100 ILLINOIS dairymen's ASSOCIATION. 



Blue-grass, clover, red- top and timothy are at home here, and within the 

 past ten years have been the means of bringing about a change that is 

 really v^^onderf ul. Ten years ago a Jersey was a great curiosity to the ma- 

 jority of our farmers. Now we have very valuable herds in various portions 

 of our territory, also several fine herds of Holsteins. The grasses, the pure 

 water and the short mild winters make Southern Illinois one of the finest 

 stock countries on the face of the globe. 



We know of but one effort at operating a creamery in Southern Illinois. 

 This was at Tamaroa, Perry county. But little expense was incurred in 

 gettipg ready, as a building was rented for the purpose, and just as little 

 machinery as possible bought. The butter made was of a tine quality, and 

 brought a good price, but there were not enough cows in the neighborhood 

 to make the enterprise a success. The expense of gathering the cream and 

 operating the creamery soon greatly exceeded the receipts, and the stock 

 company was only too glad to lease the establishment to a few enterprising 

 parties near the town, who now operate it as occasion requires, their butter 

 being shipped on orders to various points, including Cairo, 111., and Little 

 Rock, Ark. Some very valuable herds of Jerseys and Holsteins are owned 

 in Perry county. 



• In order to give something definite as to the success attained in dairying 

 in Southern Illinois, we take the liberty of incorporating some of the expe- 

 riences of a few of our practical dairymen, which have been furnished us by 

 them for this purpose. We first write of 



MONROE COIJNTY. 



Col. Jos. Drury, vice-president of the Mississippi Valley Dairyman's 

 Association has a magnificent farm at Waterloo, Monroe county, which is 

 some 20 miles south of St. Louis, on the line of the St. Louis andCairo Rail- 

 road. He says that the average number of cows used in his dairy since 

 January 1st., 1884, is 21, from which he has obtained in eleven months 24,529 

 pounds of cream, yielding 6,965 pounds of butter, and at the same rate for 

 December, the year's cream will be 26,758 pounds and 7,598 pounds of butter. 

 (He also used and sold 325 gallons of milk not included in the above, which is 

 equal to 140 pounds more butter.) An average of 365 pounds per cow, or 

 one pound per day. His butter is sold at 35 and 40 cents a pound, owing to 

 size of package, to private families in »t. Louis, who are yearly customers. 

 The butter nets him 33 cents per pound, or about $120.00 per cow, not count- 

 ing calves and sour milk fed to the hogs. Col. Drury has upon his farm a 

 never-failing spring, the temperature of which stands at 56 deg. winter and 

 summer. He sets his milk the year round in this water in deep cans; when 

 the milk has cooled to a temperature of 56 deg. he closes the cans with tight 

 covers. His cows are grade Jerseys of his own raising, and his mode of feed- 

 ing is as follows: la summer uses mixed pastures and feeds a small quan- 

 tity of bran at each milking. In winter feeds clover, hay and sheaf oats cut, 

 and ground corn and bran; also sows corn, and cuts and feeds it green with 

 bran in August and September in times of drouth. In short, writes the Col.: 



''I feed well, winter and summer, and take the best of care of my cows 

 at all seasons. Some of this may sound 'fishy;' but I expect to make my 

 herd average 400 pounds to the cow next year and have no trouble in selling 

 at my prices. Have now more customers than I can supply. I use no ice in 

 my butter making. Ship the same day I churn." 



