54 ILLINOIS STATE DAIKYMEn's ASSOCIATION. 



is at once a scarcity of men to do the work. Many 

 localities have well equipped creameries to which the 

 milk is taken ; these possess many advantages, but 

 without them each is obliged to manufacture and mar- 

 ket his own butter, to become a private dairyman, and 

 whether he will be a successful one will depend greatly 

 on himself, whether he will be willing to give all the 

 time and attention necessary. 



Dairying is a special business, and a successful dairy 

 needs a special purpose cow, just as any special busi- 

 ness requires a special man — the one can not profitably 

 do without the other. As an example of what the 

 special purpose cow can do, take the work of the 

 great queen of the Jerseys, Bisson's Belle, who made 

 over 1,028 pounds in one year. Of course not many of 

 us expect to have a cow that will do that well; but by 

 care and feed we can increase the number of pounds each 

 year until we shall have an average } 7 ield of which we 

 may be proud. The average farmer has cows that are 

 special in the sense that they will raise a skim-milk calf, 

 make 75 or 100 pounds of butter when the price is low, 

 and remain idle when it is high ; while the special pur- 

 pose cow will net him two or three times as much for 

 his labor, if she is taken care of the year around. 



I think the Jersey the typical cow for the butter 

 dairy. Her milk is richer in butter fats and yields 

 more butter to the hundred pounds of milk than any 

 other; the cream is of excellent quality and the butter 

 of fine flavor and color. For these reasons better prices 

 can be obtained. The amount and quality of the butter 

 depends also upon the food of the cow. 



In summer when the cows are on grass, a little corn- 

 meal fed night and morning gives solidity to the butter, 

 improves the flavor and adds to the quantity. 



