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ingly disastrous, will prove to be a special -providence. As the 

 chintz bug put a stop to wheat raising in northern Illinois and 

 Iowa, delegating it to the more western and newer states, so 

 this drouth has checked the excessive and unnecessary produc- 

 tion of certain cereals and taught us the value of others. In 

 other words that corn-fodder is cheaper, and if properly secured 

 is a better milk producing ration than the timothy of old. 



The great question for dairymen to-day is: How can we 

 cheapen the production of milk? Unless we can make an acre 

 of land worth seventy-dollars in Illinois produce more than the 

 same ground in Nebraska that is only worth ten dollars the 

 dairy business must " go west," and that very soon too, we 

 shall be in the position of our New York and New England 

 brethren who are begging us not to ruin them. 



The reputation of our goods will not always make us money 

 enough to compensate for the extra cost of production. 



If then we find a substitute for the expensive cured grasses 

 our close proximity to the eastern consumer will always give us 

 the advantage. 



In order to awaken enthusiasm and give instruction upon 

 this subject the directors have wisely provided for a thorough 

 discussion of the topic of ensilage during the session. 



The subject of bogus butter comes before us in a new form 

 this year. The manufacturers of this fraud, it is claimed, are 

 compelled to pay the tax imposed upon the retail dealer for his 

 license. This with the two-cent tax makes a burden grievious 

 to bear, and they are already moving upon our law-makers 

 with petitions, etc., under the pretext that they want the law 

 amended by reducing the tax and removing the license of retail 

 dealers. A close observer cannot fail to see under the half- 

 hearted enforcement of the law incalculable good to the con- 

 sumer as well as the producer of genuine butter. To be sure 

 the butterine men have not been able to manipulate the price of gilt 

 edged butter. There have been fewer booms in the market, but 

 dealers and fair minded producers will say that prices have 

 been reasonably high, and best of all, any man rich or poor need 



