ILLINOIS STATE DAIKYMEN'S ASSOCIATIOTT. 57 



soiling: used rye sown in the fall, oats, and then corn fodder, 

 which carries him through until fall feed comes; prefers sweet 

 corn; the objection to it is its cost; sows rye from the middle 

 to the last of September; could not say how far an acre of 

 rye would go, but thought it would go a great wa/. 



S. N. Weight, of South Elgin, had soiled eighteen years 

 ago; thought twenty cows could be kept on sixty acres by 

 soiling; thought soiling could be carried on profitably. For 

 exercising pasture would have about ten acres, and put about 

 forty cows on it. 



• C. H. Laekin, of Elgin, had been thinking of the matter, 

 but had no experience in it. 



J. R. McLean suggested that dairymen try soiling, and at 

 the next meeting report the result; thought we should have 

 to come to soiling sooner or later. In his opinion it was not 

 the quantity, but the quality of the food that gives the milk. 



W. W. CoRBETT offered the following resolutions, which 

 were adopted: 



Whereas, This is pre-eminently an agricultural country, all other inter- 

 ests resting upon this industry as a foundation ; therefore, 



(1) Besolved, That agriculture, taken in its broadest sense, should receive 

 such attention from the government of the United States as its magnitude 

 and importance demand. 



(2) Besolved, That we urge upon Congress the justice and the wisdom 

 of creating a position in the Cabinet upon an equal footing as to rights, 

 privileges, etc., to be called the "Secretary of Agriculture." whereby the 

 interests of agriculturists may be fully represented and consulted, as well 

 as the monied, war, naval and other interests less important than agriculture. 



(3) Resolved, That we suggest to the State and county agricultural socie- 

 ties, clubs, granges, and all other kindred organizations throughout the 

 Union, that they petition Congress to this elfect, to-wit : That the agricultu- 

 ral interests be represented in the United States Cabinet, from the ranks of 

 actual and successful farmers. 



(4) Resolved, That the Secretary be instructed to forward a copy of these 

 resolutions to the President of the United States Senate and the Speaker of 

 the United States House of Representatives, with the request to lay them 

 before the bodies over which they preside. 



Topic No. 16. '^ Besolved, That the display of dairy prod- 

 ucts at the American Centennial has been of great benefit to 

 8 



