tjie 'MOKjrnm oregontax. friday, January i, 1909.
WMMS mm
EdEfiO
N mbl mm b iAi L-
ANNUAL m
t
By Jinn Wlthyeomhe. nln'rtor Orecoa
Kxperlmrat fttatloa.
A FIFTEEN MILJJON DOLLAR
product does not represent the
possible dairy output of tbia
state. Dairying Is the larsrest single
Ing of the fundamental principles of
dairying. Tlie cow-testing associations,
of which there are several In the state,
are doing a good educational work In
this direction. Better selection and im
proved methods of feeding are bringing
results. The $100 cow is steadily oe-
grlcultura! Industry in Oregon and Is coming more common. Pure-bred sires
likely to remain so Indefinitely, unless ft tho head of the herd are the rule
perchance the present enthusiasm in
the field of horticulture should push
this Industry to a premier position.
Communities which practice dairy
ing are always prosperous. The cow
not only enriches the owner, she also
fattens the land. Soil fertility and civi
lization go hand in hand. Thus the
modern cow Is an active promoter of
an advanced civilization. It may appear
Irksome to some to care for the dairy
herd 365 days days in a year, but this
Is an advantage rather than a discour- 1
agement. Agricultural communities
which find constant employment are
usually characterized by contentment
and patriotism. It Is a fact that dairy
sections are not only prosperous, but
the people are noted for their hospital
ity and social attainments. Thus the
cow Is not only the vanguard of pros
perity, she is also the harbinger of
peace. The modern cow has saved the
home of many a farmer, for she Is a
genuine mortgage-lifter. When given,
proper care, she falls not to yield a
handsome monthly stipend. She has
furnished more farm homes, educated
more children and brought greater hap
piness to rural communities than any
other branch of agriculture.
Conditions are highly favorable for
dairying In Oregon. Practically all. of
he western and much of the eastern
snd southern sections of the state are
weil suited to the industry. With" prop
er systems of cropping, green, succu
lent, nutritious feed can be secured
from the open field throughout the
venr over a large portion of Oregon.
Th!s of Itself is a very Important fac
tor In the Industry. In sections wnere
rlimutic conditions preclude the grow
ing of Winter crops, roots and silage
can be substituted.
In recent years the growing of kale
has made rapid progress. This Is no:
rather than the exception, as in the
past. No up-to-date dairyman will be
found with a graded- sire heading his
herd.
There are. however, two factors seri
ously operating against the rapid prog
ress of dairying: First, the susceptibil
ity of our dairymen to be induced by"
tempting prices to part wTth Ineir gooi
cows. Carloads of cows are constantly
leaving for adjoining states. This is cer
tainly a rehabilitation of the -old adage
of klillng the goose which lays the golden
egg.
S?cond The tendency among dairy
men to veal their heifer calves. This is
little short of a calamity to the dairy
Interests of the state. Fully to appreci
ate what this loss means is to consider
tlie net yield of a cow during her life.
The profitable life of a cow is about
ten years. A good cow. under proper
care, will yield a net profit of $.7) annu
ally. Thus In ten years she will yield
$sni. This logically represents the value
of every good heifer calf to a dairy
community. Dairymen by nil means
should hit their best lieffer calves.
Problems in feeding are being rapidly
r.C,--s.- rr Jr X. t . ' '- r 3 U- x
'
TYPICAL OKEGON J1R.
