STATE DAIRY ASSOCIATION. 523 



cream and make butter out of it. That is one of the lines aloug which we 

 will specialize. Now, have 1 told the truth? If you don't believe it, I do. 



A Voice: Yes, sh". 



Mr. Knox: Yes. that is right. 



The President: Mr. Decker, as you have been around among the 

 farmers on the other side of the water, how have you been impressed 

 with the difference in what you call farmer's butter there and farmer's 

 butter here? 



Professor Decker: Well, the most of the butter I saw in Europe, I 

 think, was creamery butter. At least, in England. I got Danish butter 

 there largely. I did see French butter. That is made by the dairy women 

 in France, and that was of a very even quality. I understand the buyers 

 are very strict in selecting it. I think this, that we can make as good 

 butter in this country as they can there. We do not make as uniform 

 butter as the Danes do. 



The President: Take the dairy butter that was showed at the Royal 

 show in England, and how do you compare it with the dairy butter shown 

 in our American shows? 



Professor Decker: I didn't see the Royal show; I wasn't there at that 

 time. I think that the dairy shows ought to be educating the people up 

 to a Uigher standard. 



The President: Indiana is today a producer— large producer— of farm 

 dairy butter. I believe our creameries in the last five years have lost 

 gi'ound rather than gained ground, and if I can judge from what I have 

 been able to learn from correspondence and all, I believe our farm dairies 

 have gained ground. I think more effort has been made and more sepa- 

 rators have been bought in our State among the farmer dairymen than 

 there has with the creamerymen, but there is a splendid field yet for im- 

 provement here that would make better prices for our products. 



Professor Decker: Mr. Chairman, I was thinking about the number of 

 cows here in Indiana. I don't remember exactly, but I think approxi- 

 mately some 700,000. 



The President: Between 700,000 and 800,000. 



Professor Decker: And the State of Wisconsin, that is recognized as 

 a great dairy State, has not many more than that. 



The President: They have grown up in Wisconsin. 



Professor Decker: Well, they have increased. You have about sixty- 

 five creameries in the State? 



