ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 25 



the flow of milk, and if continued prematurely dry up the cow. A change of 

 milkers for the same cow is injurious, also irregularity as to the time of milking. 

 Treat the cow kindly and gently at all times, give plenty of nutritious food and 

 clear, fresh water, and if any fragments are lost it will not be her fault. 



In regard to the care of the milk and the manufacture of butter and cheese, 

 I leave that for those who are in the business, but I judge from what I learn in 

 regard to the merit of the cheese produced from the skimmed milk in some of 

 the factories, that there is not much fragment of value left for the pigs. 



As the breeding and raising of stock is closely identified with dairying, I 

 will refer to that briefly. Cattle were among the first created things, and were 

 prominent in the property of the antedeluvians. A fragment was preserved 

 in the ark of Noah, the increase from which soon covered the hills of Chaldea 

 and the fruitful valleys of the Jordan. The patriarchs were rich in cattle. In 

 those early times the cattle breeders were not unskillful in management, when 

 their personal interest was a part of the consideration. The breeding of a par- 

 ticular kind of color has perhaps not found a rival since Jacob's time, when to 

 get even with his selfish father-in-law, whom he had served fourteen years to 

 obtain the wife of his choice, and who he declared had changed his wages ten 

 times, he resorted to such scheming as increased only the white and red 

 streaked, which by contract were to be his share. While we would not com- 

 mend his example, it indicates that the inventions of man are not contined to 

 these later years, which may be called the cranky period, as evidenced by the 

 Colorado gentleman who desired to improve his heard of cattle by obtaining a 

 cross between the American goat and the Jersey, but was restrained when 

 informed that while it might be an improvement upon the Jersey it would be 

 ruinous to the goat. That great improvements have been made in the breeds 

 of cattle, both as to milk producers and market value for beef, is evident. The 

 Durham and Hereford for meat, the Devon for symmetry of form and purity of 

 color, the Holstein, the Ayrshire and the Jersey for quantity and quality of 

 milk, have added a material fragment to the value of the farm and dairy, esti- 

 mated at about 35 per cent, of the total value of the cattle. 



Another fragment, to which I will refer particularly, is the fragment of 

 experience. In employing a salesman, or clerk, his experience is considered 

 as giving value to his services. If a person is employed as a butter or cheese 

 maker, his value to his employer depends largely upon his experience as such. 

 So I would say to every farmer or dairyman, appropriate to your own personal 

 benefit the fragments of experience possessed by your elders and superiors so 

 far as they are available for you. Miss Experience is an expensive teacher, 

 though many prefer to risk the expense and learn directly from her. The 

 father who chews tobacco or smokes his pipe or cigar, remonstrates with 

 his boy, who follows his example, saying by way of argument, that he has seen 

 the folly of it. The manly son considers the point not well taken and the argu- 

 ment as worthless ; he proposes to see the folly of it, too. Susan sees her 

 mother absorbed in a book which she takes particular pains to keep secreted 

 when not reading. If discovered, as it is sure to be if any mystery is connected 

 with it, the dear mother informs her darling that it is not a suitable book for 

 her to read. Susan prefers to be her own judge in the matter, and spends the 

 midnight hours in poisoning her mind and ruining her soul with the vile, 