111 i ii i ' ' - ... !HDLStITEriN STOCK! I T,r-g,T er' i l ipinpi
. '.. I :4y? GS:SS?cs
?vVv "'St ;M; -km: - - r: . - :;t - r vli
! "x Tt -ft1 - : fer'-- ..'7
r-- - is 'AK If U 71
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mzzz " III I
HEBEI'ORD . STEERS KEADV JDR SHIPMENT- i.HT 'T- II
cr.tv.l hv nnr' iblrvmon." Summer Das- Tt " ' xnm. f f 'k J- A-i. . j T2LL 4 II - I
ture. except in the Coast counties, is " . ... ,-ir . "V" SIT I'V. ' L w f' 5V il II
rot depended upon. Up-to-date dairy- m it II - f'yt ff f v -,.,.yr 111
men nave icarnea iiim n pj w "' . y. - . i - -. "4 . ' i S II
low the partial or complete soiling sys- II -! J-..vf.:.'l;8 'r N 1 II
tern for Summer feed. At the Experi- II VH A. "W f U . 1 ' Ml
ir.ent Station five acres of alfalfa sup- II ' V tK 4 I - - ' : " ? ill
b-,-A-'n- -J , , ? s&r ill
llr v if- ' t r i. if f H ill
; , ... . : , u'- r.v'ts f HI
Ir-V", x ' """-tfiiirir'""ssss?
II - " ' - - iw-s
11. . -. .,.-.i-. -r
a H H H H
n new plant in this section, but Its
growth for a number of years lias Deen
restricted to a few farms. Within tho
lat three or tour years. However. Its
growth has assumed a much wider
scope. It Is pre-eminently the best
Winter succulent feed for the dairy ported 10 cows all Summer. This was
cow. There are but few Winters In
Western Oregon when kale cannot be
successfully harvested In the open
field. In the coast counties kale can
be depended upon as a sure Winter
crop.
In kale and vetch the dairyman has
two superior feeds. They are both rich
In protein, highly palatable and easily
grown. With 40 pounds of kale and
:0 pounds of nicely cured vetch hay,
a cow giving an ordinary flow of milk
will Jo well. In fact, with such a
ration very little mill feed Is required.
There Is one Important lesson that
many of our dairymen should learn.
nd that Is to grow If possible all the
feed required on the farm. This will
mean growing the legumes for hay
and providing kale, roots and silage
for succulent feed and barley, if prac
ticable, for grain feed.
In all dairying sections land is rap
Idly advancing In value. This Is due
to Increased productivity. The cow
paves the way for better things on
the farm. Oregon's need Is more and
fetter cows. Many of our farmers have
learned, however, that It costs Just as
much to maintain a poor cow as It
does a good cow. hence the weedlng
cut process Is In active progress In
many dairying sections. This has been
brought about by a better understand-
cut four times and fed green in the
barn. Soiling Is not only- economy of
land, but it gives better results thar.
pasture. Cows that are allowed to roam
over a large pasture will not -yield as
much milk as those that are well fed
and take less exercise.
The aim of many of our dairymen Is
to make one acre supply the rough feed
for a $100 cow. This term Is used to
designate a cow whose milk and butter
fat will represent a value of J100 annu
ally. There are a number of herds of
such cows in Oregon. These herds are
due to intelligent breeding, selection and
good care. Dairymen are rapidly learn
ing that the special-purpose cow is the
one to be depended upon. Tliey have
also learned that generous feeding gives
the best returns. The cow is a machine
and must be well fed for maximum
profits. She Is the very best machine
the farmer can have for transforming
the crude crops of the farm into a
highly concentrated and . valuable prod
uct. The cow enables the farmer to
get his produce to market at the minl-
W1H1LL, COUNTY
.HERD OT OUteHAMS1.
dairies now where a few years since the
industry was considered wholly Imprac
ticable. The cow is a wonderfully cos
mopolitan animal. She will thrive on
the rich valleys below the sea level am!
prove profitable in sections of consider
able elevation. Dairying, however, finds
its best environment where green feed
can be secured the year round. Fully
one-third of the area of Oregon wilt
meet this requirement. Many profitable
dairy herds' are maintained wholly upon
grass and hay. This practice Is common
in the Coast colinties and in the more
elevated sections of Eastern and South
ern Oregon. Reports have reached this
station where cows have yielded over
$10 per month from alfalfa hay. One of
the most successful dairy herds in the
state, from the standpoint of profit, was
fed kale and vetch without mill feeri,
and the gross yield per cow was over
$110 per year.
