1140 
THE RURAI) NEW-YORKER 
Live Stock and Dairy 
THE KINKS IN A DAIRY FARM. 
How We Took Them Out. 
Part I. 
The older a man gets the more “set” 
he becomes in his methods of living. 
He ponderously plods along in the same 
old dusty rut, moving round and round 
in his little ring, each revolution just a 
trifle slower than the last, until there 
comes a day when he stops. Worn out, 
he goes back to his original elements, 
and his son plods on in his father’s foot¬ 
steps. For years he has traveled in 
the same well-beaten track. With eyes 
cast down he has seen nothing but the 
dust at his feet. Around him have 
spread green meadows and fresh pas¬ 
tures, but nothing has intervened to 
shake him from his well-beaten rut. He 
has moved along in full sight of those 
green fields as though he were bereft 
of all his senses. He has never seen 
the green pastures, he has never even 
caught the odor from the verdant fields. 
His eyes obscured by the dust he 
raised, he has dragged on into oblivion. 
It is the most difficult thing in the 
world to shake a farmer out of a rut. 
Once he has acquired a method of do¬ 
ing any particular thing, he will con¬ 
tinue following that method to the day 
of his death. There is very little dif¬ 
ference in this respect in men, a sec¬ 
tion of a country or a country itself. 
Each section of our country has its 
“ruts.” We speak of them as “customs,” 
but they are the same old “ruts” in dis¬ 
guise. And the older the country the 
deeper its ruts, the more hide-bound 
its customs. 
It is custom that makes the section 
of the State of New York where I live 
a dairy country; one of those “ruts” 
handed down to us by our ancestors. 
Our forbears broukht with them, when 
they came here to carve their homes 
from the wilderness, a few cows. These 
cows thrived upon our mountain grasses, 
they multiplied, withstood the severe 
Winters, and for these reasons our fore¬ 
fathers dubbed this section of the State 
a dairy country. Since that time we 
have been told again and again that we 
are distinctly a dairy section; so rnany 
times, in fact, that we cannot shake off 
the name—we cannot break away from 
the custom of raising cows. A few 
progressive men have had the courage 
to lift their eyes from the dust at their 
feet and look over into the refreshing 
green of the surrounding meadows, but 
they are merely the exception that proves 
the rule. Most of those independent, 
self-thinking farmers have made a suc¬ 
cess of their new ventures, but your 
real dairy farmer cannot even see their 
successes; he still croaks dismally from 
the bottom of his rut, shakes hjs head 
sadly, keeps on kicking up the dust and 
repeats his time-worn phrase: “It’s no 
use tryin’, you can’t raise nothin’ but 
cows in these mountains.” 
I admit that we do have a large pro¬ 
portion of grazing land, mountainous, 
stony and thin soiled. On the other 
hand, the level places, the sloping side 
hills and the valleys are very fertile and 
can be cultivated. And these tillable 
places more than make up for the un- 
tillable spots. The cattle that were 
first brought into this valley were small, 
hardy, dark red, half-wild individuals, 
undoubtedly a degenerate offshoot from 
the Durham type. They were so differ¬ 
ent from their Durham progenitors, 
however, that they were styled “Na¬ 
tives,” and even to-day some of them 
may be found on the mountain-top 
farms, and their owners will assure you 
that they are a distinct type of cows. 
They were an extremely hardy type, 
could live on birch buds in the Winter 
if the hay ran out, and gave in return 
for the half-attention they received an 
inferior quality and quantity of milk. 
It is rather a depressing thought to re¬ 
call that it was that kind of cattle that 
stamped us as a dairy section. 
It was believed here until about 40 
years ago that the Winters were too 
cold for Jersey or Guernsey cattle, and 
the mountains too steep for the grazing 
of the larger breeds, such as Holsteins 
and Durhams. Some adventurous 
farmer, however, took a chance on a 
few Jerseys, and found to his delight 
that they thrived here. Jerseys imme¬ 
diately became the vogue, and our hills 
were soon dotted with the fawn-colored 
animals. Breed after breed was there¬ 
after introduced, until all the distinct 
types were represented. No effort, how¬ 
ever, was made to keep the types sep¬ 
arated, and in due time none of the 
original blood was left. Our cows were 
one vast mixture. Guernseys, Jerseys, 
Durhams, Ayrslnres, Natives and Hol¬ 
steins all looked more or less alike. 
It is not a necessary part of this story 
to tell you my life history. It is suffi¬ 
cient for you if you know that I am a 
professional man, have never lived on 
a farm, do not know how to milk a 
cow, and never had known anything 
about farming until I took up the man¬ 
agement of a farm containing over 400 
acres, situated a short distance from 
the town where I am still practicing my 
profession. You can readily see from 
this short sketch of my life that I had 
no farming ruts established, and was 
open to advice. 
