ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 139 



cream which has not been properly cared for will not bring the 

 highest price he will see to it that his cream is up ro the standard 

 the next time it is delivered. 



Another thing the creamery needs to do is to help educate 

 the farmer. This can be done in more ways than one. Through 

 visitation, literature, and the personal influence of the butter- 

 maker. There is a creamery in this state that has spent consider- 

 able time in helping the farmers fix places where they may keep 

 their product and this has been found to be a great help in the 

 business. 



During the past season my attention has been called to a 

 few cases where the creamery has not received fair treatment 

 from the railroad companies. The butter was delivered at the 

 depot in first-class condition but was cut a cent a pound by the 

 purchaser because the butter arrived in a soft condition. 



I have probably dwelt at length upon the owners' side of 

 this question. A few of the things mentioned might well be 

 applied to the buttermakers. I believe that the work done by the 

 creameries and by the men in charge of them compares favora- 

 bly with the work done in other states. A number of our cream- 

 eries are older and are equipped with old style machinery. But 

 that does not detract from the work that is being clone by the 

 average Illinois creamery. The buttermakers position is one 

 of constant work and devotion to duty. He may be a little idle 

 today but not so tomorrow. It can be said of the good butter- 

 maker that his work is never done. 



One of the most important needs of our creamery butter- 

 makers is the more universal use of starters. A number of boys 

 are using them and others would use them if they were familiar 

 with their propagation and use. I have been told by a few that 

 no starter was needed, that a stopper is needed, if anything. 

 Even if it does need a stopper a good starter will do the cream 

 good. The making and handling of a starter means a little 

 extra work, but it will repay all the trouble. 



The tub of butter that scored highest yesterday was made 

 by a man who two months ago asked me to come to his place M 



