236 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



few of them will ever read this paper ; they do not believe 

 much in book-farming. " Creameries are all well enough," 

 they say, "for fancy farmers, but my old way is good 

 enough for me." If you press them with too much zeal, 

 they will class you with lightning-rod men and swindling 

 tool agents, and say, by their looks, " You can pass on ; we 

 can take care of ourselves." Yet this class would derive 

 more benefit by patronizing a co-operative creamery than 

 any other. One of this class, after being with us a few 

 months, said: " I never took any comfort in dairying be- 

 fore. Now everything goes right." Before, he sometimes 

 had white specks in his butter, sometimes it would come 

 soft, and sometimes he would churn half the night, and then 

 his butter would not come. Some believe that this is caused 

 by witches in the cream, and nothing will drive them out 

 but a red-hot horseshoe dropped into the churn. This I was 

 told with all seriousness. While much has been done to 

 give the laboring class practical instruction, something still 

 remains to be done. I believe the creamery has " come to 

 stay." It has a mission as an educator, as a helper of those 

 in an agricultural community least able to help themselves. 

 It should be encouraged, and every practicable means used 

 to disseminate a knowledge of its methods and its benefits. 

 But I have fully occupied the time allotted me. Hoping that 

 this essay has been, in a measure at least, 



" Judicious, clear, succinct ; 

 The language plain, the sense well linked. 

 I told not, as new, what everybody knows ; 

 But, new or old, I hasten to a close." 



The Chairman. I regret very much indeed that there are 

 so few present to hear this paper and listen to the discussion 

 that will naturally follow, for it does seem to me to be of 

 great interest to the New England farmer. But it is going 

 to be printed in our report by the secretary later, and I 

 trust the farmers will read it. I propose now to call upon two 

 or three gentlemen from neighboring States to talk to us, 

 and I will first call upon Mr. Bachelder, Secretary of the 

 New Hampshire State Board of Agriculture. 



Mr. Bachelder. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen : I cer- 



