Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-12-27
Dnirrmen,s Cnnrentions.

The rapid advance OF systematic
dairving in this country is chiefly due
10 the conventions Of the persons who
have been engaged in the business.
AS DON as cooperative diaries were
established in central New York the
nat rons began TO hold meetings with
a vi ew of gaining information from
each other on the best ways Of manag-
ing c ows, taking care of milk, manu-
featuring butter and cheese, and dis
posing Of dairy products. These
local meetings were Of great value TO
the persons who attended them They
were schools Of practical instruction.
They gave rise to the formation of the
American Dairymans association,
whose proceedings were published
each wear and distributed in many
portions of the country. The great
GOOD accomplished by this association
caused others to be formed in the
western states and the Canadian
provinces.
The annual conventions OF these as
sociations brought together a large
number Of earnest men and women
who were engaged in the business of
keeping cows for milk or the manu-
facture of butter and cheese. At these
meetings addresses were delivered by
persons of scientific attachments on
the composition and production of
milk, and the changes it undergoes
previous to and during the time it is
converted INTO butter and cheese
These annual gatherings Were also
| largely IN the nature of experience
meetings Persons who had been
very successful in the production Of
milk or the manufacture of superior
butter or cheese We're asked TO state
their manner of procedure. They
We're notinfrequently called upon to-
answer all sorts of inquiries. There
was no keeping back Of secrets. As a
rule every person attendinga conven-
ton felt it his duty to tell all he knew
that would tend to advance the in
terest in viii IN his hearers were en-
gagged.
BY degrees these conventions devo-
ted attention to othermatters then the
management Of milk aud manufac
ture of butter and cheese. The breeds
of cows, the construction of barns,
the best feed for dairy stock, the cool
ing and transportation of milk, the
disposition of skinned milk and
whey, and the marketing of dairy
products all received consideration
Dairymen were among the first agri-
cultural producers to move in the
matter of securing better facilities for
transportation. The establishment
of dairy boards of trady was the re-
suit of the action taken in these con
ventions. Their establishment put
an end to the credit system in the
sale of dairy products. They caused
the purchasers to come to the place
where butter and cheese were made
in large quantities. They put stop
to sending dairy products to commits
sion merchants in distant cities to be
sold on long timc and subject to great
losses in shrinkage in weight and
deterioration caused by want of pro
per care and attention.
Through the action of conventions
of dairymen butter and cheese pro
duced in factories are now chiefly
sold i'm the towns where they are
made for cash. The weight is ascer-
tanned on scales belonging to the local
board OF trade. The money is paid
over before the butter and cheese
change hands The establishment of
dairy boards of trade has afforded an
opportunity for the managers Of fac
tories to put their names on all the
packages of butter and cheese they
sell. BY so doing they are able to
gain and keep a reputation if they de
serve to have one. Before dairy
boards Of trade were established it
was the practice of commission mer
chants to put any name they chose
on the packages that were consigned
to them. BY that means they could
prevent any new factory from gain
ing a reputation for its products.
They could also prejudice the public
against certain sections of the coun-
try as dairy regions.
The conventions of dairymen have
performed a large amount of good
missionary work. Recently it has
become the custom to change the
place of holding them nearly every
year. Persons engaged in general
farming attend a dairy convention if
1 it is held near to the place where they
1 live. They listen to the addresses,
! papers, and discussion and become
/ interested in them. Many of them
become convinced that dairying /,
more profitable then grain-raisine
and meat production, and make ar
engagements to adopt the latter indus
/ try. The publication of the proceed
/ ings of dairy conventions has called
! the attention of the public to the
profits of dairying and the best
methods of conducting the business
I The proceedings of most of the con.
ventions have been published in book
or pamphlet form and sold at a low
price to persons who are not members
/ of the association
At the meetings. of most Of the as
sociations there are now displays Of
butter and cheese and the variou,
utensils used for handling. storing
and manufacturing milk Thes,
afford excellent opportunities 70.
comparing samples. Doubtless thes,
meetings might be rendered more