Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1914)
I TTOME AND FAHM MAGAZINE SECTION Making Money with Beef THAT the present beef shortage Is rery great none can doubt Hogs and sheep are also cor respondingly diminishing In num bers on the farms of this country. This situation has taken place dur ing the past few years in the face of constantly rising prices for cat tle, hogs and sheep on foot Only a few years ago beef cattle com manded only 5 and 6 cents a pound and hogs only 4 and 5 cents a pound, the latter frequently falling near the 3-cent line. Lambs then at certain seasons sold for only $1.50 apiece. But why should farmers in gen eral abandon beef, hog and sheep raising when every year they re ceived higher prices for them? . There are fewer enthusiastic stock men today, with beef cattle around I and 10 cents a pound, hogs hover ing close around the 9-cent mark continually and lambs bringing about 8 cents on an average for all seasons of the year. It would seem that with the present better prices there would be a heavy stimulus to the stock raising business and that farmers would turn all their efforts to growing meat animals for the hungry markets. Such, however, is not the case. Meat and Business. Business generally over the Unit ed States is good, from reports and appearances, but business would be much better if more meat animals were grown and marketed. High- priced meats do not mean more profits to farmers, packers and re- tailers. Packers make their big money an a big volume of business, and their volume of business is very small at present. Stockyards com panies likewise are prosperous when they handle heavy car loads and train loads of market animals, which - they are not doing at present Pack ers, live stock commission firms and stock yards firms are experiencing as hard times right now, owing to curtailed trading, as farmers in drought-stricken areas. They have reduced operations considerably by cutting down their working forces, and many are ready to abandon their business for other lines where trade is more enterprising. Live stock yards, live Btock com mission firms and packing firms rep resent a total of an immense busi ness capitalization in this country. When these firms are doing large Dusiness, money circulates more - freely through many hands. Their employes number up into the tens . of thousands when business is good, but when busines is bad, as it is at present, a large share of these em ployes are out of employment. Mutual Prosperity. Of all the evil things that have been said about packers, their pros perity and the prosperity of farm ers and stockmen is mutual. If the one succeeds, the other is bound to share in the success. They can not get rich in handling a few animals; neither can the farmer. Business must be done on a large scale to make profits attractive. The present scarcity of meat ani mals is the cause of almost unprece dented prices of retail meats, as packers and dealers must ask more for the finished product in order to remain in business and live. Con sumers of meats and meat animal products have reduced their pur chases to the lowest minimum, buy ing other food substitutes, with many being compelled to do with out. When meat and lard go above a certain price, a large share of consumers can not afford to buy. They must eat cheaper and com moner foods in order to make their Incomes meet all necessary living ends. All these things tend to stag nate general prosperity both in ci ties and in the country. Good Cattle Scarce. So scarce are good beef cattle, and so high the price that one of the largest packing firms in this country has purchased a large tract of land, to be devoted exclusively to beef cattle breeding, growing and finishing. The work is to be con dncted alone the most anoroved scientific agricultural lines. The calves will be raised and the feed for them will be grown, as far as possible, on the farm. It is pre dicted that the shortage of beef ani mals will compel other packing firms also to become producers of meat animals. If they can see money in the business, why should not farm ers? Will the farmers Bit idly at home and allow packers to come out into the country and beat them at their own farming game? Some will, and some will take the hint and be gin to breed and stock up to meet the present urgent demands for good beef animals. The general farmer ought to be In a position to grow and finish beef cattle cheaper than packing firms can. Time will tell. , Of late years the price of corn has advanced even greater proportion ately than meat animals. Many who fed their grain to live stock a few years ago now sell the grain direct This, no doubt, Is one of the greatest reasons why farmers have decreased their live stock oper ations. They can secure more cash in hand for their grain and hay on the open market than they can real ize for them through beef 'cattle feeding. Present gains are greater through straight grain farming. They do not Btop to consider the future. The Profitable Sido. With good beef breeds and the, best of handling and with