l6 UNITED STATES - CO-OPERATIOX AND ASSOCIATION 



and in the distribution and sale of their products. In no other way can 

 the situation in either case be met effectively". 



2. — Coiij-tcsting Associations. 



In May, 1912, there were in Wisconsin 11 cow-testing associations with 

 287 members and 4,465 cows under test. The members contribute one 

 dollar for each cow tested and the State makes an appropriation of $ 3,000 

 a year to the Wisconsin Dairymen's Association which employs a Superin- 

 tendent to organize the societies and supervise their working. The Superin- 

 tendent trains men as testers, and, unfortunately, the training of new men 

 to replace those who leave to take up other occupations, occupies much of 

 his time and impedes the work of organizing associations. 



A tester visits each herd once a month and tests and weighs the milk 

 produced by each animal. From the days' results he calculates the pro- 

 duction of milk and of butter-fat for the month. The Dairymen's Asso- 

 ciation keeps full year records of each herd under its supervision, and is 

 thus able to assist each owner in eliminating unprofitable cows, and to 

 advise him as to breeding suitable strains from selected animals. 



The efforts of the Association have met with results which at first 

 sight appear somewhat discouraging. During the first six years of the Asso- 

 ciation's work, from 1905 to 191 1, 1,452 dairymen joined in the work and 

 17,548 cows completed a year's record. As there were only 287 members 

 of cow-testing associations in 1912, many dairymen after joining the move- 

 ment must have deserted it. Many owners, in fact, after the first testing 

 of their herds, found that so many of their cows were unprofitable that it 

 was useless to continue testing until practically the whole herd had been 

 renewed. They discontinued their subscriptions for a time with the in- 

 tention of beginning testing again with improved herds. Others, finding 

 the records of their animals low, discountinued testing because they were 

 afraid the poor records would prejudice their chances of selling animals 

 out of the herd. 



The real reason, however, for the slow development of this form of 

 co-operation probably lies in the fact that the farmers in the State are not 

 yet convinced of the utility of the testing system. It takes a number of 

 years to effect a marked improvement in a herd, but as results will be more 

 clearly demonstrable year by year, it is more than probable that the num- 

 ber of testing associations will increase steadily if not rapidly. 



3. — Co-operative Elevators and Warehouses. 



In 1911 there were 38 farmers' co-operative elevators in Wisconsin. 

 This is relatively a small number as there were then 327 in Iowa, 315 in 

 North Dakota and 266 in Minnesota, but the amount of grain grown in 

 Wisconsin is small compared with the amount grown in those States. 



