56 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



heritage is being wasted in the overlooking of these great oppor- 

 tunities. On the high-priced land in Holland the dairy farmer 

 has made fortunes which are proverbial. No doubt the same con- 

 dition prevails in the channel islands. We have thousands of acres 

 of rich pasture land, which could be brought to return big yields 

 of profit if put to use in raising dairy stock. 



The advent of the great creamery concerns, with their agents 

 ready to take cream at the door and return a monthly check to 

 the farmer, reduces his otherwise financial business outlook to a 

 system, which gives him ready cash to meet his obligations, and a 

 margin to add to that received from the sale of surplus farm pro- 

 ducts at the end of the year. 



In the vicinity of the great cities of the State the opportunity 

 to participate in the higher-priced market for commercial milk and 

 sweet cream, should make every small farmer essentially a farmer, 

 and only incidentally a general farmer. In other words, his suc- 

 cess will lie in his being able to feed his crops and turn them into 

 milk and butter; the by-products, the skim milk being converted 

 into pork and veal, rather than to strip the farm each fall of its 

 earned reward. The economic saving of the fertilizer contained 

 in the manure of a herd of dairy cows will in many cases decide the 

 chances between failure and success in farm operations. 



These statements, it is realized, are not new. They are none 

 the less valuable because of this, because the truth is always mighty 

 and never loses interest in being kept before us. 



We have many reforms to work out aside from the problems 

 of balanced ration and season for breeding cows, the advantages 

 of clean barns, clean cows and pure water supply. 



We would look to the State Legislature for help in many lines. 

 We want changes in the dairy laws ; in the laws with reference to 

 the sale of artificial substitutes for dairy products ; for the preven- 

 tion of adulteration of our output after it leaves the farm in a 

 pure state. 



We want a fair and reasonable standard for fat and solids in 

 milk. The Pure Food Laws will harm no honest producer. It has 

 raised the retail price of commercial milk in Kansas City to eight 

 cents. The farmer should have his equitable share of this increased 

 price for his wares. 



The subject of sanitary milk has received, through the press of 

 Missouri, more attention than it ever before could boast. Keep 

 up the agitation until every consumer is educated to demand bet- 

 ter milk, but to realize that for a high class article he must pay 