balanced! rations, the net profit on a single finished steer is but J 10 to $15, of ten less. The average farmer con siders that he had worked for noth ing when he puts $100 in feeds into a steer that will sell for only $11.0. But the profitable side of beef grow ing, or the growing and feeding of any animals on the farm, comes through marketing the home-grown feeds through the animals In a con densed form and the securing of manure as a valuable by-product. Considering the future good of the farm, the farm owner can well af ford to put $100 In feeds into a beef steer that sells at maturity for only $100. In this way he has received full cash market price for his feeds with out hauling them to market, and in addition he has received in the neighborhood of from $20 to $25 in manure, which is banked in the soil, to be drawn upon later. The farmer to make money with beef steers and beef cattle in general must handle them on a comparatively large scale, consistent with the size of his farm. and he must purchase and use con centrates to balance his home-grown feeds. Cattle feeding is a moans of marketing the field products eco nomically, and of fertilizing the fields at the same time for growing larger and better crops. H. P. W. Send for our Free Catalog louden Barn Equipment, Such m Stalls, Stanchions, Litter Carters, Barn B0OI Hangers, Etc. ROYER IMPLEMENT CO. PORTLAND, ORE. 208 Front St Department L. $60.00 A WEEK AND EXPENSES T .... ... . 1 T . That's the money yon enouiu ei tnis year, i County Sales Managers quick, men or women who oelieve in the square deal, who will ro into partneinhip with me. No ex perience needed. My loldimt Bath Tub has taken the country by storm. Solves the bathing problem. No plumbing: no ' .7 , :..i i'n ionih hth in itit room. Folds In t small roll, handy as an umbrella. I tell you if; peat I OKEAT1 fonr county, l u lurnieu m-wwu us r m poaUie-ab.olutely certain-you can get b.gger noneyln week with rae than you ever made In a month beloro I KNOW IT I TWO SALES A DAT IS00 A MONTH That's what yon should get every month. Needed In every h?mo. badly wanted, eagerly bongk Modern bathing fac.l.. for all the people. Taks orders right and left. Quick lal's. immense profits. Look at the.e men. Smith, Ohio, got sales, gForder, fjrt Week: Meyers, Wise., $250 profit first month; Newton, California, t0 in three days. You should do as well, 2 SALES A DAY MEANS $300 A MONTH. The work Is Very easy, nleasant, permanent, fascinating. II uteans a business of, your own. flit g : "-'jf ' - jr demon. L " ' JL FURNISHED ajp Little caudal needed. I grant cre dit Heln you out- Back you un Don't doubt Don't hesitste Don't hold back Ton oaunot lose. My other men are Dmiamg nouses, pans accounts, so esn you. Act then mtUk- R IT V 11 m UHKVV 1..., .... 913 Factories Bldg., Toledo, O. penny post card for free tub offer. Hustle! President H. 8. ROBINSON A TOBACCO HABIT Argenite THE GREATEST KNOWN REMEDY WILL EFFECT UALLY CUIUS THE HABIT For a limited time only we will mail yon a foil sized bottle of Argenite for 50 cents in express or money order. Don't put It off. Don't delay. Writo today. ARGENITE CO. 90 1-2 NORTH SIXTH STREET PORTLAND t I 1 t t OREGON DAIRYMAN with a poor herd receives Quite a large check at the end of the month and he may fail to distinguish between re ceipts and net profit. This delusion has been the cause of many a failure. All over this country are Individu al dairymen whose success is notice able. One dairyman lost a 120-acre farm In keeping 20 cows that pro duced two to four cans of milk per day, hiring two men. Hia successor on the same farm hired three men, kept 63 cows and produced 30 cans of milk per day during the flush of the season, one month's return being $840. This Is an example of brain fertility and not soil fertility. BLACK LOSSES SURELY PREVENTED by Cuttar'i BlaeMef Pllli. Low priced, fresh, reliable: preferred bj wertern utoctanen becatiw ttiey pr I mm teot wnr otntr vaeomei rain i. Write for booklet ind teHtlmmUlg. r 1 1 I0-4OM pkge. BlMkleo Pills ll.oo B m SB-Com ski. BlaoklH Pillf 4.00 T'wt inifVtnr. but Cutur'f DOBX. The miperlfrity of Oattor produrti to due to o? It fan w RDeriRiizinc in vaaeinn ana nrow my. In lilt on Cuttir'e. If unohtaiMhl. order direct. THE CUTTER LABORATORY, Berkeley, California. Cash Register Bargains Our prices about half other dealers. We pay highest price for second-hand regis tern. We do expert repairing and guar antee our work. Will exchange to nit your requirements. STJNDW ALL CO., 805 2nd avenue. Seattle. Phono Isjun 1180, BUSH & LANE Pianos Stand The Test House ,f seess of Time Bosh A Lane Pianos an built to sustain the repu tation wo have spent years In establishing-. This reputation for piano quality Includes every detail f superiority tone action durability, etc. We back this claim with a guarantee as broad as it is binding. You ilUST be satisfied. Borne exceptional values In standard Pianos taken in trade (or 1100 and Bp. Bush & Lane Piano Co. Washington Street, Cor. of 12th, Portland, Oregon. MANTJFACTTJREE3 WHOLESALERS 0 4 Bonse of OruanaJitT