ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 79 



backs there were also encouragements to be found in dairying 

 in that time, chief of which was that the dairyman from May 

 until November need give himself no concern as to where his 

 dairy herd should obtain their feed rations, as grass was abund- 

 ant everywhere, and there were no limitations as to where the 

 herds should roam, and this fact in itself was sufficient to en- 

 courage many a thrifty and far-seeing farmer to give some at- 

 tention to this feature of the farmer livelihood. 



We are sorry to say that at this period, the labor of milking 

 and attending to the milk thereafter until the finished product 

 was turned out was almost wholly accomplished by the women 

 of the household. 



The men in most instances being afraid of losing their dig- 

 nity or from some other unknown causes kept shy of the cow 

 lot, at least did not know how to milk. But as the country 

 advanced in progress from time to time dairying also accepted 

 better methods of work. 



Improved breeds of cattle were brought in and as the coun- 

 try filled up with people rude and elementary systems were 

 discarded and with advance of railroads quite a few of the more 

 intelligent class of farmers shipped their butter product direct 

 to the city and received cash for same in a moderately remuner- 

 ative way. 



Having thus in a prelimenary sort of way given you a slight 

 but imperfect * ' sketch of dairying in southern Illinois from 

 almost its first inception, we will now proceed to the days when 

 the creamery busines as now practiced was first introduced into 

 our section. 



If our memory serves us right in the year 1885 the first 

 creamery in this section of southern Illinois was opened in the 

 neighboring city of Sparta, Randolph County. 



Farming as a lucrative business had at this time been on 

 the decline and it was thought advisable to introduce some new 

 form of industry in the hope that the languishing spirit of the 

 farmer might be revived and also that the coffers of the village 

 tradesmen might be more frequently replenished in the 

 increased business which it was hoped would follow. 



