756 BOAED OF AGR [CULTURE. 



had to make the best use of it they could at a great loss. But for all 

 the discouragements we have had there were a few true blue that stood 

 by their guns and have worked wondei's in the interests of the milk ship- 

 pers about Chicago. Some four years ago a gentleman bj' the name of 

 Richmond, who is largely interested in the Elgin district, associated him- 

 self with Eugene Smith and organized what is known as the ''Milk 

 Agency," whereby the farmer signs an agreement with the agency to 

 pay them one cent per can for selling the milk to a good responsible party, 

 looking after the cans and collecting the money and sending it to the 

 farmer. The agency is to sell the milk at a price suggested by the milk 

 shippers' union. 



This x'elieves the shipper of the trouble and anxietj^ of selling his 

 milk, looking up lost cans (which is a big item), and going in to collect 

 his money at the end 'of every month, which is necessary to do in most 

 cases, as the majority of the dealers have not enough business in them 

 to deposit their money in a bank and make out a check. I am now 

 speaking of the small dealers as a class. There are as good business men 

 in Chicago who handle and distribute milk as there are in any city or in 

 any business — Bordens, Kee & Chaple, Ira J. Mix, Wanzer & Son, and 

 others, that do a big business on business principles. The agency's idea 

 was to reduce the whole business to business principles— but they ai"e 

 having a hard time of it. AVith the lack of business principles with the 

 farmers and also with the dealers they are like being between the two 

 millstones we read about. But we as milk shippers are gaining ground. 

 We have an organization— a head to work from. The health department 

 of the city works with us to better the conditions of the milk supply. In- 

 stead of an average of 58 cents per can net in 1895 and 189(>, we received 

 in 1903 an average net price of 8TV2 cents for 3.0 per cent. milk. The city 

 standard is 3 per cent, but the standard established by the shippers and 

 dealers is 3.6 per cent, and that is now what a shipper must furnish if 

 he wants a permanent demand for his milk. Those who have an extra 

 good and rich article can demand an extra price. 



Mr. Giu-ler, of Illinois, makes what is called a certified milk. Every- 

 thing connected with the making is tli(> best and the cleanest, and I 

 understand he gets S cents per quart for his product wholesale. Since the 

 dawn of the new era of dairying in northwestern Indiana the improve- 

 ments of the farms^ buildings, lands and cows is something Avouderful. 

 Large red barns and fine farmhouses have sprung up as if by magic. 

 Miles of drain tile have been laid, silos built, and, with the manure from 

 the cows applied to the land, has made the land very productive. The 

 shippers soon found wJien they began to measure their milk every night 

 and morning in a milk can there Avas a great difference in cows, and the 

 more progressive soon concluded it was a hard job to buy good cows, so 

 they bought good bulls (mostly Ilolstein) and raised their heifer calves 

 from their best cows, and with proper care it was no uncommon thing to 



