232 8 P3 py 1 ^- ^ irticL wiih iffusiratifms io prove H Y^^ ©yiLILgflKl DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND IMMIGRATION OF VIRGINIA. PAiRYAND FOOD DIVISION BENJ. L.PURCELL,C jjyLYJQIS. a(/U£r/NS W/IL 3£S£Afr Fff£E O/V APPl/CAr/aV •S TO DA^YAUP FOOO a jj COMM/SS/Oy/£/f. R/C/iMOJVD, M. 'i>Ai/'/s^orro/^. s(/p£/f/j^r£/vi>£Ar Pi/3i/c ppmr/m. i-od_ ^jyj'^z^l-f Ten Reasons Why a Dairy Farm In Virginia Pays Better Than In Anv Other State : : Page Tiro :-t5 Page Three IL 3 Page Four Page Five Foreword UOH has been said and written of tlie glory of tlie Old Dominion, tlie mother of States and statesmen, the liome of presidents, the hind of romance, tlie centre of the struggle which convulsed a continent, and changed the rei)uhrH' into the nation. This ])liase of \^irginia's greatness is not our theme. We are writing of the present and future, leaving the historian to dwell ui)on tlie past. Virginia, her agricultural development, and more es{)e('ially her im- piortance as a great centre for the dairy industry, is the subject here briefly considered. The twentieth century demands that a man shall find safe and ])rofitable invest- ment in his farm, together with comfort in his home, and ready access to the ceidres of ])o])ulation — witlior.t the'-^e advantages the trend to the cities is inevitable. Xo m-in willingly exiles himself from the ]ileasures of life, and the time has come when he must have reasona1)h' assurance of such business on his farm as shall make for his imme- diate and permanent advantage, or ] e will strive in in- creasing numbers to swell the ranks of factory ojx'i'atives, mill h.ands, small clerks and the host of weary workers who to-day throng our cities. With its eastein bonndai'ies washed by the waters of the Atlantic, and its western highlands lying among the Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountains ; with its altitude ranging from TO to 4,000 feet above the level of Ihe sea, Virginia has a wonderful variety of crops and ngricul- tural resources. "Remarkable progress has been made in the last few years, and the State is rapidly developing into one of the foremost agricultural States of the Union. Among the many sources of revenue from the fai'm, the Page Rcven Page Eight n '■3 m 5 ^ ^ to - C Pofire A^/hc i i. j^>f.,M^ fW Forest Iloiiio t'rojiuierj ami IJiiir.v HjiriiM, Loiiduuii County. Siinitiir> Itiirii iinil Silo noar IticliiiioiMl, litMirieo Coiiiify. Paa<- Ten income from dairying lias taken a prominent place. Start- ing with a few plants, erected mainly for the handling of milk and cream, the number of factories has rapidly in- creased, until they are now located in practically every section of the State. The production of cream for the manufacture of ice cream, as well as for the making of butter, has increased enormously in the last few years. Read these ten reasons for owning a Virginia farm — they understate the case — and say, is not life under these conditions as nearly ideal as one can hope for? Investigate these facts and then act upon them. Field of Silage iu llotetoiirt eoiiiity — VieUI, ;5a Tons per Acre. Page Eleven a "^ J= a cs P'/yc Twelve Page TMrteen •; • c« '^t" t Page Fourtcoi Fage Fifteen 4«l V -» - ^'■1 V.I Page Sixteen Ten Reasons Why a Dairy Farm in Virginia Pays Better Than in Any Other State I. CLIMATE. Virginia lias never had a blizzard, a eyelone or an earth- quake. The winters are long enough to give the farmer a chance to cut ice from his own pond, and to kill out noxious insects. They are so short as to make grazing practicable for nine months in the year. Short and Mild Winters. Far enough south to esca]^e the cold, hard winters of the North and West, and far enough north to escape the torrid heat of the South, A'irginia has a tem])erature Avell suited for tlie raising of cattle and the in-oduction of dairy