FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL CONVENTION 225 



discuss questions relating to the future development of this 

 great industry. I say, this great industry, because on nearly 

 8i% of the farms of this country, according to the census of 

 1910 there were about 22,000,000 dairy cows. In other words, 

 on nearly 5)4 million farms in. this nation dairying is carried on 

 to a greater or less extent. The same census report shows that 

 the value of the dairy products not including the milk and cream 

 consumed on the farm, amounted to seven hundred million dol- 

 lars, which if included with the increase up to the present time 

 it would be safe to say that the business means to the agricul- 

 ture of this country over a billion dollars. 



This is only part of the story. It is universally conceded 

 that to increase fertility some form of animal industry must be, 

 practiced. One of these branches is dairying. It is perhaos the 

 best business educator, because the farmer soon learns whether 

 he is doing business at a profit or loss. It gives employment the 

 year round, and has a wide adaptation of country. It furnishes 

 the most healthful and most nutritious and the cheapest food 

 product known. It has changed great sections of this country 

 from non-profitable farming into a prosperous agriculture. 



In one of the great dairy states in the past ten years the 

 average of wheat has decreased 25%, the acreage of corn has 

 increased 73% and the livestock has increased 20%. As I have 

 said ,it furnishes work the year round for everyone on the farm, 

 no vacations, and never out of a job. 



That all this work is done very cheap can be nO' better ex- 

 plained than by one who is at the head of the dairy business in 

 one of the great dairy states of the Union and who writes : ''The 

 dairyman appreciates that he should receive an inconie that will 

 pay him a manager's salary as well as the necessary amount to 

 pay running expenses. If it were not, however, for the sale of 

 surplus stock, I fear that the dairy products alone would not 

 enable the farmer to consider his business of dairying a profit- 

 able one." 



The president of a large corporation, who also farms near 

 a large city, called at our ofiice a few days ago and said he was 

 selling milk at eight cents a quart, that it didn't pay him, and 



