1920.] The British Dairy Farmers' Association. 643 



country to discuss matters of importance to dairy farmers. 

 These Conferences have since been a regular feature of the 

 work of the Association. People engaged in dairying have been 

 brought together and enabled to discuss matters affecting their 

 industry to their mutual interest. The practical and scientific 

 man has had the opportunity of exchanging views, each learning 

 from the other the directions in which possibilities of improve- 

 ment might lie. The Conferences have not been confined to this 

 country, but have been held in many parts of the Continent, thus 

 enhancing their educational value and making them more than 

 national in scope. 



It is difficult to estimate the value of the Conferences. The 

 pleasure of social intercourse, the excitement of new scenes and 

 the sense of a holiday which absence from home and the daily 

 task gives to each of us, has caused some people to regard them 

 as pleasure trips. Their real value, however, has been educa- 

 tional, affecting not only individuals attending, but also, through 

 printed reports, far greater numbers who were unable to attend. 

 The Conferences, in fact, have had an important beneficial 

 effect, of international magnitude, upon the dairy industry. 



Education. — While the leaders were striving to improve the 

 dairy industry, there were few signs that the rising generation 

 were studying the progress which had been made. To encourage 

 a proper study of dairy science and practice, the Association in 

 1887 offered to award a Diploma to each successful candidate, 

 and an examination was held for this purpose. The results were 

 not satisfactory, and in the following year a Dairy Institute for 

 the instruction of pupils was opened near Aylesbury, Mr. John 

 Benson being appointed Manager and Instructor. 



Much of the progress of the last thirty years may be traced 

 to these examinations and to the instruction given in dairying. 

 The Institute became a centre which attracted the best ability 

 and from which for many years the leading teachers in this 

 country were sent out. Many of these themselves became 

 trainers of new workers. 



It was the presence of these numerous skilled workers in the 

 dairy industry during the War which largely enabled the industry 

 at home to survive the numerous and draslic changes which were 

 imposed upon it. 



No review of the educational work of the Association would be 

 complete without reference to the invaluable service rendered 

 by Dr. Augustus Voelcker. From the beginning of the Associa- 

 tion's activities he urged the importance of the application of 



