80 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



does more fertile farms mean? It means a better education of farmer 

 boys and girls. What branch of farming does more? 



Dairying has improved the sociability of our farmers, and why? Be- 

 cause they meet almost daily at the creameries and while waiting their 

 turn to unload or receive skht: milk, they talk about what their cows are 

 doing; what they feed; how to take care of milk; how long it pays to 

 feed a calf before it is fit for the market; discuss the making of good bucter 

 and of good dairying. 



I know of towns that, in an open winter, on account of bad roads, at 

 times it was almost impossible to get to them ,and those towns that have 

 no creameries are in the same condition yet. Nearly all towns that have 

 creameries have good rock roads. This has been done largely or encouraged 

 by the merchants, and why? Because good roads bring more people to 

 town to trade. When a farmer drives over a poor road daily to the cream- 

 ery he becomes disgusted and makes up his mind for better roads and gener- 

 ally gets them. When dairying makes good roads, it at the same time- 

 increases the value of farms. 



Dairying enables farmers to raise more poultry and eggs. Milk, 

 poultry and eggs are cash. With cash better bargains can be made with 

 home merchants. It has been read before this Association that skim 

 milk is worth 25 cents per hundred pounds for raising poultry. Now 

 what is it worth for raising pigs. They mature better on skim milk than on 

 any other feed, and at a less cost 



Dairying in Southern Illinois has enabled a great many of our farmers 

 to get their worn out lands in such a state of fertility that today they are 

 prosperous, when, with constant raising of wheat they were making no 

 progress whatever. 



In conversation with one of our money loaners, I asked him if he 

 loaned much money to our dairy farmers. His reply was a rather curt 

 "No." I ventured the remark, "V/ould you not trust them?" His reply 

 was, "Don't have to, they usually have ready cash." And if one thousand 

 extra fresh milch cows were in Southern Illinois now there would not be 

 one-half as many renewals of old obligations. 



But if we still wish to continue this dairy industry that is doing for us 



