^'^^ Illinois State Dairymen^s Association. 



FACTS GATHERED FROM THE TEST. 



By C. B. Lane, Assistant Chief Dairy Division, Bureau of Animal Indus- 

 try, United States Department of Agriculture. 



The dairymen of Illinois are to be congratulated on this ex- 

 hibit of milk and cream. It is particularly creditable for the 

 reason that it is your first contest. 



I believe these milk contests are going to have a great in- 

 fluence in the future in the production of cleaner and better milk 



Friendly competition is a great stimulant and by putting 

 your product alongside of the other fellow's you learn much that 

 you never knew before and whether you find that your product is 

 better than his or whether you find it is not as good, you learn a 

 lesson just the same. In the one case you learn that 'you are 

 practising right methods and in the other your faults are made 

 evident and you find out where you need to improve. I have 

 watched t\his movement with much interest since the national 

 contest in Chicago, in February, 1906. 



Besides your State, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania 

 and Massachusetts have held contests ; also the city of Cleveland. 

 It is with much pleasure, therefore, that I have the privilege of 

 being with you at your first contest, to taste the good milk and 

 cream which you have on exhibition. 



Some of the milk scored 95, and one sample of cream 94. 

 You would have to travel a long way in our cities to find such 

 milk and cream for sale — in fact certified milk rarely reaches 

 this score. I was in a dining car on a Chicago train the other 

 day and noticed on the menu, milk 15 cents per bottle (one-third 

 of a quart) which you see would amount to 45 cents a quart, 

 secured a bottle of this milk (which was certified) and found it 

 of excellent quality but no better than some of yours. The thing 

 that impressed me was the possibility of securing a price for milk 

 equal to 45 cents a quart, or $1.80 a gallon. If some of your 

 good dairymen could get your product before the public in as 

 attractive form as this dairyman, using bottles of special size and 

 type, you would stand just as good a chance to sell it. While 

 the milk was good, I belid^e the style of package helped as much 

 to sell the product as the quality of the milk. 