products. While the winters last from three to four mouths, the temperature seldom falls below ten degrees above zero, and there are few days that it does not rise above the freezing point. Expensive l)arns arc therefore not required for tlie housing of stock, and much of the time they can, without discomfort, spend in the open air. Long Grazing Season. The long grazing season is valuable in ])rodu('ing dairy products economically. Cattle can be ke])t on ])asture for some time after frost has destroyed the ])astures of less favored sections. Cows can frequently l)e grazed from the first of Ajiril to the last of November. The famous Kentucky natural blue grass grows abundantly over a large area of the State. Tn Southwest Virginia lieef cattle are finished for export on the l)lue grass pastures, no grain being fed. Page Seventeen Pahu' grass grazing farms. The A'alley, with its heavy clay and limestone, is the home of the famous blue grass. Soils, suited to all kinds of cr()]»s, ai'c, then, to l)e fonml in Virginia, and with any or all of them the dairy and cattle luisiness is a natural and y)rontabl(' adjunct. 5. CHEAP FEEDS. It follows fi-om what has l)cen said of Virgiiii;i's cli- mate and soil that food for man and beast <'an be raised at a minimum cost. ( *orn is king in Virginia. Xo State can produce corn for grain or silage more economically and alnindantly. Average yic^lds ]»er acre of 101) bushels of corn or twenty tons of silage are common. Owing to the long growing season, two forage crops ])ei" year can be grown with gr(\at protit. Crimson Clover. l>y sowing the co]-n lands in crimson clover at the last working of the corn, this ci-op conies in the early spring and can either be used for grazing or cut for hay, and the laud again planted in corn or some other croji. Crimson clover is not only a good feed for dairy cows, but also a Page Tiventi/onc •fe: r^^ ■-^.■^, tn ■^- ', JS 1^. York Graiige Farm. York t <»iiiitj . Crop of AYIh-jU jiiuI Vt'(«-li Harvested Juue 1!», lStl4 — Kif^hteeii tons Silajte per Aere. Land Ininiedtately Parie Ticnitihtico Seeded to Sorfilniui. Pngc Ticentij-t^irCL I IoIkIci II lli'itl ill ^ orU <. dei ( Sm- l%-:(ciiit ^rt-tinii. V liilcriiii- \ ork (;rjiiia<' 11ii:r> Ifiirii iiiiil Milking llncliiite, ^ <«rk 4'<>iiiit.>. iioar \\ il li:tiii>1>iir;;. Pdiie Tu:rnfi/-foiir Page Twenty-five groat land i]iii)i-()V('r, and thousands of acres of land liave been improved Uy the nsc of this most valuable legume, the yield of which is (Mioi-mous. Cow peas and soja hcaiis are also used ;is soil ini- l)rovers, and i'ov sowing in the corn ero]) and grazing in the fall aftci- the corn is taken from the land and ])ut into the silo. Peas and ])eans mak(^ excclleid sihigc and are largely used in \'irginia for this |)ur))Ose. Alfalfa. Alfalfa can he grown in all sections of ihc State and the yield of alfalJ'a per acre is as large as in any other State, witli the ])ossihle exception of the irrigated sec- tions of the West. This is a crop that the farmers are using more and more each year. Other Crops. Rye, Canada peas, crimson clover and winter vetch are crops that, in their order, come to maturity in the early spring and are nuicli used for eitlier grazing or for soiling pur))oses. Near the large cities where land is high, and in the sections where truckiiig is the main croy), the system of soiling is carried on with good I'esnits, two and sometimes three ( I'ops being cut fi;om the same land in one year. Cows are kept in the l)arnyard and green feed cut and hauled to them. Starting in the eai'ly s|)ring with the above-mentioned cro])S, winter oats, alfalfa, wheat, spring oats, red clover, corn, sorghum and kaffir corn, soudan grass, soy beans, cow ])eas, millet, etc., can be grown and fed in theii' oi'dei-. Fi'om mo~t of these crops good ln\- is made. Timothy, oi'chard