34 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



seven years ago; all of the officers and speakers at that 

 meeting have long ago passed to their reward, but me. 

 D. E. Wood was the last one. 



In the past century — or fifty-five years — I have seen 

 the sloughs tiled out, the trees and stones and stumps re- 

 moved, large barns and good buildings built, fine farms 

 improved, fine dairy herds, and good roads made. Today 

 we have in this Fox River Valley a Dairy District second to 

 none. I have always had unlimited faith in agriculture and 

 no branch of it offers greater opportunities than dairying, 

 and the future looks brighter today than ever. While re- 

 alizing that I am coming down to the "evening of life," and 

 retiring from this association, it cannot but bring a tinge of 

 sadness after the years of mingling with the members and 

 officers, and directors that have always been loyal and true. 





