450 ANNUAL REPORT OP THE Off. Doc. 



Many a serious thoiiglitful lecture, freighted with valuable infor- 

 mation, and which engaged the thoughtful, earnest attention and ap- 

 [ireciation of the audience, has been partially if not wholly robbed of 

 its value by being followed by a nonsensical and ridiculous comic 

 lecture or recitation, which completely diverted the minds of the 

 people from the effect of the more serious talk. A little discrimi- 

 nation in this matter would make a happy combination that would 

 enliven the audience without sacrificing the good work of the In- 

 stitute in the effort. 



3. "WHEN TO STOP." 



1. The practice of hanging on, explaining, apologizing and repeat- 

 ing in order to lengthen out a speech is reprehensible and spoils what 

 was a good talk. 



2. Don't act as if you feared the audience might think you had ex- 

 hausted your knowledge of the subject, and you desired to convince 

 them otherwise. Better (like Sam Weller's valentine) stop just when 

 it is interesting, than to try to exhaust the subject and weary the 

 audience. 



3. When you have spoken your best practical thought upon the 

 subject being discussed, without any apology, stop short, as I do now. 



THE PENNSYLVANIA FARMER AS A DAIRYMAN— RETRO- 

 SPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE. 



BY MR, L. W. LIGHTY, East Berlin, Pa. 



It is a peculiarity of the Pennsylvania farmer, especially the 

 southern Pennsylvania farmer, to have an idea that it is not farming 

 unless a lot of milch cows are kept. This has been for generations 

 and for the lands sake no doubt it was good. 



Two generations ago the butter as made was packed in brine, and 

 about twice a year it was sent with the regular teams (the only means 

 of transportation), to Baltimore, the main outlet for the produce of 

 our extensive and fertile valleys, while farther east it went to 

 Philadelphia. One generation later, the business of butter making 

 on the farm had grown to such immense proportions that a class of 

 middle men sprung up who made it their business to weekly or semi- 

 weekly collect the butter, driving from farm to farm, often making 

 a trip of 150 miles to gather a ton of butter and market it. This 

 butter was practicall}^ all made by the farmer's good wife. She would 



