarts to the can. Some of us 
raise enough hay for the Winter, but 
some farmers buy half of the Winter 
supply. I keep six cows and I sold for 
the month of May 155 cans of milk for 
$41.85, and of that I have to pay to 
the man who takes my milk to the de¬ 
livery station, four miles from here, 
$2.50. That leaves me $39.35. Of that 
we have to buy four bags of cornmeal 
at $1.60 a bag, $6.70; four bags of mixed 
feed at $1.60, $6.40; two bags of cotton¬ 
seed meal at $1.60, $3.20; salt, 50 cents; 
hay, 2600 pounds at $13; total, $29.50. 
That gives me a balance of $9.85. $2,000 
mortgage at six per cent will be for one 
month, $10; insurance, $2Q a year, $2; 
interest on the cows, $50 apiece, $1.25. 
You see I lose $5 a month on the cows, 
and I get nothing from my labor on the 
cow. You ask for information from the 
farmers and I give you this. Probably 
I feed too much grain to the cows, but if 
I don’t, give them grain I can’t get the 
milk. A. p. R. 
Bellingham, Mass. 
R. N.-Y.—We print that to show an¬ 
other side of the problem. This man is 
feeding too costly feed. Cornmeal and 
a ready mixed feed at $32 per ton will 
never pay to feed with mixed hay for 
milk production. Wheat bran or gluten 
would give more milk and cost less. 
Cornmeal is one of the most expensive 
dairy feeds a man can buy, while the 
mixed feed probably contains oat hulls 
and refuse mixed with cotton-seed meal 
and some middlings. Now suppose this 
man could raise the capital and put up 
a small silo and seed some of his land 
to clover. With a few hundred dollars 
capital he could build the silo and plow 
a few acres of old pasture or meadow, 
buy a good fertilizer and use it freely 
and sow fodder corn for the silo and 
for dry feeding. By following the corn 
with rye, manuring the rye in the 
Spring, cutting it early for feed and 
then plowing it under, he could keep on 
raising corn and slowly increase his 
feed and his herd. If he had the money 
to do this with he could change that $5 
a month loss to $25 a month gain. 
What Dairymen are Against. 
Generally speaking, the farmers 
throughout this section are not very 
well content with their environments. 
I believe the scarcity and unreliability 
of farm helpers are, in a certain meas¬ 
ure, the fundamental cause. The aver¬ 
age land-owner who has worked to gain 
a few dollars in excess of his daily 
needs knows the value of his dollar, and 
is not a willing mortal to pay $30 per 
month to secure labor which cannot 
average over two-thirds that amount at 
any other occupation. To illustrate my 
meaning, I will cite two village laborers 
who applied at my premises for work 
(as “haying” laborers). When asked 
if they understood the operation of a 
hay-fork their reply was negative, like¬ 
wise the mower, binder, hay-loader, and 
didn’t know how to whet a scythe. True, 
they could pitch hay (couldn’t load), 
and demanded $1.50 per day of 10 hours. 
One found employment on an adjoining 
farm, but never appeared to begin his 
labors. Another grave question which 
causes the rural inhabitant to feel sick 
of his profession is the petty, and in 
many cases seemingly useless and sense¬ 
less, demands of the dairy inspectors 
sent broadcast by the City of New York. 
On the question of clean milk I will not 
enter. I am for every measure that will 
or can promote the cleanliness of milk 
and its kindred products, and I believe 
New York should pay for its extra 
“lugs.” Can the dairyman pay $30 per 
month to two men, $28 per ton for feed, 
sell his milk for a 2^4-cent average, and 
supply every whim a milk inspector(?) 
calls for? Can the cattle-breeder meet 
the losses caused by some crank whom 
the State has styled a “veterinary” and 
who says, nay orders, that the pride 
of his herd shall be exterminated to rid 
the State of tuberculosis, and, as has 
been proven in two cases here in 
Dutchess County (State of New York), 
the condemned cattle were found sound 
upon post-mortem examination? True, 
the State pays for the cattle so killed, 
but who determines the value? 
The present attitude of the Grange 
tends to cause dissatisfaction among 
farmers. When a picnic is at hand all 
agree, but in business each is for his in¬ 
dividual self and not the least particle 
of unit does he feel for his fellow- 
members. An effective organization is 
sorely needed among rural inhabitants. 
Heavy mortgages are a constant thorn 
in the side of some. Nearly two-thirds 
of Dutchess County is mortgaged. 
Why? The rumshops and unlicensed 
cider dens are an ever-present evil. Not 
very encouraging to find your servants 
intoxicated and the whole work left 
upon your worthy shoulders. Some 
contented farmers there are; men who 
have faced hard times and stemmed 
the tide; it is they and their descend¬ 
ants that our nation relies upon. 
GEO. M. WARREN. 
Dutchess Co., N. Y. 
Small Boy (whose father is very 
bald, to nurse, who is vigorously brush¬ 
ing his hair) ; “I say, when shall I be 
old enough to leave off hair?”—Punch. 
