16 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



chinery. It is necessary to add from time to time new machines 

 of modern efficiency and perfection. It costs no more to operate 

 them and the producing powers are greater and the finished 

 products better. Do not forget the important fact that your cow 

 is a hve machine, a most comphcated and yet simple one. If she 

 is properly fed the raw material, and you, the operator, use good 

 common horse sense she will turn out for you a good finished 

 product. 



Milk is the most important article of food we use in our 

 homes. The health and integrity of our people depend upon the 

 quality of milk our children are raised upon. On the dairy 

 farm we are inclined to overlook the health standpoint and reach 

 only for the dollars our cows will bring in. Do not be afraid of 

 modern sanitary methods for producing and caring for milk. 

 The very life of our dairy herd depends upon the sanitary con- 

 ditions of our stables and the health of the cows. 



Our National and State Agricultural Schools are employing 

 the best talent in the world to investigate the best methods of 

 conducting the dairy business ; do not fail to grasp the oppor- 

 tunities of obtaining knowledge from them. 



With increased cost of producing dairy products we are 

 bound to meet with considerable difficulty in securing a sufficient 

 increase in the selling price so as to allow us to make a reason- 

 able profit. I believe the public are willing to pay a fair price 

 for the good products. But we dairymen will have to promote 

 quite a campaign of education to demonstrate what good pro- 

 ducts are. 



Our creamery men in the past year have done a large busi- 

 ness and obtained satisfactory prices for their products. They 

 have found it necessary to be constantly on the alert to prevent 

 the unlawful competition of oleomargarine factories. We must 

 all be united in this matter and be constantly on guard to protect 

 our dairy products. We should not neglect a single opportunity 

 to impress upon Congress and the Legislature the importance of 

 protecting pure butter against the counterfeit products of cotton 

 seed oil and packing house fats. Congress provides for the 

 manufacture of oleo and we cannot restrict the output, but we 

 can consistently insist that it be sold as oleo and not as pure 

 butter. We must see that it is properly labeled and stamped. 



