178 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



information by means of a speaker who is sent to them. The 

 members usually discuss topics themselves, in addition to the 

 address of the day. 



The results are reasonably accurate. Comparisons have been 

 made from different sources by the Danish government where 

 the cow test associations originated, and in a bulletin published 

 by them it is stated that the widest variation they have ever 

 found between this plan of work, weighing and testing the milk 

 once each month, and weighing and testing it every day, in any 

 one herd in one year, has been four per cent. Comparisons 

 have been made in this country with Prof. Haecker's work in 

 Minnesota, and the average variation for 15 years has been less 

 than I 1-2 per cent, between testing a sample one day each 

 month and testing every day. 



The profitable results of this work depend entirely on the 

 member. It makes little difference how much we know if we 

 do not use our information. It makes little difference how 

 much information is furnished, if the individual does not use 

 the information furnished him. The blanks, in order to be 

 uniform, have been furnished by the Department of Agricul- 

 ture. Each week the Department receives a copy of all the 

 reports made by the official tester, and they are being placed on 

 file for future use. We do this for several reasons : First, 

 in order that we may direct the work, that we may keep in close 

 touch with it and keep a check on the official tester, that all the 

 work may be uniform and that we may be able to make com- 

 parisons of the work of one association with another. We send 

 a representative so that the work of these associations may be 

 directed along the most helpful and most educational lines. 



We can undertake only one more association with the present 

 force. I believe that it is for the interests of dairjang that an 

 assistant be given to the Department of Agriculture, who will 

 have charge of the cow testing and breeders' association work, 

 so that this line of work may be pressed to the utmost, because 

 it deals with the basis of the whole dairy industry. 



Just a word concerning what other states are doing. The 

 Dairymen's Association of Iowa, at their meeting just closed, 

 passed a resolution and appointed a legislative committee to 

 secure from the legislature if possible $10,000 to place men in 



