56 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



in the courthouse. The attendance was large and at the meeting it was 

 decided to organize the Sangamon County Buttermakers' Association, 

 and later, December 8th and 9th, 1898, the first butter show, under the 

 auspices of farmers' wives, was held in Springfield It was a great suc- 

 cess, both as to the number and quality of the entries, and large attend- 

 ance. 



Prizes were offered for three-pound pail of butter, three pounds ot 

 print butter, and three-pound pail of Jersey butter, made in each of the 

 twenty-five townships in the county. Nearly one hundred premiums 

 In cash and merchandise for the exhibits, which numbered 234, were do- 

 nated by the merchants of Springfield, who have manifested a lively 

 interest in the enterprise from, the inception of the movement. In 

 order to complete the history of this undertaking, the names of the 

 ladies having charge of the first exhibition are herewith given, viz: 

 President, Mrs. Eva Springer; Vice President, Mrs. B. M. Coffman; 

 Secretary, Mrs. E. A. Sterling; Treasurer, Mrs. James A. Stone; Execu- 

 tive Committee, Mrs. Marth Duval. Mrs. E. S. Johnson, Mrs. Ed Brad- 

 ford, Mrs. Isaac Poorman, and Miss Mary Tabler. 



The interest awakened by the large and excellent exhibit of butter, 

 encouraged the association to hold meetings in all portions of the county 

 for the discussion of all matters pertaining to the dairy cow, the best 

 rations for butter, and the methods of caring for milk, cream, the making 

 and selling of butter. 



The meetings held in various portions of the county have been well 

 attended, and interesting papers, containing much valuable and practi- 

 cal information on dairy matters, have been presented and discussed. 



The meetings held during the suiamer have partaken of the order 

 of a basket picnic, each family taking its lunch and horse feed, and all 

 uniting and eating dinner on long tables arranged in the shade of trees. 

 Recitations and music, interspersed with the exercises, have made the 

 meetings entertaining as well as instructive. 



The second annual exhibit of butter of the Sangamon County Butter- 

 makers' Association was held November 7, 8, and 9, 1899, under the 



