DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 257 



members are men of all ages — from very young to very old men 

 and their ideals are different. Some have been in the business 

 a long time and have developed fancy herds of pure bred stock 

 with well equipped barns. Others are only beginners in the 

 business, with a small herd, probably grade cows. These 

 things must all be taken into consideration by the tester in mak- 

 i;;g criticism of the herdsman's work and in giving advice on the 

 feed, care and management of cattle. The tester can make 

 public his reports and in this way he can get a larger number 

 of people interested in the work. 



The benefits of cow-'testing work have already been discussed. 

 About the best evidence we have of its value is that the dairy- 

 men who have belonged to these associations the longest are the 

 most interested members we have at the present time. These 

 men have learned from their own experience that a comparison 

 of ideas is always educational. 



It may be well at this time for me to express my appreciation 

 of the good work being done by the present administration of 

 the State Department of Agriculture, for the interests of the 

 dairymen of the state. They have cooperated with our cow 

 testing associations and have worked in a faithful and capable 

 manner. They have accomplished much in a short time. 



Improvement in the work can best come about through the 

 aid and cooperation of the members. In our association we en- 

 deavor to make our herd records as near uniform as possible. 

 Once or twice a year we make a standard price for all kinds 

 of roughage. The idea is to charge up feeds of the same qual- 

 ity at the same price. In this way it is much easier to judge 

 the comparative value of the different herds. 



The reports sent out by our dairy association each month 

 are not much proof of the value of the herds unless they are 

 followed up each month. In some cases we find that our high- 

 est paying herds are fed at a loss for one or two months out of 

 the year. The yearly records are the most important. 



In closing, I wish to emphasize the importance of united ef- 

 fort — the importance of better methods and, last but not least, 

 the importance of being a good cooperator. 



Mr. Cummings. I am a member of the Waterford and Nor- 

 way Dairy Testing Association and I am more or less inter- 

 ested in it ; perhaps more than I was once, and perhaps less than 



17 