I was confronted upon my first day’s 
management of the farm by a dairy 
containing every possible color of cows 
that the crossing of all the distinct types 
one with the other could produce. I 
did not, however, see anything wrong 
with that, as I did not know the differ¬ 
ence between the various breeds of 
cows, and supposed that a cow was just 
a cow. Up to the time I took charge of 
the farm my entire experience with cows 
consisted of what I had gained as a boy 
in driving a small brindle cow of a 
neighbor’s to and from her pasture at 
10 cents per- week, and in consuming 
quantities of milk and butter. You can 
readily see that cows were just cows to 
me, and I had no idea of the difficulties 
I was about to encounter; difficulties 
made doubly difficult by the fact that I 
did not even live on the farm. 
To get some idea of the profit in the 
business, I began my management by 
keeping an accurate book account of all 
the farm’s receipts and expenditures. 
This was a simple matter in bookkeep¬ 
ing, as our milk was all sold at a nearby 
creamery, and our feed and hired help 
bills were paid every month. At that 
time we were running about 60 head of 
stock, and I expected as a matter of 
course a very nice profit from the farm. 
Imagine my consternation and surprise 
when I figured up the first month’s re¬ 
turns and found that our feed bill alone 
exceeded our milk check, and that the 
money I was paying for hired help was 
an absolute loss. At the time I did not 
realize the fact, but my keeping an ac¬ 
count of what the farm was actually 
doing was the first kink that I took out 
of the dairy business. I supposed that 
every farmer kept an account of the in¬ 
come and expense of his place, but I 
have since learned that not one farmer 
out of 25 knows by actual figures what 
he is making or losing on his cattle. I 
think in a measure this accounts for the 
wildly varying figures one may get about 
the dairying business. 
Delaware Co., N. Y. ralph s. ives. 
W HO would do your work if you 
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splendid hand insurance in Hansen’s 
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cheaper kinds; cost less 1 
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O r UAVCCM y\r your book showing Han- I 
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186 Detroit y^^r /owing purpose: I 
Street. Sjr . __ _ 
MilwaU- Mention what kind of work, driving or sport. I 
Name 
Town 
R. F. D...State 
Pull Out 
Stumps: 
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Pull an acre or more of stumps a day. Pull any 
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HERCULES MFG. COMPANY 
130 21st St., Centerville, Iowa 
Build with CONCRETE BLOCKS 
Make your own blocks and build fire-proof, 
permanent buildings with your own 
hands," by using the 
Hercules, Jr. Concrete Block Machine 
designed especially for farm use. Requires 
no experience to operate, saves you 
money on whatever you build or repair. 
Write for full information and free 
booklet. Century Cement Machine Co., 
225 Mill, St., Rochestkr.N.Y. 
?llew <s/fcUcuut- 
Free 
Trial 
S AW S 
Hard-wood or all-steel saw frames with 
latest improvements. They are time and 
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prices will surprise vou. 
NEW HOLLAND MACHINE CO , 
Box 41, New Holland, Pa. 
STOP that high lifting into your 
u 1 vr high-wheeled farm wagon. 
I OOK up running 
Loon gear with broken 
wheels and pull it out of the 
weed patch from behind the 
barn. 
I WTFl^ to what our free 
catalogue says 
about low-down steel wheels 
for that gear. It will make 
the handiest wagon you ever 
had on your farm. 
Havana Metal Wheel Co. 
Box 17, Havana, 111. 
New Wheels 
lor the Old Wagon 
Let us fit your old wagon with“Electrlc” 
steel wheels and make it strong and 
good as new. Another wagon life 
and a real handy wagon fust by 
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particulars and shows how it pays big 
to fit up old wagons with the long-life 
Electric Steel Wheels. Write for copy. 
ELECTRIC WHEEL C0-, BOX 48, QUINCY, ILL. 
Electric 
Q5 and Upward 
AMERICAN 
SEPARATOR 
FREE TRIAL FULLY GUARANTEED. 
Easy running. Easily cleaned. 
_ Whether dairy is large or small, 
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AMERICAN SEPARATOR CO. BAINBR?DGILN. Y. 
Unadilla Silos 
are the best 
/ 
Give superior silage. Possess best con- 
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free catalogue. Agents wanted. 
Unadilla Silo Co., Box C- Unadilla,N. Y. 
tump Jaw Cured 
in three weeks with 
one application of 
Adam’s Rapid Lump Jaw Cure 
Easy Method. No Scars. Positively Guaranteed. 
Send for valuable Free booklet on animal diseases. 
II. C. ADAMS MFG. CO., Dept. 50, Algona, Iowa 
CRUMB'S 
IMPROVED 
WflRRI HER 
STANCHION 
“ My ham that was 
BURNED 
was fitted with Crutnh’a 
Warriner Stanchions. If it 
had not been for the ease with 
which these fasteners were 
opened 1 should have lost my 
cows,” writes Mr. Everett 
Gains, Bernardstown, Mass. 