Any¬ 
where 
and 
Every¬ 
where 
no matter where, or the conditions 
prevailing in that locality, you can 
rest assured that the 
Tubular Separator 
will meet the requirements easily 
and well—because it has been 
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under all conditions; not only in 
your locality, but all over the 
world. 
The Tubular’s careful and 
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clean skimming, easy filling, turn¬ 
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Its saving of oil, labor, time 
and attention are also worth look¬ 
ing into. 
For full particulars write for 
Catalog 153 Sent free. 
THE SHARPLES SEPARATOR CO., 
West Chester, Penns. 
Toronto, Can. San Francisco, Calif. Chicago, Ill. 
American 
Saw 
Mill 
This simple, light running 
mill makes more and better 
lumber with less power and 
less help than any other. You can 
set up and operate any American mill 
with the directions before you. If you 
have no timber, your neighbors have. 
Don’t let your engine lie idle. 
124-Page Book,, Free 
Containing valuable suggestions about 
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prices and guaranty and full information 
about our Wood Saws, Shingle Ma¬ 
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American Saw Mill Machinery Co. 
129 Hope St.. Hackettstown, N. J. 
1582 Terminal Buildings, New York 
HARNESS 
By Mail 
Yon-can buy custom-made 
oak-tanned harness direct from 
"our factory at wholesale prices 
You save two prolits—the jobber 
and dealer’s. Write for onr new il¬ 
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save. All our harness is guaranteed, 
and we leave you to be the judge. It 
you’renotsatisfied,money hack. Every 
farmer should have our booklet. Write 
to-day and ask for catalogue E. 
THE KING HARNESS CO., 
6 Lake St., Onego, Tioga Co., N. Y. 
When you write advertisers mention Tub 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
a square deal.” See guarantee page 10. 
SPAVIN 
CURE 
For Spavin, Curb, 
Splint, Ringbone, 
All Lameness 
THE 
REMEDY 
USED ALL 
OVER THE 
WORLD 
Cures where any 
thing will. 1 
Leaves no mark or scar. ' 
Get it and be ready for 
emergencies. 
Not Sale Without It 
Wiggins, Sask., Dec. 26, 1907. 
Dr. B. J. Kendall Co., 
Enosburg Falls. Vt. 
Gentlemen:—I have used a great many 
bottles of your Spavin Cure. Out here on 
the prairie, where we are so far from a 
doctor, we do not consider ourselves safe 
without it. Kindly send me one of your 
"Treatise on the Horse.” 
J. McMillan. 
A liniment for man and beast. Sold by all 
druggists. $1 a Bottle; 6 for $5. The 
great book, "Treatise on the Horse," free 
at drug stores or write to 
DR. B. J. KENDALL COMPANY 
Enosburg Falls, Vt. 
The Ireland Straight-Line Drag 
Sawing Machine 
This sawing rig fills a long 
felt want for sawing large 
timber. It is simple, durable and the most 
practical straight-line sawing rig on the 
market. We also make circular saw rigs. 
Write for full information and prices. 
IRELAND MACHINE & FOUNDRY COMPANY, 
14 State St., NORWICH, NEW YORK. 
LET US TAN 
YOUR HIDE, 
Whether Cow, Steer, Bull, or Horse 
Hide, Calf, Dog, Deer, or any kind of 
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But first get our illustrated catalog, 
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Distance makes no difference what¬ 
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hides together from anywhere, and 
Crosby pays the freight both ways. We 
sell fur coats and gloves, do taxidermy 
and head mounting. 
THE CROSBY FRISIAN FUR COMPANY. 
Rochester. N. Y. 
COOK YOUR FEED and SAVE 
Half the Cost—with the 
PROFIT FARM BOILER 
With Dumping Caldron. Empties 
its kettlein one minute. The simplest 
and best arrangement for cooking 
food for stock. Also make Dairy and 
Laundry Stoves, Water and 
Steam Jacket Kettles, Ilog 
Scalders, Caldrons.etc. BST’Send 
for particulars and ask for circular J. 
D. R. SPERRY & CO., Batavia. Ill. 
LET US SHOWYQU SOMETHING BETTER IN 
COW STABLINGS 
today for large fine folder in colors and learn about the 
JAMES SANITARY 
STALLS AND STANCHIONS 
SIX STYLES OF STANCHIONS 
TWO STYLES OF STALLS (Steel aud Wood) 
These are the stalls and stanchions that have taken the dairy¬ 
men by storm at County and 
State Fairs this fall. There 
is nothing in cow 
that can be compared with 
them in Convenience, Safety, 
Cow Comfort and, above every¬ 
thing else, in the Sanitary Con¬ 
ditions they establish. 
SEEING IS 
BELI E V I N G 
We show you something really modern and 
practical. Your name and address on a postal 
brings the folder. Send for it today to 
THE KENT MFG. CO., 
ISO Kent St., Fort Atkinson, Wls. 
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