DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 24I 



another, which I may not thoroughly understand, some of them 

 went to the wall. However, I am very glad to say that the 

 test association work is coming back and getting on a good 

 footing. 



The figures that I have here are from the annual reports of 

 the various field men, over the United States. I am sorry to 

 say that they are not up to date — but up to July ist, 19 13, 

 California had 4 cow testing associations; Illinois, 2; Indiana, 

 2 ; lozva, 8 ; Kansas, i ; Kentucky, i ; Maine, 3 ; Maryland 3 ; 

 Massachusetts, 3; Michigan, 5; Minnesota, 12; Nebraska, 3; 

 Nezif Hampshire, i ; New York, 21 ; Ohio, i ; Oregon, i ; Penn- 

 sylvania, 2 ; Utah, I ; Vermont, 19 ; Virginia, 2 ; Washington, i ; 

 Wisconsin, 15. 



There are several states with more associations than Maine, 

 and several with less. Maine is in a class with three other states — 

 Maryland, Massachusetts and Nebraska. Last year these as- 

 sociations tested about 53,000 cows; this may not seem a very 

 large number, but if 53,000 cows were turned out in one barn- 

 yard they would make quite a showing. 



For many years the work had drifted along, but in the last 

 few years the state and federal authorities have laid more 

 stress upon this work and now nearly every state has a man 

 who is taking an active interest in the work and is responsible 

 for the success or failure of the associations in his state. I 

 might say that this year, for the first time, the men who are 

 interested in the cow-testing association movement had a con- 

 ference in connection with the National Dairy Show at Chicago. 

 There was a good attendance and everybody was enthusiastic. 

 There were men representing the work from California to 

 New Hampshire. We were all sorry that Maine was not rep- 

 resented, particularly as Mr. Adams was to appear on the pro- 

 gram. We heard from Mr. Adams to the eflfect that he was 

 doing several other things at that time so it seemed necessary 

 to excuse him. 



It is certainly an inspiration to any one to attend a meeting 

 such as the one of which I speak. I would like to read a para- 

 graph from the address of Mr. Searles of Wisconsin. This is 

 not anything that stands out in a class by itself, but it is a fair 

 representation of what the men who were speakers at that 

 meeting said : 



16 



