180 Report of Farmers' Institutes 



have a technical knowledge of feeding, but should have this knowl- 

 edge from the standpoint of experience, so that his wo.rk com- 

 mends — not condemns — him to the dairyman in whose employ 

 he is. He must be painstaking and -accurate. If the books which 

 come to m}' office to be footed are an indication of the care with 

 which the work is done, some of the men are full of careless- 

 ness as an egg is of meat. I am not expecting expert bookkeep- 

 ing or Spencerian penmanship, but I do look for accuracy, which 

 always can be obtained by care. 



Third, the tester should have an ambition beyond simply get- 

 ting two dollars a day and " found " ; he should be a man who be- 

 lieves in the principles of the association, who is ambitious to 

 serve his patrons and make his association effective, and who 

 realizes that only by so doing will he advance himself. There are 

 a few of our testers whom I expect to see occupy a more lucrative 

 and responsible position, and who it would be a pleasure for me 

 to aid because of their faithfulness in that which is least. 



Agreeing as to these defects, the practical question before us is 

 how to eliminate them. This, to a large degree, is in our power. 

 First, better training. What this accomplishes is evident by the 

 superior work of those who have had the special training given by 

 Alfred and Morrisville. I urge like work by all our agTicultural 

 schools with a selected number of their dairy students. I say 

 " selected," because here should be the first sifting. It is a waste 

 of valuable time expended in attempting to train men who lack 

 the first requisite, moral character; or those who are simply 

 looking for a job, or who are of such a temperament as to antago- 

 nize their patrons. So much depends on these testers that we can- 

 not afford to let our good will to the student or applicant over- 

 shadow the effect of his failure to make good in an association. 

 The state and the farm bureaus are spending valuable time and 

 funds in organizing these associations, which are not formed for 

 the sake of making a show, but because we believe they are capa- 

 ble of accomplishing material benefit to the daiiymen, and there- 

 fore to the upbuilding of the industry and those connected with it, 

 in the several counties and in the state. To let these organizations 

 go to pieces for this or any cause, without the most earnest effort 

 in their behalf, is a waste of energy most inexcusable. Not only 

 is the failure of accomplishing the desired end, and the consequent 



