428 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



inaugurated the educational system by holding two " butter con- 

 ferences," as they were called — the first at Richland, N. Y., Au- 

 gust 10, 1887, near the farm of Mr. \V. 11. Gilbert, who made 

 the arrangements for the meeting; and the second at Minnie Dale 

 Farm, Chemung, N. Y., August 12th, at the dairy of our la- 

 mented friend,, Jesse Owen. These were the first efforts at 

 popular daiiy education in this country. We are so accustomed 

 to dairy meetings and farmers' institutes in this present age 

 of progress that we can hardly appreciate what an effort it was 

 to give the initial impetus to all this work and to push it till it 

 became a success. That is what was done by the New York 

 State Dairymen's Association, and other States seeing the success 

 of the work adopted somewhat similar plans. The Dairymen's 

 Association in the summer of 1889 held thirty-nine conferences 

 and that continued then until 1892, when the number held was 

 twenty-six. 



It will be seen from what has been said that the influence 

 of the association has always been wide, practical, and beneficent. 

 It has stood from the very beginning as an earnest advocate 

 of pure goods, whether in cheese, butter, or milk. It has worked 

 successfully to prevent dairymen from being handicapped by 

 imitations and substitutes. It has made its influence felt in 

 legislative circles. It has brought to the front in its conven- 

 tions the latest and most approved methods and improvements 

 in dairying; and it is certainly worthy of the hearty indorse- 

 ment and approval of the dairy interests of New York State, 

 which it has done so much to educate, broaden, strengthen, and 

 place on a higher plane of intelligence and success. 



It is our sad duty to record the decease of three members of 

 the New York State Dairymen's Association during the past year. 

 The first of these was Jesse Owen of Elmira, who was president 

 of the association from December, 1891 to December, 1892. This 

 is not the first time the association has been called on to 

 mourn the loss of an ex-president. Hon. Harris Lewis and Hon. 

 Josiah Shull had preceded him. Although Mr. Owen, in the 

 hitter part of his life, was a man of leisure, he owned the Minnie 

 Dale Farm, Chemung, where a line grade of butter was always 

 made, and he kept up his interest in it to the last. His interest 

 in this association also was unfailing. He was one of its original 

 members, and until declining years made the journey too much 

 of a burden he never missed attending the annual convention. 



