126 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



went to an adjoining creamery and it made a disturb- 

 ance there. The other patrons objected, and the re- 

 sult was that that creamery has put in the test and is 

 paying by the test. I really believe now that if we 

 should undertake to go back to the old plan, we would 

 have more friction than we ever had in all our business 

 experience in creameries. Our patrons are satisfied 

 because they realize that every man is getting what 

 belongs to him. What would you think if one of your 

 stock dealers or your grain merchants should come along 

 and say they would pay so much for hogs or steers or 

 oats, regardless of the quality, put a fixed price on 

 everything ? Well, if it would be foolish for them to 

 do so, why isn't it foolish for the creamery men, for I 

 honestly believe that there is no one product that 

 varies as much in value as milk does ? The old plan of 

 pooling educated us backwards. The inducement was 

 to breed for a bigger flow of milk, regardless of the 

 value of the milk. 



Now, another important result of the introduction 

 of the test is, we find our patrons are applying the test 

 to their individual cows; and they are finding that 

 a great percentage of their cows are making them 

 nothing, and a great many are running them in debt. 

 When they have learned that, they know what to do; 

 they will, of course, weed out these unprofitable cows 

 and replace with some that they know will be better, 

 and so we are on the right road. It puts a new interest 

 into the whole business. I never have been so much 

 interested in my dairv as since we have got every cow 

 standing on her own merit. I find a great many 

 surprises. I find that one of the largest milkers in my 

 dairy is also one of the richest milkers, which I cer- 

 tainly did not expect. Her milk tested 5 per cent. fat. 



