68 Missouri Agrividtural Report. 



"If you get a creamery in West Plains every farmer can see just how 

 much butter fat he gets paid for and can figure at the end of the year what 

 his income has been from dairying. Farmers will come far and wide to get 

 the benefit of this market, and a creamery will bring many people here. West 

 Plains is the best town between Springfield and Jonesboro, and I hope in the 

 spring to eat West Plains butter, and on my next visit here to go through the 

 creamery." 



Prof. C. H. Eckles, Professor of Dairy Husbandry in the State Agricul- 

 tural College, made an address that was full of good thought. He is ex- 

 tremely gratified with the great interest taken by the people of the Ozark 

 region in dairying. 



"There are hundreds of thousands of people in St. Louis crying for milk," 

 Prof. Eckles said, "and right here in Southern ]\Iissouri we have a region that 

 can supply them all. There is no fear of an over-production of dairy products, 

 as the demand exceeds the supply. 



"One great advantage that the dairy cow has over anything else a farmer 

 owns is that she gives a sure income every day and every month in the year. 

 There is nothing special attached to her, but a steady and certain income. 

 There are other profitable things that may be done on the farm, but let dairy- 

 ing go along with fruit growing and the others, and in a short time Howell 

 county can produce more than two million dollars worth of creamery products. 



"It takes time to get a good dairy herd. Pick out the good individuals, 

 for some are born good and some inferior. The power to produce milk 

 must be born in the animals, and this is why the farmer should have the best. 

 There is an enormous demand for good milk cows, and this is why they are 

 so hard to find, and you must raise them yourself. 



"You must care and feed the cow well. If she gets good treatment and 

 is fed right, then there will be good results. The secret of dairying is to know 

 what, when and how to do it. If you have a good cow, feed her well, for it 

 is not good policy to half feed her. It is not very expensive to keep extra 

 good cows, even if they eat one and three-fourths as much as an inferior cow, 

 but give five times as much milk as a scrub. 



"The right kind of feed must be given the cow. Of course, the best re- 

 sults are obtained from the dairy herd in the early part of the summer, but 

 the man who gets the best results keeps his cows in the same condition the 

 year round. Every dairyman should have a silo for green food in the winter, 

 because excellent results are obtained from feeding silo. It's certain that a 

 cow won't produce milk unless she is fed something to produce milk from. 

 Cowpeas, clover and alfalfa are ideal food for milk cows, while the silo for 

 green food, some corn, and now and then a little bran or cotton seed meal, is 

 a great help. 



"The success in dairying depends largely on plenty of feed, good shelter, 

 in winter a tight barn, where the cow can lie down, and above all, the best of 

 stock, and you are sure of a good income. Get your creamery established in 

 West Plains, and then the farmer has a market for his dairy products." 



On February 13 to 17 the Commissioner was invited to accompany 

 Governor Hadley and party over the lines in Southeast Missouri as far 

 south as Kennett, and at every stop made an address was given on dairy- 

 ing. 



A dairy meeting was held at Ironton, Missouri, on March 2 ; again, on 

 April 12 and 13, at Brandsville, Koshkonong and Thayer, Missouri. 



