ILLINOIS STATE DAIUYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 11 



stimulates us to rightful thought is of vast interest to us, no matter whether 

 in this convention or elsewhere. Mankind, as a general thing, are prone to 

 pass over many important subjects with far too little thought. It is much 

 easier to tramp on in the old beaten pathway of our forefathers than to turn 

 aside to look for a better or more improved one. 



Progress and improvement are the direct results of mature thought right- 

 fully applied. The man who thinks, and keeps his thoughts hidden in the 

 recesses of his own cranium, is of but little use as a thinker to his fellow- 

 men generally. 



Mankind usually express their thoughts orally or by writing the same, and 

 as most farmers and dairymen have not the time to spend in writing and 

 publishing books, but can spend a day or two in convention and orally give 

 to the public or to all who may choose to come and hear, their experience, 

 acquired by long and careful observation of facts which have transpired 

 under their own management of the farm and dairy. 



We are led to believe that there are many improvements in the dairy and 

 in the management of the same since Abel, the second son of Adam, made 

 his offering to God of milk and the first fruits of his flock, which was made 

 in the year of the world 129, or 5251 years ago. It appears by record that 

 God was delighted with the oblation, and we have no reason to doubt but 

 his blessing still rests upon all honest dairymen even to this day. 



On motion, the amendments made to the constitution last 

 year were now taken up and confirmed by the Aesociation, 

 and a committee to prepare and, report a set of by-laws, was 

 appointed, consisting of I. H. Wanzek, Elgin; Hon. W. 

 Patten^, Sandwich; and C. J. Ferris, Galesburg. 



Question No. 1 of the programme, "The Supply and 

 Demand of Dairy Products and their Future Markets," was 

 then taken up, and the discussion opened by Hon. S. Wilcox, 

 of Elgin, who said it was a difficult question to discuss — it 

 was very difficult to ascertain the exact amount manufactured 

 or consumed, neither could he tell the amount annually 

 exported. He believed the demand depended a great deal, 

 if not wholly, upon the quality. A few years ago cheese was 

 a luxury; now it is a necessity; we must all have it, and we 

 do not argue the price if it is only good — a good article will 

 be used more freely than a poor one. There is a vast amount 

 of poor cheese made in the northwest — no real good cheese 

 can be found in the market, which is a lamentable fact; in 

 the early days we had only rude and primitive apparatus, 



