^2 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



only in the colleges. These terms are not always understood, as for 

 instance, I heard an Irishman say to his friend, "Don't drink that water, 

 it has microbes in it." "Well, and what are microbes?" "Sure they 

 are bugs," says the amateur scientist. "But I don't see any bugs." 

 "Well, they are there, but you have to have glasses to see them. In Ger- 

 many they call them germs; in France they call them parasites, and in 

 Ireland they call them mike-robes." 



We have named but a few things that the Dairymen's Association 

 has helped to accomplish, and the wonder of it (is that it has all been 

 brought about within the last quarter of the last century. 



The chemist tells us that the elements which compose dairy products 

 come from the sunshine and the air, and in selling his products the dairy- 

 man is not selling of his soil fertility. This is why the dairy farms, al- 

 though many of them are the old est farms in the state, are yet the most 

 productive and are constantly gaining in soil fertility. This is also why 

 there is more sunshine in the dairyman's home and a better and more at- 

 tractve air about it than found in the generality of farm homes. 



We live in an age of investigation and experimentation and our great 

 progress has been due almost enti rely to the discoveries of the scientist. 

 The things that have been helpful to dairymen, like the Babcock test, the 

 cream separator, the cream ripener, etc., were all developed in the labora- 

 tory by men skilled in scientific i nvestigation. The colleges and the uni- 

 versities should have full credit for the good work they have done. But 

 we cannot overlook the fact, that the same spirit of investigation and 

 experimentation, and the same d e gree of intelligence which has given 

 us the good things, has also given us the adulterations, imitations, and 

 frauds that are in vogue. We nee d therefore to appeal to those who are 

 interested in the higher education for a corresponding higher moral busi- 

 ness standard. But I have faith in the integrity of the masses of the 

 American people, and believe eve ntually the right will prevail. 



What the next twenty-five years has in store for us no man can tell. 

 Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived of the things that 

 may take place. It behooves this Association, however, as the sponsor 