Oregon is certainly rich in agricultural
possibilities, and there is no branch of
the industry capable of greater expan
sion than is dairying. It would seem
that the superior advantages found in
this state for dairying would stimulate
a rapid development oi me muuauj.
mum frM-ht rate. He can shin his hav " .... . iha roul mpril of the industry
and grain in the form of butter fat. For profitable, than Summer dairying -Many- better returns . than those confined in that the - cows confined !n the comfort- fined In rig d slant, ,on 1"fona are -thoroughly understood and when the
the small farmer with moderate capi- of our best dairymen estimate., that a - the uncomfortable rigid - stanchion. ..At ., able stalls yielded . 10 per cent better rapidly ow'"K leanl ine, ss and o Bma
tal the cow .will prove to be his best cow freshening in the Fall will yield 25 the Experiment Station a test of stalls returns than those confined in th8 - comfort ..are important fac.ors in Jalry vaiue o appr(,ciated. the dairy
friend. She will not only give him em- per cent greater -value or dairy products was niaae- a portion oi iue uair, ueiu ta..-u.u... " "' "T;o ,.,, , ronrhlnir nnon will stand pre-eminently above all otner
. . " " ... " ... . . r. .... . . ' i i- no.i l nnrr,rr.n In fWo-nn woro rnnflnM In rieid stan- Datryine is steadily encroaciung upon
ployment, Dut sne will pay nim wei: than a cow tnai iresnenn m ine opiws. s jjuiici.v iuuui-u - ----- - . ----- j .ti, f.rm, Thpro ar'
For" hi. tabor. - They have also discovered that cows rigid stanchions and a portion inaco 'nXr IcceVful
Winter dairying Is found to be more
staeb!edna.ne comfortabl sTaV wUI yield Kbl. TndMdwV .llV ft wlod " of $1,500. The percentage of cows con- many section, maintaining successfu
agricultural industries as a promoter of
a far-reaching prosperity.
FARMERS AND RAILROADS CO-OPERATE TO AID STATE
By R. B. Miller, General Freight Ageat
O. K X. and Souther. Pacific.
NO matter how wise a man may be.
there are some things he can see
and some things he can hear that
will be to Ms material advantage.
Time was when the people of the
earth were few, and their wants and
vocations necessarily limited, but the
constantly Increasing population, and
the resulting growth In the affairs of
men have created new conditions, and
stimulated their advancement In many
ways.
In 1675. or about 200 years after the
discovery of America, the population of
the territory now embraced In the
United States, exclusive of Indians,
was approximately 175,000. One hun
dred years later, or at the beginning of
the American -Revolution. It had grown
to ttiout 3.000.000: In 1S00 to 5,000.000,
and In 1900 to . 75.000.000. or an In
crease of 1400 per cent during the last
century. The population of the world
In 1S00 was estimated at 640 million
uls. and In the past 100 years has
more ttian doubled.
The growth in this, as well as other
countries, marvelous as It . has been,
should continue at the same or even
higher ratio, and emphasizes the fact
that our needs are not only becoming
greater, but that the competition In
supplying them, already keen, will be
come more so. and that our present and
future development must be along the
most practical and scientific lines.
We live in an age that may be called
"the age of necessities," and of these
necessities the products of agriculture
stand pre-eminent, because they repre
sent the very foundation of our exis
tence. There is no other vocation,
industry or pursuit with which the
welfare of the country is so closely
associated, nor upon which our com
mercial and industrial activities - so
largely depend. Therefore, as a busi
ness, the conduct of agriculture be
comes of paramount importance, and
Its Influence, directly and Indirectly,
upon transportation a matter of special
concern to the carriers. . Under such
circumstances, the cultivation of the
land and tiie tillage methods employed,
are questions entitled to the most seri
ous consideration.
Orea-on and Washington are essen
tially agricultural states, and coinci
dent with the fertility, . development
and productiveness of their farms must
be determined the wealth and pros
perity of their Inhabitants. There Is
gold "in the mountains and timber on
the hills, but these are exhaustible,
while the soli will continue to pro
duce for all time, it properly nursed.
