20 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



quences; though perhaps it has been fostered by the creamery 

 man in his sacrifice of quahty to quantity. 



The proportion of good butter is constantly increasing, still 

 there is a large amount of poor butter manufactured, especially 

 in gathered cream factories and dairies. There is no reason 

 why an intelligent dairyman, posted in his business, should not 

 make as fine butter as is produced, 



A well posed dairyman of to-day, by the use of the Babcock 

 test, can determine the value of his cows. It is not necessary for 

 him to keep unprofitable ones, he can establish a standard and 

 dispose of those that do not come up to it. 



I think the tenndency of the farmers to keep records of farm 

 accounts is growing each year; should a man in mercantile busi- 

 ness adopt the same methods as many farmers the sheriff would 

 soon be at the door. 



We find the general trend of dairying is in rather a different 

 direction than heretofore: our greatest effort, in the past, has 

 been to increase the quantity, and improve the quality of the 

 product and lighten labor incident to production. 



The low prices of the last few years have brought to the front 

 the question of cheap production and the shrinkage of profits. 



The dairy business represents as large a capital, perhaps, as 

 any industry in Illinois; such a business, engaging such a class 

 of and such numbers of citizens should have the protection 

 its importance demands. 



The Legislature has been very liberal in its appropriations 

 for publication of our reports and for expenses incident to the 

 meetings, but we want more. 



The national Dairy Union and other associations and in- 

 dividuals have through persistent work secured an "anti-color" 

 law, but a State Dairy Commissioner, with sufficient funds and 

 assistants is needed to enforce the law. 



I am sorry to see Illinois so far behind her sister states in 

 dairy education; more interest should be taken in Farmers' In- 

 stitutes where much good can be accomplished. 



The fund appropriated by the state, fifty dollars, will hardly 

 defray the necessary expenses of a good institute in all parts of 



