ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
19 
commission tends to reduce the price; as a general thing 
commission men have no facilities for taking care of cheese, 
and less inclination; will always sell for what it will fetch; 
dealers strive to reduce the price, while the board system 
tends to maintain fair prices. 
C. H. Larkin wanted to know what was the meaning of 
“ regular ” and “ irregular” sales, as reported by the local 
board. 
Dr. Stone gave the desired information, by explaining that 
irregular sales were those which were consummated or closed 
after the board had adjourned, but the prices established by 
the board governed in all cases. The difference in prices was 
owing to being skimmed or full-cream cheese. The prices 
established by the Elgin Board of Trade were often one cent 
higher than the same cheese could be sold for in Chicago. 
The dealers were striving to break up the country boards. 
The Elgin dairymen and cheese makers deserve great praise 
for so firmly maintaining their board. The prices established 
by the Elgin board were fast becoming the established prices 
for the Northwest. 
J. R. McLean here made explanation as to the practical 
workings of the Elgin board. He said many car loads were 
sold off the board, but the price was fixed by the board. 
He here submitted the following report as the actual trans¬ 
actions of the Elgin Board of Trade for the year ending 
December 7, 1875: The board had a membership of eighty- 
six. About forty factories have sold their products on the 
board during the year. The number of boxes of cheese sold, 
regular' and irregular, as reported to the secretary, was 
86,904, aggregating 3,983,206 pounds. The whole number of 
pounds of butter sold during that time was 225,175. The 
total sales amounted to $540,399.15. Add to the above, 
which should have been reported as irregular, the sales of the 
Elgin Butter company, $12,470.72 worth of cheese and 
$22,131 51 worth of butter, and we have a grand total of 
