668 SOAKD OF AGRICTTLTUEE. 



There is not likely to be an oversupply. Here is a branch of industry 

 that the dairymen of Indiana could engage in very profitably and to the 

 advantage and delight of the residents of your many large cities and 

 towns. In no other specialty of dairying is the market outlook so good. 

 The public are being educated to the fact that there is no one article 

 of food of so much value as pure, wholesome milk. 



You will excuse these digressions, as it were, on general dairy topics, 

 but they all haA'e a bearing ahd an important one, too, on dairy markets. 

 It is my belief, and that of many other persons who have opportunity 

 to judge of the situation, that it is only by careful education, and devel- 

 oping of better dairy methods, that the daiiymen of the country will be 

 able to supply the demand, unless at prices beyond the reach of the 

 ordinary people. 



The number of persons financially able to pay 15 to 20 cents a quart 

 for milk and 50 cents for cream, 50 cents to $1 a pound for butter, are 

 comparatively few; and yet those prices are paid now, and have been 

 paid for the dairy products named for years. The dairymen supplying 

 these products at these extravagant figures, so it seems, are getting good 

 returns for their investment. But the market has not yet developed 

 enough along those very high lines to warrant the ordinaiy dairyman 

 undertaking that practice. 



We must be content, therefore, with producing the very best article 

 that will go into consumption in the general market; butter that will 

 grade, according to the commercial standard, not less than 90 points; 

 cheese the same, and milk with an average fat percentage of 4 pounds 

 to the hundred, not to exceed 10,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter. For 

 these products there will always be a demand sufficient to give to the 

 dairyman a profit for his labor of 50 per cent., provided he produces the 

 milk at the lowest possible cost. 



That part of the dairy industry will be brought out by other speakers. 

 I may say, right here, that many people believe the daiiymen have more 

 to fear from the large amount of poor butter produced, than from the 

 competition of oleomargarine. One of the largest operators on the 

 Elgin Board of Trade said to me a few days ago that 90 per cent, of the 

 butter in the ordinary market would not grade extra. I disagreed with 

 him. but he may be correct; but the fact remained, nevertheless, that the 

 proportion of fine butter is not what it should be, considering the work 

 of oi-ganizations like this Association, the dairy schools, dairy and cream- 

 ery newspapers, and the very many kinds of dairy instruction that have 

 been provided so freely. I am somewhat of an optimist in regard to these 

 matters, and believe there are better times coming both for the producers 

 and consumers of dairy products. For the producers when they shall 

 .have learned how to produce a large amount of the best grade at a profit; 

 for the consumers when they shall be able to secure a supply of fine 

 goods at reasonable figures. 



