ILLINOIS dairymen's ASSOCIATION. 19 



to one ounce per day per capita ; and that the milk required for growing 

 stock will amount to an average of twenty-five gallons per cow per annum. 



The estimating of the dairy products on some fixed system has this ad- 

 vantage : Every person knows the basis on which the estimates are made, 

 and can judge for himself whether or not that basis is correct. 



While the ofiicial reports do not show the extent of this industry, they 

 give a very creditable showing of its growth. 



From the statistical table in the Commissioner of Agriculture's report 

 in 1883, it appears that the average quantity of milk per cow per annum in 

 Illinois in 1850 was 132.6 gallons; in 1860, 165.2 gallons; in 1870, 186.5 gallons; 

 and in 1880, 239.7 gallons; and that the number of cows had increased from 

 294,671 in 1850 to 865,913 in 1880. 



The dairy products have increased from 12,526,543 pounds of butter, and 

 1,278,225 pounds of cheese in 1850, to 60,208,972 pounds of butter and 21,258,- 

 194 pounds of cheese in 1880. 



The increase in the number of cows and their average annual production 

 of milk, as also in the quantity of the dairy products, as shown by the oflSciM 

 reports, shows that this is a growing industry. 



To arrive at any just idea of the annual extent and value of the products 

 of this industry in Illinois, we must not only consider the quantity of milk 

 and butter annually consumed in families, and the quantity of milk required 

 for the growing stock, but also the quantity of milk required for the produc- 

 tion of butter and cheese. 



We estimate that it will require an average of twenty-seven pounds of 

 milk to produce a pound of butter, and ten pounds of milk for a pound of 

 cheese. 



On the basis of our estimates the home consumption of butter for 3,077,- 

 571 population of this State will amount to 70,208,682 pounds, saying nothing 

 about the quantity of butter sent out of the State. As the largest part of the 

 cheese produced in the State is made in factories, the returns made by the 

 Census Bureau are sufiiciently accurate for all practical purposes. 



The quantity of milk annually required to produce 70,208,682 pounds of 

 butter and 21,253,194 pounds of cheese, will be 242,134,042 gallons ; milk re- 

 quired for consumption for 3,077,571 population, at one pint per day per 

 capita, 140,415,364 gallons; milk required for growing stock from 865,913 

 cows, estimating an average of 25 gallons per cow, 21,647,825 gallons ; total 

 annual milk product of Illinois, 404,197,231 gallons, or an average of 467 gal- 

 lons of miik per cow per annum, as against an average of 239.7 gallons per 

 cow in the report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 1883. 



In the Commissioner's report for that year he gives the average milk per 

 cow at 239.7 gallons in Illinois, as against 401.6 in New York. 



The difference between the average quantity of milk per cow between 

 those in Illinois and those in i^ ew York was so great that I resolved to in- 

 vestigate it. 



Calling at the ofiice of a company having one factory in this State, and 

 two in the best dairy districts of New York, I was informed by the gentleman 

 having charge of the milk department that the average yield of milk per cow, 

 and also per acre of land devoted to dairying, was larger in this State than it 



