By Professor H. J. Waters, Dean of Agricultural College, Columbia.

Missouri is not considered a dairy State even by her own citizens. Little attention has been given to this industry in comparison with that devoted to meat, grain, and hay production, yet the census report for 1890 shows that but nine States in the union produce more milk, but ten produce more butter, and only eleven produce more cheese than Missouri. She has made no claims to a developed dairy interest, although the authority quoted above shows that in 1890 Missouri owned 851,076 milk cows, a greater number than was held by either Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan or Minnesota, all classing dairying as a leading industry.

The output in 1890 (exclusive Of city dairies) was 193,930,103 gallons of milk, 43,108,521 pounds of butter produced on farms, 1,529,647 pounds butter made at creameries; 288,62o pounds cheese made on farms ; 1,384,397 pounds cheese made at factories. In the ten years (1880 to 1890) a larger increase, both relative and actual, was made in the number of milk cows in Missouri than is shown for Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, or Michigan; the output of both butter and cheese was more than doubled the number of creameries was doubled-a better showing than is made by any of the States named. Missouri butter and cheese have won first prizes in competition with the products of the best dairies and factories of the States claiming the prestige in dairying. These facts alone are sufficient to prove the adaptability of the State to that business.

A closer examination of the material resources, however, shows :

1. . That Missouri possesses a more temperate climate than any of the leading dairy States, therefore requiring less expensive barns, and fewer days in which cows are to be in shelter; yet it is a rare season when good natural ice may not be procured in a greater part of the state.

In the average season cows are productive and comfortable on pasture, with a little grain added the last month, until the end of December or the beginning of January. In the northern States. the section now chiefly devoted to dairying the cows go into winter quarters and on full grain feed not later than October 30, 'and on the average much earlier. It may be safely asserted that the cows may remain on pasture in Missouri at least sixty days longer in the fall and go out it least twenty days earlier in the spring. This means a saving of at least three cents per day per cow in the cost of handling and bedding for eighty days, or a net saving of $2.40 per head on this item alone. It saves also at least tell cents per day per head for feed-a net saving on this item of $8 per cow. This gives the Missouri dairyman all advantage of $12.40 per head annually.

2. The mild winters, in the nature of the case, require less feed for a given yield of milk and butter than in colder climates, making another important reduction in the cost of producing milk and butter.

3. No other State in the union presents such advantages in the production of a variety Of feed, a matter essential to the Success of dairying. The cheapest of all dairy feeds, corn, is produced here as economically as in any other section of the world. The albuminous foods such as clover and cow peas, grow well here, and with these materials, the corn ration may be cheaply and easily balanced. In case wheat, bran, cotton seed, meal and linseed meal are needed to further balance this ration, as they are in all other dairy sections, Missouri is the chief distribution point for these food stuffs, and they are sold in the State for from $2 to $4 per ton less than in the north and east.

4. An abundance of good water, in every way well suited to dairying, is already provided on most farms, and in all other cases it may be had by boring from thirty to forty feet, mainly through dirt.

5. The local markets are as good as can be found in any State outside of the manufacturing districts.

6. Milk sells in St. Louis at $ 1.20 per 100 pounds through the year on average. A large proportion of the butter from the developed dairy sections finally finds its way to the great butter markets of the country and these are open to Missouri on exactly the same terms as to other sections.

In fact. it may be safely asserted that Missouri offers better natural faculties for winter dairying than any other State in the American Union.