The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-03-02
THE NORTHWESTERN DAIRY.
MEMS ASSOCIATION.

The seventeenth annual meeting of
the above named association was held
at Mankato, Mimi, February II, Is
and lG, and was attended by delegates
from all the Northwestern States
The meetings were larger than for
years past, and reminded the old
members Of meetings held u dozen
years ago, in this section when the
farmers were beginning to inquire
whether they could not engage In
dairyirg in the Northwest with pro-
tit.
The programme for the convention
was arranged with special reference
to the wants of the people In that
section, giving them the a Il Z ofthe
business. Us it were. They were
found TO be apt scholars, attentive
listeners, eager and intelligent ques.
TONERS, and ready To accept the
teachings of those gentlemen from
Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, who
had been successful in dairying, and
who were prepared to give them
facts. figures and rules of practice for
their guidance
Practical and eminently successful
butter makers, men who sell their
butter on the Elgin Board of Trade.
were there To instruct, and well did
they perform their task. The au-
dience listened attentively. ques.
toned closely, extracting all the in
formation possible from the speakers.
Probably one ot the best features
of the meeting WAS the illustrated
lecture given 10y DIR. +. \. a. Grange,
veterinary surgeon Of il Canadian
college, OH the diseases Of animals,
especially cows during their parturi.
ton state. This lecture WAS well
illustrated, which enabled the audi.
ence to better understand it. 1t was
delivered in il pleasant, comprehen-
sive manner, and few who heard it
would fail to remember the instruc-
tions. DR.. Grange is IA modest, quiet,
unassuming gentleman, devoted to
his profession. scholar lar above
the average. and the Elgin delegates
who heard him were unanimous in
their expression that could he be Sc.
cured for two or three days lecture
here it would be worth thousands of
dollars to the dairymen of this vicin.
ity, and we believe an effort should
be made to secure him. The secre-
tary OF the association will CORE.
spond with DR.. G., and ascertain, ii
he can be secured, and upon what
terms. We know in the past our
dairymen have paid for lectures which
were of little use To them and now
we think they have IN opportunity of
securing something that will be- OF
great benefit to them.
We cannot, at this time, speak in
detail Of the papers presented or the
discussions which followed. These
will all appear in the forthcoming
volume To be issued by the secretary
during the latter part of next month ;
and, as the proceedings were stenO-
graphically reported, the volume Will
he one of great value to dairy farm.
erS and stock raisers everywhere.
Persons desiring single copies can
obtain them by addressing the secre-
tary, at Elgin, and enclosing 30 cts.
or four or more copies at rs cents
each, that being the price fixed upon
by the association.
The farmers in Southern Minnesota
find that the wheat crop is not reli-
able, and Of necessity they must turn
their attention to dairying and stock
raising. Corn, oats, barley, rye. and
root crops produce abund antly. while
they have the most bountiful hay
crop, and of excellent quality, too.
So abundant is the lay crop in South.
ern and Southwestern Minnesota that
number Ut gentlemen offered to cut
and stack any number OF tons at 81
per ton. The climate is favorable
for the production Of fine butter and
cheese, while water is to be found
everywhere. The winters are long
and severe, but with good stables,
barns, or sheds, and the abundance
of feed they have. they can make
their cattle as comfortable rs we can
in Illinois. Bran and oil meal can be
procured there cheaper than here and
the opinion prevails that Minnesota,
with her cheap feed and cheap lands.
will soon be prominent AS a dairy
State.
The railroad companies, those pig.
cons which nearly everyone feels that
he has right to pluck, are doing
much to develop this industry in that
State, and will hail the day when
they Can carry the hay, corn. wheat
and other grains of the State to mar
ket in the butter-tub AID cheeSe.boX,
rather than to carry it in bulk as is
now done. The officers of the lead.
ing lines of railway extending through
the dairy sections OF Illinois, WiscOn.
sin and Iowa, know THAT the intro.
duction of dairying IN Minnesota
means a larger population, more pas.
Senger traffic, and an equal, if not u
larger amount of freight for trans
pOrtatiOn, hence they lend Il helping
hand in developing this industry.
MankatO is in the center OF rich
agricultural region, has three railway
lines, and has Il population Of between
5000 and 1000 people. Her business
men are enterprising. shrewd and far
seeing, liberal in the right direction,
and possessing such elements, there
can be no failure there in this, to
them, new mode of farming. Incle
iDent and threatening rs the weather
was, the sessions of the convention
were largely attended by farmers,
some Of whom travelled over one
hundred miles to be present so that
they might cary the good news to
their neighbOrs at home. We call to
mind Il young farmer who walked
twelve miles through snow storm
that he might not miss "a single ses-
sion, and at the close said that he had
learned enough to fully compensate
him if he had walked fifty miles. Oi
such stuff are some of the Minnesota
farmers made, and can they fail. in
any legitimate business they under.
take!
a pleasant feature of the conven
ton WAS the banquet held on Friday
evening, where the good things OF
life were dispensed with liberal
hand, and where sentiment flowed
freely for several hours.
The press Of Mankato and the State
are doing Il good work in aiding the
farmers, and they should not be slow
in secOnding their efforts.
While at MankatO we met l.. "A.
Wood. of Lake Crystal, Mimi, "a son.
ln.law of Robert Stringer. OF this
and +. q. Pride, of James.
Vile, MIMI, formerly of Darlington,
a brother-in-law of N. ". Hendrick.
son, of Elgin. The latter obtained
the second premium offered by the
American Salt Co., for butter sailed
with Onondaga salt; Horton Giliis, of
county, ILL.,, and member
Of the Elgin board of trade, got the
first premium. The Higgins silver
cuu WAS taken by VIM. Fowler, of |