It cn. however, become run down or
worn out. - and denuded of those prop
erties winch are essential to Its life
giving qualities: and If we are to profit
from the experience of other states and
countries, the question of future pro
ductiveness is a matter which should
be of as much concern as the existing
production, because the actual finan
cial worth of the land Is not only Involved.-
6ince Its value Is measured by
the value of what 1 will produce, but
the time will come when the popula
tion has become so dense that every
acre will be required to yield Its maxi
mum as a matter of absolute necessity..
Consequently the care of the soil, the
necessity for putting back into it those
elements which become absorbed, and
yet are required for-proper plant sus
tenance, as well as the adaptability to
different - crops, productiveness, and
general cultivation, are matters to
which much study and thought must be
devoted.
The first school for the teaching of
agriculture was founded in Switzer
land In 1806, and since then many in
stitutions of, a similar character have
been established In France, Prussia,
Germany and Russia, and. - in fact,
throughout all parts of Europe are
OREGOV WOOL
Shaniko
Keppaer
Fend leton
Arlington and Condon..
Ontario and Vale
Echo
Huntington
Baker City.
Elgin
The Dallss
T-akeview
Willamette Valley- ana
Southern Oregon...... 1,500,000
Total 18.500.000
Value i $2,500,OOJ
OUTPUT. 1908.
Pounds.
3.000,000
2.500.000
2,500.000
1,500.000
2,000,000
. 750,000
500.000
1,500.000
1,500,000
250,000
1,000,000
found such schools supported by the
state. In those countries the produc
tiveness of the land' has been materi
ally increased rather than diminished,
notwithstanding the fact that it has
been cropped for hundreds of years.
That the science of agriculture is
also recognized in the United states Is
evidenced by the action of the Federal
Government' in establishing a Depart
ment of Agriculture, and by the action
of the several states Individually In
establishing experiment stations and
colleges for the express purpose of pro
moting general farming pursuits.
To the practical work accomplished
by these institutions and the educa
tional advantages which they afford is
largely due the advancement taking
place in the "cultivation of the soli, and
the general upbuilding of the social
and economical conditions on the farm.
In all of which the railroads have a
very great Interest, and it is to assist
In protecting these resources. so far as
practicable, and to Improve the agri
cultural conditions generally, that the
Oregon Railroad & Navigation Com
pany and the Southern Pacific Com
pany have undertaken the operation of
farming demonstration trains through-
out the territory served by their lines
in Oregon and Washington. The object
- of these trains is to acquaint the farm
ers with such facts as will be helpful
and encourage further development by
giving them the benefit of the knowl
edge and experience of men who have
made a life study of agriculture. The
results have proven of such value, and
are so far reaching in their effect, that
additional trains will be run from time
to time in furtherance of the genearl plan.
-'. These trains consist of a number of
cars, each containing exhibits devoted
to some particular kind of agriculture,
as, for instance, agronomy, horticul
ture, entomology, dairying, livestock,
etc., and especially equipped for the
purpose of practical demonstration.
Accompanying? these trains in their
. respective states were members of the
faculties of the Oregon and Washing
ton Agricultural Colleges, experts In
their particular line, who delivered lec
tures on all subjects of Interest and
conducted the .demonstrations.
The interest manifested on these oc
casions by all concerned was very grat
ifying and indicative of an earnest de
sire to profit to tho fullest extent from
what could be seen and heard. Stops
of from one to two hours were made
at eacli point visited. Business was
suspended at many places as a mark
of appreciation on the part of the mer
chants, courts were adjourned to al
low the tarmers in attendance to view
the train, schools were dismissed and
farmers in large numbers came In from
long distances to take advantage of
the lectures and demonstrations.
A railroad must depend for its sup- .
port upon the business of the communi
ties which it serves, and the develop
ment of that business Is therefore an
essential factor in its successful oper
ation and welfare. No railroad can be
prosperous unless the people which It
serves are prosperous, and In the Pa
cific Northwest the methods of ex
ploitation of its agricultural resources
wili largely determine the prosperty
of both the farmer and the railroad.
Hence the undertaking is one of mu
tual and reciprocal interest, and one
In which the occasion for the closest
co-operation Is apparent.