'^^ Illinois State Dairymen s Association. 



trains, with the co-operation of this Association, they will come 

 to us and ask us to assist them. Your President had the privilege 

 of traveling with a dairy train operated by the Experiment 

 Station of Purdue University of Indiana and the Monon railroad. 

 I was very much pleased with the interest displayed throughout 

 the entire route. The State Dairymen's Association, of Indiana, 

 assisted in the promotion of this dairy special, and its officers 

 are very well pleased with the results. I am confident that we 

 can come in touch with more people, who are anxious for dairy 

 learning, through the operation of these trains than by any other 

 system, which we might adopt, of spreading dairy information 

 and encouragement. 



Your Appropriation Committee were successful in obtain- 

 ing an increase of $1,000.00 per year over the oil appropriation 

 of $1,500.00. The members of the Legislature were very much 

 interested when this Committee appeared before their Finance 

 Committees and we were asked innumerable questions about 

 dairying and dairy interests in this state. A great many Asso- 

 ciations were unable to secure their usual appropriations, but 

 your Committee, at no time, felt any uneasiness about securing 

 the increase they asked for. I do not wish to say that it was an 

 easy thing to secure this increase, but I wish to emphasize the 

 fact that in our Legislature, we have a great many intelligent 

 men, who are deeply interested in dairy farming. They see the 

 commercial side of this branch of farming and are particularly 

 impressed with the idea that the dairy cow is not a robber of 

 the soil, and that the farms, which they own or are interested 

 in will be held at a high state of fertility if they will allow the 

 dairy cow to mill the crops of their farms. 



At our State Fair, last fall, we were especially fortunate 

 in having the hearty co-operation of Mr. Auten, Supt. of the 

 Dairy Division. The entire State Board of Agriculture seemed 

 to be impressed with the importance of having the State Dairy- 

 men's Association hold an informal meeting during the State 

 Fair. Mr. Auten secured for us a large audience tent and erect- 

 ed a permanent platform. We were treated with every courtesy 

 and furnished with every convenience, and I am satisfied that 

 this Association gained many friends through this State Fair 

 meeting. I hope you will instruct your officers, for the coming 

 year, to keep up these State Fair meetings, and I am satisfied 



