ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 15 



tural surroundings a sentiment of good fellowship, of reciprocity, of good 

 feeling, and a perfect understanding of mutual dependence. 



The farmers of this county unde rstand that Galesburg is important as a 

 business center; its increase in popu lation, rapid as it has been in the few 

 years past; its reputation as a desirable business and residence city; the in- 

 telligence of its citizens; its colleges and schools, mean to them more valua- 

 ble acreage and better prices for the produce of the farm. 



I hardly know whether I dare, under your invitation, make any consid- 

 erable departure from a purely welc oming address. Hoping at least that 1 

 am not expected to advance any pr ominent ideas on the subject of agricul- 

 ture or dairying. J am conscious of knowing less 1 about these subjects than 

 any other that could possibly be named. I am not prepared to admit, how- 

 ever, that I am one whit behind my fellow townsmen, and I would like to 

 say, if I dared, of quite a number of my friends from the country. I mean, 

 of course, the science of agriculture and the improvements in all branches 

 thereof. Your association will, however, together with kindred associa- 

 tions, remedy this defect in us ail. 



The science of agriculture and the science of all things incidental to 

 agricultural pursuits has not in the past received that attention from its 

 followers that its great prominence as a calling in life demands. The ten- 

 dency to adopt and follow what is called the practical in life has had its 

 strongest advocates and adherents among western farmers. The farmer 

 with a collegiate education has been looked upon by his neighbors more as 

 a dude is regarded in society. 



A man can plow, raise hogs, mil k cows, make butter, and perform all 

 the manual duties of the farm without education. If he understands writ- 

 ing and arithmetic, that is all that is necessary, ':f we are wiling to admit 

 that the entire mission of the farmer is to raise corn and hogs. But if the 

 farmer is to take part in the developing of agriculture as a science, if he is 

 to learn how to successfully remove all the cream from milk before the de - 

 livery to city customers, if he is to learn something of the wonderful chem- 

 istry by which Grod change® the clod s into the daily bread of the millions, 

 and take advantage of such processes for his own financial advantage, then 

 simply writing and arithmetic is not enough of education. 