grass, herds grass, the clovers, etc., are also gi*own extensively for hay and l)ring lai'ge returns. Tn conserving the entii'e value of the corn crop, the silo is in general use throughont the State. Tn Piedmoid and the western section of th.e State, where Page Twenty-six Page Twenty-seven the bine grass is a natural product and where in the past export beef has been raised, those farmers that have taken np the dairy work have demonstrated that milk can be prodneed perhaps more economically than in any ])art of the Union. On those blue grass farms, allowing a fair price for the grazing of the stock, and for all labor in- volved, it has been demonstrated that milk can be pro- duced at a cost as low as six cents per gallon. While in the eastern section natural bine grass does not thrive as it docs in the mountains and hills of the western and central ])arts of the State, yet these sections, which are not so high above the sea level, are especially adapted for the raising of leguminous crops of all kinds, and here the nearness to the seaboard makes the market- ing of early garden truck es]iecially ]n-ofitable. 6. PRICE OF LUMBER. Virginia is one of the few States that still has large areas of growing timber and the low price of lumber, compared with the i)rices paid in other States, offers in- ducement to the farmer to l)uild barns and silos. In the last few years thousands of silos have lieen put up in the State, and many of these have been home-made, and in hundreds of cases tlie lumber has been supplied from the farm on which the silo was erected. 7. DEMAND FOR DAIRY COWS. There is a constant demand throughout the South for good dairy cows. During the past few years large num- liers of dairy cows have been brought in from the North and West, the demand being much greater than could be su])plied by tlie breeders of the State. The dairyman using a pure-bred sire and grading np his herd will find a ready sale for all of his surplus stock. This demand has already created a supply, and from the standpoint of breeding- and production Virginia can show some of the Page Tiventii-niv Pane Th'.rtii it Tl h 5 I-, £ T, :i '+^ 5^ o 0) ■a -w 01 i:. pM '"* ., Oj Oj Pa(7e Thirty-one Ix'sl herds of llic couiiti-N". The (IciikiikI, however, has not IxM'ii I'lilly met, ami ciitcriJrisiiii;' Imsiiicss methods Avili l>niii2,- (|ni( k and gratit'yiiii;' returns to the stock raiser Avho strives to meet tliis iii<'re:isiiii>- dcmaiKl. TIcre again tlie climatic conditions are especially ad\'anta,i2,('()ns. 8. TRANSPORTATION. No eiiterpi'ise can he classed as pi'oiitahle which leaves ont ol' considci-atioii the ti'anspoi-tation (piestion. \'ii"- giiiia is the great centi'al station between the Xortli and South. Tiii-ee i-ailroads ci-oss the State from East t<» West and tlii'ee unite Xew l^iiigland with Florida and travei-so A'irginia from noiHi to south. 'Pli<' enstiu'n section of the State ri'om tlie poi'ts of Xorl'olk, Xewj)ort News, West Point and liichmoiid en,jo>'s unsurpassed wat<'r ti"ans])or- tation facilities with Xew Yoi-l>:. Philadelphia, l*>altinioi-e and Washington, heing within tweU'e hours oi' the most distant. This insures rapid ans hi' found. ( 'i-eam can he pasteni-ized and shipped into these sections with little loss, as the raili'oad facilities are excellent and the rates ai'e low. The maiK'ets foi- ci-eamery liutter in the South are large, amounting to millions of pounds annnallx', a snrdi part of which onl\- is made in the South. Xoi-|'ol]<, next to Xew York in impoi'tance as ;) slii])])ing )iort, is a distributing ])oiiit I'or sexci-al millions of pounds of ci-eaniei-y butter every year, while liichmond, Lynch- l)nrg and I»oanoke also handle nullions of i)onnds of l)ut- ter and cheese. The gi^eat mining State of West A'irginia also olfers excepti(Uial o]>portnnities foi- the sale of dairv pi'odncts. These nuirk(ds must be sui»]ilied, and tlie logi- <'al place from wdiieh to su|)ply them is from the State of Piif/r Thirtu-tivo V'irginia, where tliey eaii be ])ro(Uu'ed and marketed with least cost and greatest facility. 