26 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN's ASSOCIATION. 



quietly and kindly informed him that his cheese was not 

 neat in its appearance ; the bandage was put on in a hap- 

 hazard manner, the box looked as *if it was old enough to 

 retire from service, and, to crown all, the cheese was dirty 

 on the top and side. This factoryman was shown a few 

 bright samples from other factories, and told to imitate 

 them. He took the hint, and in a month could show as 

 fine cheese as ^ny one on the board, and he continues to 

 do so to this day. He obtained better prices, and not 

 infrequently sold his goods from a half cent to a cent higher 

 than any other. It has been beneficial to those dairymen 

 who make their milk into butter at home, by enabling them 

 to obtain better prices for their goods than they could pos- 

 sibiy have done had not the board been organized. The 

 establishment of the board has given manufacturers a mar- 

 ket at home, and at as favorable prices as they could obtain 

 elsewhere. It, in a measure, establishes the price of dairy 

 products for all the country west of the Mississippi, and 

 frequently New York quotations are not made until they 

 get the returns from Elgin. 



It seems to me that every producer of milk who lives 

 within a convenient distance of Elgin should become a 

 member of the board, and then they should attend its 

 weekly meetings, and moreover I believe it would be to 

 their interest if they would require the factorymen who 

 make up their milk to sell the products on the board, 

 instead of commissioning them, as has too often become 

 case of late. 



Perhaps the uninitiated may wonder what is meant by 

 the ''irregular sales" which they see reported from week to 

 week, and which almost invariably outnumber the '' regular 

 sales." Well, these are the sales which have been made on 

 commission, and are reported when the returns are made to 

 the factorymen. 



After the loss of our books, papers, etc., in January of 

 the present year, the board organized under the state law, 

 obtaining a charter, and became an incorporated body. We 

 have by-laws and rules governing the members, and when 

 one feels that he has been wronged he can appeal to the 

 powers that be, and justice will be meted out to those who 

 violate the law, if they can be detected. Since the organi- 

 zation of the board, there have been but three or four trials. 



