ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 135 



I think it would be a good plan for each creamery to hire 

 an up-to-date dairyman whose duty it would be to figure out 

 and keep the records of each patron's cows. But if this isn't 

 practical, each patron should, by all means, take up the work for 

 himself. Keeping individual records that the patron may know 

 what each cow is annually producing for him, that he may dis- 

 pose of ail cows that do not come up to his standard, is our co- 

 operative creamery's greatest needs. The improvement will not 

 only be noticed in the dairy but in the dairy barns and other farm 

 buildings, on the farm, in the creamery and the milk brought to 

 our creameries and even in the patron himself. The improve- 

 ment will not only be confined to the dairy but will be general. 



And if the patron is going to improve his herd, if he is going 

 to have those cows that will produce 300 or -±00 pounds of butter 

 a year, he must increase his knowledge concerning the care and 

 feed those kind of cows will require. A cow giving 300 or 400 

 pounds of butter a year will require much better care than the 

 average cow receives today. Therefore, the patrons should turn 

 our creameries into dairy schools. The patrons should meet once 

 a month or once in two months and discuss and talk over mat- 

 ters pertaining to the dairy. If the patrons hire a man to keep 

 the records of their cows, he should prepare a paper for these 

 meetings and should keep posted on all dairy subjects that he may 

 answer all questions the patrons might want to ask. 



It would seem then, that the most important need of our 

 creameries are : Xot more cows but cows that are more profita- 

 ble ; and cleaner, more wholesome milk. And then, using Mr. 

 Hoard's words, " Every creamery should be a dairy school where 

 the patrons may take advantage of their co-operation together tc 

 increase their knowledge." 