9. UNLIMITED AND UNEXCELLED MARKETS. In 191-1:, of twenty-nine cities located in all ])arts of the United States, the average price received for milk hy the dairymen snpx^lying the Richmond market was th.e high- est, while Washington, D. C, came next. Five hnndred dairies in the northern part of the State fnriiisli(Ml a large portion of the milk sold in Washington. Richmond is sup- plied entirely by dairies located in the State. The market for creamery bntter and cheese in Virginia, and the six States immediately sonth, is practically nnlimited. None of these provid(^ more than a very small per cent, of the amount nscd in the State, and Virginia's geographical ]iosition and snpfM'ior ship])ing facilities give her an ideal o|)])ortnnity to snp])ly this demand, or to dispose to great advantage of any snr])lns from her own farms and fac- tories. 10. EXPERT AID. The Virginia I.egishitnrc has made s])ecial and libei'al provision to foster and encourage the (hiirv industry of the State, and the Dairy and Food Division of the State Department of Agriculture is e( pupped to render valu- able assistance to the dairymen of the State, also to aid ])ros})ective dairymen in every ])Ossible way. They are pre])ared to facilitate the selection of farms, to give ])r;ic- tical help in ex])lainiug methods for the conduct of the business, the care of the herd and the marketing of the product. Men especiall\' fitted to advise along tlie lines of dairy farming and llie opei'ation of creameries, ai'e em- ])lo\'ed by the dairy dix'ision and their services may be had without charge by any one asking for them. The Dairy and Food (^Commissioner eariiestly invites corres]~)ondence fi-om all who are or luny hecome inter- ested in (hiii-ying in AMi'ginia. Prom])t r( plies to in- rpiiries may be counte(l u])on. and the ( \)nrinissioii<'r will P(if/r Thirty-three ■ I»W1 IIWU WWWI— HWI •- rj riujr / ll III 11-1(1 itr Clsifi^^fti^^ Allst'iimrlt' ('r«'jiiiuT> <'<>., ( liiirloUcs^ bII«-, A l)i<-ii!:!rl<* <'<>iiiily, :i <'o-oj(«Tjitive < oiK't'rii. Tliis is near tlie Univorsity of Virginia, one of the most tieaiitil'iil yilaces in the State, famous for its fruit growing- as well as for tlie seat of learning foiniled hy Thomas Jefferson. Page Thirty-five Hors«'>;li<>»' Slock l':iriii. ileiiry ('oiiiit; r jjn^ \ \ iriiiiiia I rr:!iii<-i-\ :il \> iHiilsl<><-k. _,^**^*'s:p^ A t «»-o|K r;ili> «■ \ irui ill liiil li-r- >liiUiii;i I'laiit, Dii.tlon. Pdiie Thivtii-six r bo 6. h 1-^ 1; O Pa^re Thirty-seven Page Thirty-eight Page Thirtij-nine not only furnish desired information, bnt will also per- sonally assist ])rospeetive investors in finding suitable locations, and in li('li)iiii»' tlicm to start right and to keep right. SUMMARY. A man who is looking I'oi' great ]»ossihilities in the dairy business must keep in mind tliesc features: 1. Tie needs a good climate. '2. He needs to he snre of ahniidant water supi)ly. o. He needs to locate on low-pi'iced hinds when he is startiiig. 4. He nee(ls a soil wliieli responds i-eadil>' to care and holds the improvement. 5. He needs a cheap food for liis cnttie. (i. He needs cheap hnilding material. 7. He needs good and easy ti'ansjujrtation. S. He needs a ready sale for such of his herd as lie does not desire to keep. 9. He needs a pi'otitahle market f- donhts on the subject they can be easily solve(l l)v wi'iting to !>en,i. I^. Pnrcell, Dairy and Food roimnissionei-, Kichmond, Yn. Lettei's are a pleasure; cori'es])ondence is soliciteil. \'irginia hospitality can be shown e\'en throui'h tlx' mails. Pa(je Forlji LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 002 859 196 2 #