SERUM 



More than }3, 514,000 ccs of anti-hog cholera 

 serum and virus were purchased co-operatively 

 in Illinois last year, the annual meeting of the 

 Illinois Farm Bureau Serum Association in 

 Chicago, January 27, was told. Compared with 

 24,250,045 ccs of serum and virus purchased 

 in 1935, the 1936 totals represent an increase 

 of 37.6 percent. 



Dividend payments in cash amounting to 

 .$33,514.21 were returned to member patrons. 

 This amount, added to dividends on preferred 

 stock, brought total dividends to $48,443.80. 

 More than 250 delegates and friends attended 

 the meeting. 



Although a number of counties suffered 

 rather severe outbreaks of hog cholera during 

 the late summer and fall, Ray E. Miller, secre- 

 tary of the Association, said, these outbreaks 

 were not serious. 



The new crystal-violet vaccine was discussed 

 at the meeting and it was stated that although 

 it has possibilities, it is still in the experi- 

 mental stage and is not suggested as a sub- 

 stitute for serum and virus. It was also 

 brought out that the presence of Swine Ery- 

 sipelas was becoming more prevalent in the 

 State and was considered worthy of serious 

 thought. There are two forms of this disease; 

 namely, acute and chronic. Symptons are not 

 always noticeable, and for that reason it is 

 hard to detect it in time. A hog that fails 

 to put on weight, may be afflicted. 



Strict and frequent disinfecting of all pens 

 to avoid and prevent the spread of diseases was 

 strongly urged. 



Miller told the group that there were new 

 conditions to face in 1937 because of the 

 Robinson-Patman Bill and the Serum Market- 

 ing Agreement. He stated that it was difficult 

 to tell what effect these measures will have. 

 With particular reference to the Serum Market- 

 ing Agreement, he pointed out that if it is 

 an attempt to freeze prices, the Association 

 will object strenuously as it would increase the 

 cost of vaccination. The legal meaning of 

 the bill is uncertain. Miller said, but changes 

 will undoubtedly be necessary to protect pro- 

 ducers. 



The new board of directors of the Serum 

 Association is as follows: — W. H. Stockley, 

 LaSalle county; Edgar Walther, Rock Island; 

 R. V. McKee, Marshall-Putnam; E. G. Rey- 

 nolds, Morgan ; Ray Cunningham, Vermilion ; 

 J. W. Gillespie, Lawrence, and K. T. Smith, 

 Greene. The officers are Edgar Walther, pres- 

 ident; Russell McKee, vice-president, and Ray 

 E. Miller, secretary-treasurer. 



FARMERS MUTUAL 



Although the drouth of 1936 developed 

 more fire hazards over the state which resulted 

 in a corresponding increase in fire losses. 

 Farmers Mutual Reinsurance Company ended 

 the fiscal year with $144,517,000 insurance in 

 force and in better financial condition than 

 ever, J. H. Kelker, manager, disclosed at the 

 company's annual meeting in the LaSalle Hotel, 

 Chicago, Jan. 27. 



Fire hazards can and must be eliminated 

 if the company is to continue writing business 

 at present low rates. Manager Kelker told the 

 450 persons who attended the meeting. He 

 pointed out that fire often strikes buildings in 

 places which seem to be fire-proof. Records 

 show that the causes of a large percentage 

 of farm fires remain unknown. 



FEBRUARY. 1937 



The most common places for fires to start 

 are around poor chimnej'S and in rubbish 

 piles, Kelker said. He urged members of 

 Farm Bureaus and policyholders to see to it 

 that their chimneys are kept in good repair 

 and that rubbish piles be cleaned up. 



Faulty lamps and lanterns are also great 

 farm fire hazards, according to records of losses 

 kept by the Company. Oil-burning stoves 

 which failed to operate properly and blazed 

 up while they were not being watched started 

 too many of our fires, Kelker explained. 



Unsettled crop conditions during the sum- 

 mer reduced the amount of crop insurance busi- 

 ness written as compared to that of last year. 



All directors were re-elected. 



FARM SUPPLY 



Two years ago Agricultural Economist J. H. 

 Lister of the Farm Credit Administration began 

 a study of the activities and operations of the 

 Illinois Farm Supply Company and its affiliated 

 county service companies. He reported the re- 

 sults of the study to more than 850 Illinois 

 farmers, county service company managers and 

 directors who met in conference in the Mor- 

 rison Hotel, Chicago, January 27. 



Mr. Lister revealed that the goods and ser- 

 vices of the Illinois Farm Supply Company 

 are of such superior quality that thousands 

 of farmers who are not Farm Bureau members 

 patronize the company every year. In 23 coun- 

 ties, from 1930 to 1936, the service companies 

 gained 8,000 patrons. 



