l8o ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



Most writers on this subject place the buttermaker in the position of 

 a teacher to his patrons, which is more or less true. He should know- 

 how to get every ounce of the best butter possible out of the milk, and be 

 able to operate, care for, and keep in repair all the machinery and every- 

 thing connected with the plant in eluding an ice machine, whose value in 

 connection with a creamery, personal experience, leads me to believe, is, 

 as yet, an unsolved problem. 



He should be an artist with a scrub brush and lye water, and, by 

 example, strive to impress upon his patrons that cleanliness is absolutely 

 necessary to produce the best results. Andi above al^ he, musi exert 

 all the wiles of diplomacy? to pro mote harmony or interest, which means, 

 unity and success. 



The truth is, if our diplomatics'ervices were recruited from the suc- 

 cessful buttermakers of the country, it might befan improvement, as all 

 their training i& along diplomatic lines. 



He should be a judge of milk, and be able to teach others how to care 

 for it; know something about how cows should be fed to increase the 

 flow; try to convince his patrons that it would be financially for their 

 interest to trade corn for bran, or other food that will make a balanced 

 ration. Better still, be able to get them to subscribe for some good dairy 

 paper, that he may profit by the e xperience and practical results obtained 

 by others in handling and feeding cows, and everything else connected 

 with dairy farming. 



I believe in the rules laid down by authorities, that teach how milk 

 should be cared for, and would be glad to have them followed to the let- 

 ter. But, where dairying is a secondary consideration with the patron, 

 it is doubly difficult to get them to take proper care of their milk. In 

 that case, is it best to lay down rules, when you are almost sure they will 

 not be followed? Is it not better to go slow — creep before you walk? 



Study your patrons, situdy their dispositions, as they will study 

 yours. Then when you have anything disagreeable to say, you will know 

 better how to approach them. Exercise diplomacy. Findi our, in a 

 friendly way, how they are caring for their milk; quietly suggest any 