Booklet Free. 
nr ALLACE B. CRUMB, Box MO, ForeatvUle, Conn. 
November 9, 
When you write advertisers mention Thb 
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USE MERRY'S 
OINTMENT 
Absolutely cures any sores 
on horses or other animals 
and brings in hair natural 
color. Eradicates proud 
flesh at once; draws pipes 
or stick-fasts out by roots. 
Will heal any sore no mat- 
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animal can be used every day 
from the first application of 
ointment. 
Price, postpaid: Small size 50 cents, large size 
$1.00. Guaranteed, if faithfully used, or money 
refunded. _ 
WRIGHT BROTHERS 
40 Lispenard St., New York City 
SAVE-THE-HORSE 
(Trade Mark Registered.) 
SPAVIN REMEDY 
A retail druggist In a “ live horse town ” within 30 
minutes ride from New York City, writes t “I am sell¬ 
ing three times more 8* a ve-the-13 or sc than any other 
one Veterinary remedy ; when they want the GOODS 
that cures they come back for Save-the-Uorse.’* 
Whether on Spavin, Ringbone (except Low). CurlL 
Thoroughpin, Splint, Shoo Boil, Winapuff, Injured 
Tendons or other disease, a perfect and perma. 
nent cure is guaranteed, no scar or Iorb or ham 
Horse works as usual. 16 YEARS A SUCCESS. 
W E Originated the Plan of—Treating Horses-* 
Under Signed Contract to Return Money IS 
Remedy Falls. Rut write, describing your case, anf 
we will send our—BOOK—sample contract, letter, 
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every kind of case, and advice—all free (to horse 
owners and managers). 
TROY CHEMICAL CO., 24 Commerce St., Binghamton, N.?« 
Druggists everywhere sell Save-the-Ilorse WITH 
CONTRACT or sent by us Express Prepaid!. 
$1 
.for a Horse 
Save a horse and you won’t 
have to buy one. Don’t sell 
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account of Spavin, Splint, 
Ring-bone, Curb, Sprains or 
any lameness. Spend one 
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Kendall’s Spavin Cure 
—the old rel iablo remedy. Thousands have made big 
money buying’‘broken down” horses, then curing 
them with Kendall’s. Thousands have saved big 
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Mr. G. H. Corbin of Kingmont, W. Va., writes:, 
••Gentlemen:—Have used a great deal 
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found anything equal to it. I used itoa 
a mare which 1 only paid fifty dollars 
for and since I cured her of the 
Spavin I have refused to take two 
hundred dollars for her.” 
■Can you call a cure‘‘hopeless” in 
■.ne face of these facts! . 
GetKendall’sSpavin Cureat U 
any druggist’s. Price. 81 per ^ 
bottle. 6 bottles for 85.00. “A 
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at druggists or from 
DR. B. J. KENDALL CO. ^ 
Knosburg Falls, Vermont, U. S. A. 
Y 
MINERAL 
Jn fcHEAVE 
k F & s REMEDY 
NEGLECT 
Will Ruin 
Your Horse^ 
Send today for 
only 
PERMANENT 
CURE 
Safe—Certain 
$3 Package 
^ will cure any case or' 
money refunded 
$1 Package 
cures ordinary case3. 
Postpaid on receipt of price. 
$ Agents Wanted 
Mineral Heave Remedy Co., 461 Fourth Ave., Pittsburg,P& 
£J3SORBINE 
| STOPS 
|LAMENESS 
•Spavin, Ring Rone, 
Splint, Curb, Side Rone or similar 
trouble and gets horse going sound. Roes 
not blister or remove tlie hair anil 
horse can be worked. Page 17 in pamphlet 
with each bottle tells how. $2.00 a bottle 
delivered. Horse Rook 9 E free. 
ABSORBINE, JR., liniment for man¬ 
kind. Removes Painful Swellings, Enlarged 
Glands, Goitre, Wens, Bruises, Varicose 
Veins, Varicosities, Old Sores. Allays Pain. 
Will tell you more if you write. $1 and $2 a bottle 
&t dealers or delivered. Manufactured only by 
W.F.YO'JNG. P.D. F.. 88 Temple St., Springfield,Mast 
Don’t let Your Horse Suffer 
Cure him of all ailments such as curb, spavin, splints, 
"windpufis, thoroughpin, swelling of throat and glands 
with the never-failing 
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Permanent cure for cill horse ailments. 
Recommended by famous horsemen. Get 
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W.B.Eddy&Co.Box W Whitehall N.Y 
CHURNS 
We handle every 
kind on the market. 
Our prices cannot be 
beaten. Write fol 
Chum Catalog. 
WISNER MFG. GO. 
230 GREENWICH STREET 
NEW YORK CITY 