The remarkable increase in sales by the 

 county companies, which amounted to $722,- 

 000 in 1926 and which had surpassed $6,660.- 

 000 by 1934, was due to an increase in per 

 county sales and to an increase in the number 

 of county companies. Lister pointed to the 

 increase in per county sales as a splendid piece 

 of sales promotion work. 



L. R. Marchant, manager of the company, 

 explained that constructive criticism brings the 

 desired results only when supported by an 

 intelligent study of all the facts such as was 

 presented by Mr. Lister. 



A banquet in honor of the 260 service com- 

 pany salesmen who had sold a carload or 

 more of lubricating oil from October 15 to 

 December 31 was given by the Company at the 

 AUerton Hotel, Chicago, Wednesday evening. 

 H. D. Lewis, Rich-Law Service Company, and 

 John Parker, Champaign County Service Com- 

 pany, were the principal guests of honor. They 

 sold 9,470 and 9,085 gallons of lubricating 

 oil during allotted period, respectively. 



An over-flow crowd of nearly 2,000 persons 

 attended the Company's conference in the 

 Morrison Hotel, Chicago, Wednesday even- 

 ing, January 27. A group of artists from 

 radio station WLS furnished the entertain- 

 ment. How "Iron Horse Power" makes work 

 for more persons and at the same time raises 

 the standard of living for the workers was 

 explained by Arnold Yerkes, editor of Power 

 Farming. He also showed a sound movie 

 which traced the invention and development of 

 grain harvesting equipment. Harry Newman 

 ToUes, Sheldon School of Business, presented 

 an inspirational discourse dealing with sales- 

 manship. 



Total value of Illinois' principal 



crops harvested in 1936 is estimated at 

 $368,406,000 or $42,060,000 more than 

 in 1935. 



Resolutions 



(Continued) 



XX 



We reaffirm our previously declared policy 

 opposing any legislation tending to force con- 

 solidation of schools, at least until the present 

 revenue article of the State Constitution is so 

 amended as to permit a fair taxing system, and 

 until the rural highways are improved suf- 

 ficiently to insure the transportation safely 

 and promptly of rural children at any season 

 of the year. 



We do not oppose reasonable reorganiza- 

 tion or better administration of schools or any 

 other governmental units whenever such 

 changes can be made without injustice to farm 

 people. But we protest against the constant 

 efforts to centralize administrative authority 

 either in the State or in other units too large 

 to permit the intimate knowledge and the 

 lively interest which we believe every citizen 

 should have in the various forms of his govern- 

 ment. 



XXI 



We favor amendment of the Canada TTiistle 

 Act and Paragraph 70 of the Criminal Code 

 Chapter 38. 



1. To provide that all fines assessed against 

 the owner of any land for violation of 



this Act shall be payable into the gen- 

 eral fund of the political subdivision for 

 which the commissioner of noxious 

 weeds was appointed; 



2. To provide that any expense incurred 

 by such commissioner in the enforce- 

 ment of this Act, if not paid by the 

 owner of the land upon which the viola- 

 tion shall occur, shall be certified to tfie 

 county clerk and charged upon the 

 collectors book against such owner and 

 collected at the same time and in the 

 same manner, as taxes upon the lands 

 upon which the violation occurred, and 

 upon collection shall be paid by the 

 collector into the general fund of the 

 political subdivision from which the 

 salary of the commissioner originates 

 who certified such expense. 



XXII 



We urge amendment of the Concentrated 

 Food Stuffs Act to prohibit the sale or dis- 

 tribution, within the State, of commercial 

 mixed food stuffs which contain live seeds of 

 any of the noxious weeds named in the Agri- 

 cultural Seeds Act, with suitable provisions for 

 enforcement and with adequate penalties for 

 violations of this Act. 



XXIII 



Strip mining operations are increasing and 

 large areas of the best farming lands in a 

 number of counties are being rendered worth- 

 less. It appears that such lands will soon have 

 no assessed valuation and will, therefore, no 

 longer contribute to support of local govern- 

 ments. The remaining property owners in 

 the area will thus be subject to constantly 

 increasing tax burdens and local governments 

 will be deprived of the revenue necessary to 

 carry on essential governmental functions. 



We request the Officers and Board of Di- 

 rectors to study the situation created by strip 

 mining and determine whether measures may 

 be taken to protect the interests of other 

 property owners. 



THE RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE — 

 Talmage Defrees, Bond County Chairman; 

 E. E. Houghtby, DeKalb County'; Otto Steffey, 

 Henderson Co. ; Eugene Curtis, Champaign 

 Co. ; K. T. Smith, Greene Co. ; A. O. Eckert, 

 St. Clair Co. ; H. W. Danforth, Iroquois Co. ; 

 M. S. Broester, Edwards Co.; Guy Routh. 

 Knox Co.; Leonard Keith, Mason Co. 



