220 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



and should ask our Legislature to separate the office of Dairy and 

 Food Commissioner, giving two or more dairy instructors who are 

 competent and able to teach the business from all its standpoints. 



Year after year we have passed resolutions asking for an 

 appropriation for the building of a dairy barn commensurate with 

 this great interest, also other needed improvements, and we should 

 now insistently demand an appropriation covering these import- 

 ant points and should give our every effort to the end that we may 

 accomplish these results. 



During this year we were unfortunate in losing our able and 

 efficient Dairy Commissioner, as well as Secretary of this Associa- 

 tion, Prof. R. M. Washburn, who accepted a position that suited 

 him better. We should remember his work in our behalf and 

 should at least tender him the thanks of this Association. 



We have been fortunate in securing the service of Mr. F. L. 

 Austin, who has taken the position vacated by Mr. Washburn, and 

 who has so industriously given us his time and labor without any 

 remuneration excepting the sincere desire to do good for our As- 

 sociation. I would suggest that, as this office is important and 

 entails not a little work and some expense, as well as an ability 

 to do the work, this Association should take some steps to secure 

 for this important office some remuneration of a pecuniary kind, 

 at least for the services rendered. 



Our Association is also greatly indebted to Mr. George B. 

 Elhs, Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, and to this Board 

 for its interest in our behalf, not only for experience and ability to 

 impart same, but also for financial aid. 



I believe also that this Association should advocate a larger 

 display of its interests — cows, butter, milk, cheese, and other 

 products at the State Fair, held annually in Sedalia, to the end 

 that the people of this great commonwealth may see the growing 

 developments in the dairy business. Last year I noticed a very 

 poor display of our business, so poor, in fact, that our agricultural 

 papers have commented on the lack of interest evidenced by 

 dairymen in this great work. 



In closing, I wish also to add that we, as an association, 

 should bring out the undesirable side of our business in a manner 

 that will leave no wrong impressions, and should profit thereby. 

 There seems to be a tendency on the part of our people, and es- 

 pecially is this true of the daily press in reporting our meetings, 

 that the lot of a dairyman is one of roses without thorns. Every 

 business of any moment has its reverse side and to accomplish any- 



