180 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



the cobwebs and dust if there be any ? Is the ceiling over the cow 

 stalls tight so that dust does not fall on he cow and in the milk 

 pail ? Is the floor dr yand smooth, so that it may be easily kept 

 clean? If such conditions do not exist then we know that you 

 are heavily handicapped in your work. It is not possible to 

 produce clean milk from dirty cows, dirty barns and dirty milk- 

 ers. I wish I could say that very few barns in Illinois are in that 

 condition, but I cannot. The great majority are in such shape 

 that the production of clean milk is well nigh impossible even 

 when the farmer has the best of intentions. 



But what about the actual condition of the milk as we find 

 it in our creameries and on our tables ? Do we really find that its 

 condition is not right? In a great many cases an examination 

 of the inside of the can after the milk is emptied will show a large 

 amount of dirt on the bottom, and if the bottled milk is allowed to 

 stand for an hour or more, all kinds of dirt may be seen through 

 the bottom of the bottle. Even milk bottled in the large cities 

 by reputable firms often contains enough dirt to be easily seen by 

 the naked eye, and we consider that about 50 per cent of the dirt 

 getting" into the milk is soluble. In more than 50 per cent of the 

 glasses of milk I buy at the restaurants in our cities I find that 

 fine, rich deposit in the bottom of the glass. I would have no 

 objection to the deposit on my garden, but scarcely appreciate it 

 in the milk. 



We must admit, therefore, that a large part of the milk is 

 far from clean, but supposing that is true, what difference does 

 it make? Our fathers have used that kind of milk for genera- 

 tions and the previous generations are said to be healthier than 

 ours. Of course that is not altogether true, and if it was true it 

 would only prove that the former generations had not lived and 

 eaten in such a way as to give health and strength to their descen- 

 dants. Will the milk hurt anyone? Is it dangerous to use it? 

 Can we not make good butter and cheese from it? If it is per- 

 fectly healthy and we have lately become squeamish about the 

 matter, and been working up a fad, let us admit it and cease to 

 harrow up the feelings of the farmer by telling him 



