FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION 17 



stand the science of feeding, look out well after their mar- 

 ket and are not organized in associations or a striking 

 group, but go out individually. The fellows that follow 

 those practices are successful. Their farms are not b*?ing 

 taken on mortgage. They are improving and building 

 their farms up. 



I can take you into Lake County, Illinois, and show you 

 hundreds of dairymen there who are selling their milk at 

 $2.40, $2.50 and up to $2.75 a hundred, and their cost of 

 production is less than half of that. One fellow in particu- 

 lar: he is just a hard-fisted old farmer. He has one of the 

 finest dairy farms in Lake County. He gave me information 

 on what his feed is costing, his production per cow, labor 

 cost and general overhead and he was far from being in a 

 desperate condition, selling his milk in Waukegan for $2.75 

 a hundred. 



From one end to another you will find in every com- 

 munity a certain group who are successful and a big per- 

 centage who are unsuccessful, and you will find that the 

 successful man is almost universally the fellow who follows 

 the recommendations of the State Department, the Univer- 

 sity and the United States Department of Agriculture. 



Then take the matter of the Cow Testing Association. 

 Professor Reed can tell you what they have done in Mich- 

 igan along the cow testing association line. I heard him the 

 other day. He told what they had accomplished there and 

 how any man who has a half dozen or more cows can 

 afford to stay out is more than I can understand. The cow 

 testing association is a practical instrument placed in your 

 hands for you to take advantage of. In my opinion, a good 

 cow tester in your neighborhood is of the greatest import- 

 ance to you. He will be a whole lot more valuable to you 

 than the man who represents you in Congress. 



You have some real talent here this morning and so I 

 am going to give way, because I have the opportunity to 

 discuss a specified subject tomorrow. 



Mr. O'Hair: Well, we have a fine crowd here this 

 morning and I know you are enjoying the speeches. Pro- 

 fessor C. E. Reed of the Michigan Agricultural College will 

 now give a talk on ''Beginning in Dairying/' 



