ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 13 



for it need not be so. Stock can be made comfortable in stables that will not 

 cost for lumber to exceed four dollars per head of stock. 



The pig, a necessary adjunct of dairying, is the, least understood and the 

 poorest cared for of any of our farm animals. Many of us keep them until 

 eighteen months old to make them weigh 350 pounds, when we might make 

 them weigh 300 pounds at nine months of age and double the profit by the 

 short method. 



Now let us take a look at the past year's work in dairying. The dairymen 

 have realized less for their milk in 1885 than they did in 1884. Taking our home 

 factory dividends as a basis to figure on, the calendar year of 1885 was 14 per 

 cent, lower than 1884. Comparing the eight months from May to December, 

 inclusive of the two years, and 1885 was 7 per cent, lower than 1884. Comparing 

 May, June, July and August of the two years, and 1885 was 4 per cent, lower 

 than 1884. 



Now, who will tell us why there is but 4 per cent, difference in the summer 

 months of 1884 and of 1885, when there is 14 per cent, difference for the whole 

 year? is it probable that bogus butter has anything to do with it? 



Taking the highest price of hogs in each month of 1884 and 1885, I find 

 that 1885 has been 30 per cent, lower than 1884. 



Taking the beef market in the same way and I find that 1885 was 14 per 

 cent lower than 1884. Horses have been at least 15 per cent, lower in 1885 

 than in 1884. I do not see that the dairymen have cause to complain 

 of their work so much as most other lines of farm work. Let us not loose our 

 grip, but go on with our work and improve our dairies by weeding out the cows 

 that make us no profit and filling their places with the offspring of those that do 

 make us a profit. One thing is certain, that milk producing will always be 

 more profitable for a term of years than other lines of farm work, for this 

 reason: farmers will not milk cows unless it pays better than other lines of farm 

 work which are not so confining. Let us hold our grip; those that drop out of 

 the line now will feel like kicking themselves or asking their neighbors to do it 

 before they can get back into line again. Most of us have seen dairy products 

 lower than they have been the past season. I have had choice creamery butter 

 sell in New York for 14)4 cents per pound. 



The bogus butter question is one that demands the attention of all producers 

 and consumers of pure butter. 



Probably you all know that the National Butter, Cheeae and Egg Associa- 

 tion held its convention in Chicago at the time of the Fat Stock and Dairy Show. 

 All the dairy States were represented and many of them by delegations. The 

 main question under discussion was butterine and oleomargarine. The conven- 

 tion spent most of its time on this important question. The bogus butter men 

 were completely routed in the convention, but at the same time they were 

 deluding our State Board of Agriculture, the Board having at a meeting, 

 before which the butterine men appeared and pleaded their case, decided to admit 

 butterine to be placed on exhibition in a room adjoining the dairy show. I don't 

 understand why our State Board did not give us an opportunity to defend our 

 cause; I am confident that they would have acted far different if they had heard 

 our side of the case. 



It seems hardly fair to have our friends accept statements from our known 



