STATE DAIRY ASSOCIATION. 397 



ADDRESS OF MR. D. J. CLIFFORD, ASSISTANT DAIRY COM- 

 MISSIONER. 



(Delivered before the State Dairy Convention, Jefferson Olty, Nov. 15-17, 1905.) 



Mr. President, Members of the State Dairy Association, Ladies and 



Gentlemen : 



It is with much trepidation that I attempt to address you in the 

 closing hours of this convention, as I feel not only a natural diffidence 

 but a lack of ability to fully compensate you for the time that I may 

 occupy in my brief remarks. 



After listening attentively and instructively to the eloquent and ex- 

 ceedingly felicitous remarks of the distinguished corps of lecturers who 

 have honored us with their presence, from the various states in the Union, 

 supplemented by the magnificent address of Hon. W. D. Vandiver, on 

 "Missouri," it would be a travesty on your patience and an unwar- 

 ranted presumption on my part to further inflict you with any humble 

 efforts of mine. Nevertheless, I would be derelict to every sense of 

 honor, propriety and the ethics of comradeship were I to remain silent. 



This meeting has been to me unquestionably one of the greatest 

 events of my life. For three days I have attended every session of the 

 Association, and noted with carefulness and precision the various points 

 of interest, touching upon dairy economy, by eminent authorities from 

 many states. These papers evidenced great depth and exactness of re- 

 search, forethought and large experience along the lines of this special 

 industry. I was surprised that our worthy chairman, who manages and 

 has the exclusive control of one of the largest individual creameries in 

 the world, could take charge and draw into requisition so many experts. 

 This program has been filled from beginning to end without the elimi- 

 nation of a single number. • 



Notwithstanding the wonderful fertility of our soil, the salubrity of 

 our climate, the abundance of pure water and the millions of acres of 

 unused soil producing succulent grasses, especially adapted for dairy 

 feeding, we have been a laggard in the march of progress in the devel- 

 opment of dairy enterprise. I will state a few of the reasons that have 

 conduced to this result. It proceeds from the fact that the Missouri 

 farmer has devoted most of his time to the raising of live stock and the 

 production of cereals, and only recently he has begun to see the value of 

 the dairy industry. It is only within the last decade that the meetings 

 of farmers' institutes have been largely attended. I am pleased to note 



