42 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN S ASSOCIATION. 



livered to factories in ihis state during the months of Maj', June, July 

 and August, did not bring to the dairymen, on an average, over 

 four cents per gallon. Dairymen must do better than that or quit the 

 business, if they wish to avoid bankruptcy, for milk cannot, without 

 loss, be produced at that price. 



Prices, I am aware, were low for good cheese last summer — but 

 were they so depressed as to account for such low dividends ? A 

 gallon of pure milk is suflBcient, under the most favorable circum- 

 stances (and dairymen should carry on, or cause to be carried on, the 

 business under the most favorable circumstances), to make a pound of 

 first-rate, full-milk (or cream, as it is called) cheese. Such cheese 

 could have been sold on the board of trade, during the months of 

 June, July, August and September, at an average of at least eight 

 cents per pound, as I am advised by a gentleman thoroughly con- 

 versant with the transactions on the board of trade. The charge for 

 making, boxing and marketing cheese say was 2| cents per pound ; 

 deduct this from 8 cents (the market price) and there is bj cents left 

 — that is 5J cents per gallon for the dairyman for his milk, for the 

 months of May, June, July and August. This is IJ cents per gallon 

 more than was received forprobably two-thirds of the milk furnished 

 the factories during those months. Dairymen need not be told that 

 a difference of 1^ cents per gallon is an important matter to them. 

 A pound of good butter can generally be made from 2J gallons of 

 pure milk. I am advised that during said months such butter, on the 

 average, could have been sold on the board of trade for 23 cents. 

 Deduct from this 5 cents for making and marketing, and there re- 

 mains 18 cents ; that is 18 cents for 2^ gallons, which is 7^ cents per 

 gallon. These calculations, based upon correct data as I think, dem- 

 onstrate that even at the low prices of last summer dairymen did not 

 realize what they ought for their milk. A just estimate of the loss 

 sustained by them would astonish even the most thoughtful dairy- 

 man. Now why this loss ? 



It may be difficult, if not impossible, to assign the true reasons 

 for it. The main reasons are probably as follows : 



1. The milk was defective. 



2. The handling and manufacturing it was uneconomical and 

 wasteful. 



3. The products were deficient in quantity. 



4. The products were deficient in quality. 



