ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 01 



pursuing this phase of the business as a life work. The progress 

 and development of the dairy industry as a whole has been very 

 slow in this country, and it may be justly said that it is within 

 the last thirty or forty years that the manufacturing side has 

 amde any progress or improvement. But it may also be justly 

 said that the development has been so great and the improve- 

 ments so perfect that the best of results are obtainable, if the 

 principles, which have been worked out and are being taught 

 by the leading dairymen and by the professors in the various 

 dairy schools, are observed. There is a great field of opportunity 

 yet. Time has not yet permitted an extensive growth of the 

 new-born facts; and at the present time, there seems to be a 

 great need of educated buttermakers. 



Fifty years ago, the creamery men were confronted by a 

 different proposition than they are today. At that time, the 

 enterprise depended entirely upon the skill and judgment of the 

 butter or cheesemaker, and there were very few who obtained 

 what today are called good results. They were handicapped in 

 those days. They had no machinery; none of the modern 

 facilties, and no rules to go by but their own sound judgment 

 and the few things they might observe and gain by practical 

 experience. Practical experience, of course, is today one of the 

 best recommendations for a buttermaker. He must know how 

 to do the work and all about the different implements in use. But 

 to get the best results and the greatest profit, he must look into 

 the theory of dairying; he must put it into use and apply it every 

 day. To do this the buttermaker must have a liberal education. 

 First, he must have a scientific knowledge of his work, and a 

 chemical knowledge of the constituents of milk and its products ; 

 know something about bacteriology, and fully appreciate the im- 

 portance of those tiny organisms, termed bacteria, living in milk, 

 and understand their action upon the same. In fact, he should 

 have a fairly broad view of the interesting and vital study, the 

 science of dairying. Second, he must have a fair knowledge of 

 the English language and be able to read and write intelligently. 



