154 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



suits. Our dairymen had him come back several times and have 

 learned from experience that he knows his business, tnat he can 

 go out on the farm and do what he tells you to do, that he has 

 tried all these things on his own farm. Between sixty and sev- 

 enty silos have been built near Effingham, a great saving to us 

 farmers. We follow the gentleman's advice to our profit. 



Mr. Spies : I have never had to take anything back that I 

 said at a dairyman's meeting because I learned my lesson in the 

 school of experience. As far back as twenty years ago my net 

 profits from fifty head of registered Holstein cows was $102.50 

 per cow after all expenses were paid and a calf for good meas- 

 ure to boot. 



Chairman : How would you go to work to start the dairy 

 industry in a new territory ? 



Mr. Spies : We have here with us a dairyman who started 

 in under my advice, Mr. Causey. He had seven common cows, 

 after the first year four were found unprofitable and he disposed 

 of them and I found him ten high grade Holstein cows that I 

 had brought from Wisconsin the year before. He bought these 

 ten cows, at the same time bought a registered Holstein sire, he 

 raised the heifer calves and has now got a fine herd of profitable 

 cows. 



Chairman: After you get the cows you would weigh the 

 milk, take sample tests for butter fat, weigh the feed and keep 

 a record of these cows ? 



Mr. Spies : I certainly would, and remember that the sire 

 is over one-half the herd; get the best. 



Mr. Wiggins : Mr. Causey says that each cow averaged 

 him $153.00 per year, and if the feed cost $53.00, that would 

 leave $100.00 net, now figure the depreciation at $10.00, the 

 labor would cost $18.00 per year per cow, that would net him 

 $72.00 per cow. 



Mr. Causey : I do not hire any labor. 



Mr. Wiggins : Then you are that much ahead. Your ten 

 cows then would bring you in $1,000.00 per year. Mr. Mason 

 says he had fifty-five cows and they netted him $1,900.00. 



