ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 199 



rather than to the cattle. There is a crying need for intelHgence 

 in the management of our herds. Thoughtful wide-awake men 

 who will not persist in standing in their own light will do more 

 for the industry than anything else. Wherever a census of 

 creamery patrons has been taken, it develops that those who 

 will not read dairy literature are invariably receiving the low- 

 est returns per cow. Recently the owner of an inferior herd 

 asked $100.00 in lieu of the annoyance incident to having his 

 herd tested by the Experiment Station without expense to him. 

 Verily, to some, darkness is preferable to light, so much so that 

 they are willing to pay the difference. Many cows are inferior 

 and should be removed. Many are improperly fed and not 

 comfortably housed which greatly reduces their returns. 



The scales, test -and an ax need to be carefully employed 

 and after the poor ones have been sorted out the good ones may 

 be bred to a pure bred sire, which if continued for several gen- 

 erations will result in a startling improvement. Before we will 

 get this improvement, there must be a greater appreciation 

 for better blood, and a willingness to accord it conditions in 

 which it can do its best work. 



Herbert A. Hopper, 

 University of Illinois College of Agriculture. 



