REPORT OF STATE DAIRY INSTRUCTOR. I7I 



am convinced that in this way an opportunity is afforded to 

 assist the dairymen to keep better and more profitable animals 

 and thus make more profit out of dairying. 



I find in looking up the statistics that in Denmark, where the 

 idea originated, more than half the cows in the country are tested 

 monthly through cow test associations, and the result shows a 

 remarkable increase in production, even though the average 

 yield in the beginning was almost double what it is in this coun- 

 try. I find that Canada has made a good start in forming asso- 

 ciations with equally beneficial results, but so far, in this coun- 

 try, few associations have been formed, though all show good 

 results. Michigan was the pioneer state and they seem well 

 pleased. New England has but one, which from reports is very 

 satisfactory. In our own State there seems to be an unfortunate 

 condition existing, one which is hard to overcome. There is 

 an average of about seven cows per herd, which if charged at a 

 usual and seemingly fixed price of one dollar per cow would 

 afford seven dollars per year for each herd and if a man was to 

 visit and sample a different herd every night and morning for 

 the month and repeat every month in the year, he would have 

 but thirty herds, which at seven dollars per herd would amount 

 to two hundred and ten dollars or about fifty-five cents per day, 

 which amount is too small to insure competent men to do the 

 sampling and testing. This unfortunate condition works much 

 to the detriment of forming such associations, since the price has 

 become a more or less uniform charge in all countries, though 

 too small in connection with our own small herds to pay for 

 having the work properly done. I hope however, that through 

 some of the creameries, a man employed by them can do this 

 work and put in enough time at the factory to make up for the 

 pay which the test association cannot afford, and by that means 

 accomplish what otherwise seems rather hard to bring about. 



I have attended during the year, twenty-six meetings, includ- 

 ing institute, grange and others, besides being with the Univer- 

 sity of Maine Farming Special for eighteen days and six days at 

 our own Dairy Conference. I have attended the usual number 

 of fairs, where I judged either dairy stock or dairy products. 

 These were as follows : Maine State at Lewiston, Eastern Maine 

 State at Bangor, Central Maine at Waterville, Waldo and 

 Penobscot at Monroe, West Oxford Co. at Fryeburg, Sagadahoc 



