406 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



or require greater knowledge or skill than that that has for its ob- 

 ject the training and education of the dairyman — and allow me to 

 say right here that Prof. Fraser has given up this task as a hope- 

 less one, and at present is trying to educate the rising generation 

 in the rural schools along this line — and it is our duty, as well as 

 our pleasure, to be a thorough student in our special line. 



While very much can be learned only by experience there are 

 many facts, principles, theories and experiments already estab- 

 lished which we should as an essential part of our professional 

 work acquire and know in a masterly way ; curiously, too, the rea- 

 sons and results — things to inspire confidence. 



I am often reminded of the days of the old log school house, 

 when each and every one thought it to be his duty to hunt out sums 

 to stall the teacher. There are so many things the progressive 

 dairyman want to know about, not only the handling of milk, how 

 to produce a more cleanly article, but of balanced rations, silos, 

 kinds of breed and breeding, and many other things. Of course, 

 no one has a patent on all knowledge, and these people seem grate- 

 ful for any knowledge, information or suggestion given, and regard 

 us rather as Samaritans to help them, and they are anxious to 

 receive the word of the old, yet ever new gospel of progress. So 

 you see the need of co-operation in the various lines ; the knowledge 

 and inspiration to each of us in these general meetings, where one 

 can exchange ideas, and tell of our trials and pleasures, learn our 

 lessons better, perform our duties more faithfully, and confess our 

 willingness to be forgiven for our mistakes and blunders and all 

 lend our names, our dollar, and our influence to help along the 

 great agricultural work in general. Now, it seems, lest we become 

 puffed up or surfeited with good things and pleasures of the way, 

 the path of our duty suddenly turns in a different direction, and 

 we find ourselves on the enemies ground ; people who, having eyes, 

 see not ; ears, hear not ; consciences, used not ; they have no regard 

 for law and right, and filth adulteration and preservatives seems 

 to be their pass word to supposed success. These preservatives are 

 used to cover up the filth and dirt, and to these people our cog- 

 nomen is — scout, detective or spies. They always remind us that 

 the milk is perfectly clean and pure, because they have strained it, 

 and this ever reminds us of an oft-repeated story of the faith of 

 the woman, who, after having strained the milk once and setting it 

 down on the way to the cave left it a moment for some other duties. 

 Bruno chanced to pass that way, the woman, on seeing this called, 

 "get, you nasty dog, you have caused me to strain that milk again." 



