ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 231 



Dairymen of Southern Illinois, of Effingham and adjoining coun- 

 ties, wherever you may be and whatever your perplexities, you 

 must study your individual cows. You cannot hope for success 

 without knowing their capacity. I feel that I know something 

 about your conditions, for I have been upon your farms and in 

 your homes. I have studied your soil and your crops and the 

 way they are handled, as well as your farm buildings and their 

 arrangement. I have seen you feed and milk unprofitable cows 

 and pile your precious manure near the running brook, where its 

 valuable constituents steal away ere you are aware. For these 

 reasons I have spoken to you plainly with the hope of arousing 

 greater interest in this vital problem. Bare figures are dry in 

 themselves, yet they often throw a flood of light upon a burning 

 question. I am interested in every dairy herd, for its problems 

 are numerous and their correct solution of profound significance. 

 Are you interested in your own herd? Do you care to increase 

 your return $20.00 per cow? Will you do your part to increase 

 the production of dairy products in Illinois $16,000,000 per year? 

 It can be done in four years if every man will put his shoulder 

 to the wheel and lift. Don't be afraid of over production, for 

 the world is full of people willing to pay a fair price for clean 

 milk, butter and cheese. Learn to produce cheaply with profit- 

 able cows and your success is assured. Use a pure-bred sire, 

 dispose of the poor cows, and the good ones will pay for the farm, 

 send the children to college and provide you a comfortable home. 

 However far you may stray from the path of approved agricul- 

 tural practice, you may come back to the dairy cow with full 

 assurance that a reasonable amount of effort will receive its meas- 

 ure of success. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Lindley 



— How does that compare with northern Illinois: 

 — They don't test quite as high, that's all. 

 — How long have you been at this work ? 



