Report of Dairy Commissioner. 67 



College; C. II. Eckles, Professor of Dairy Husbandry, State Agricultural 

 College; J. C. Whitten, Professor of Horticulture, State Agricultural College; 

 P. P. Lewis, President State Dairy Association; C. A. Morton, member State 

 Poultry Board; S. A. Hughes, Immigration Commissioner Frisco System; B. 

 W. Redfearn, General Dairy Agent Frisco System; W. G. Hutton, editor Farm 

 Progress, St. Louis. Trainmaster Chas. Baltzell of Thayer was in charge of 

 the transportation arrangements. 



Upon the arrival of the train in West Plains the party was met with car- 

 riages at the Frisco depot, and taken to the Arcade Hotel. Colonel Jay L. 

 Torrey of Fruitville, whose hospitality and reputation as an entertainer and 

 "good fellow" has become widely known, had arranged an unique reception, 

 what he termed a "mush and milk banquet," for the visitors and a number of 

 citizens. Sixty-five persons gathered around the banquet table in the brilliant 

 dining room to do homage to the gallant Colonel. 



The opera house was filled when Judge W. N. Evans, who presided as 

 chairman, called the meeting to order. Appropriate decorations were to be 

 seen everywhere in the house. On one side of the stage was the picture of 

 a large apple with the wording, "Land of the Big Red Apple," and on the op- 

 posite side a hen and the words, "The Home of the Helpful Hen." Many 

 farmers braved the storm and were in the audience, which was an appreci- 

 ative one. 



The appearance of Dr. W. P. Cutler, State Dairy Commissioner, was the 

 signal for a round of applause. Dr. Cutler formerly resided in Howell county, 

 and many of his personal friends were in the audience, and some had come 

 many miles to greet him. 



"If there is one place that I wanted to get to more than any other on this 

 trip it was West Plains," said Dr. Cutler. "I see many familiar faces in the 

 audience, and there is a warm spot in my heart for West Plains and Howell 

 county. If some time in the future I am compelled to give up the work in 

 which I am now engaged, I hope that I may return to Howell county and live 

 among her good people. 



"Recently I heard that an effort is being made to get a creamery located 

 in West Plains. I hope there will be no question about what money is nec- 

 essary, and I urge all to get together and raise it. Nothing makes more 

 business for a town than a butter factory, and it will aid more in building up 

 the surrounding country than any other industry. 



"There is every reason why Howell county is and can be a better milk 

 producing country than Wisconsin, which has become famous as a dairy 

 state. Here we have every advantage, and there are very few days in the 

 year when outdoor work is uncomfortable. 



"Here a milk cow can keep on the grass seven months in the year, and 

 everyone knows that more grass means more milk. It does not require extra 

 houses to care for cows in this country, but they must be kept in a comfort- 

 able place out of the cold in winter. Cold weather means a waste of food, for 

 then the cows must eat to keep warm and give little milk. 



"I know of a farmer in the Ozark region who has a herdof twenty cows, 

 from which he made $6 a month to each cow last year by selling butter fat 

 to the creamery. The skimmed milk fed to the hogs, at $9 per 100 pounds, is 

 a pretty good price for milk. Then the cows fertilize the farm, and in two 

 years this alone will increase the value of the farm 25 per cent." 



Dr. Cutler then told of the wonderful herd of dairy cattle at the State 

 Agricultural College. There are seventeen Jersey cows in the world, each 

 of which made over 700 pounds of butter a year, and five of these are at 

 Columbia. What has been done at Columbia can be done here in the Ozarks, 

 but not with a scrub cow. 



