The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-03-04
FARM AND HOTSFHOIp u.
Cooperation Among Butter Makers.

II Il II W = w n.y. VI hIf.f.
Cooperation Among Butter Makers.
1t is doubtful whether there is any branch
of farming economy in which more advan-
tage can be derived from cooperation than
in the making of butter, unless it be the
other department OF darying, in which the
benefit of cooperation is demonstrated by
the numerous cheese-making associations.
Butter-making subjects the farmers
wife to the necessity of doing great deal
of labor, i'll which so much regularity is
required, as to keep her almost prisoner
throughout the season; and this objection
is becoming more and more serious with
the embarrassmcnts of tho servant girl
question; dairy-work adding seriously to
the drudgery of the household. Further
more, the making of little messcs of but
ter i'll all the farm houses of the country,
fills the market with the streaky tubs of
unstable grease. SO much is this the case,
shat really tirst-class butter is rarely seen
ON sale i'll New 1ork, except i'll the hands
of a few of the fancy grocers, who make
an especial effort, and secure all the prime
lots that are offered 1t would really not
be eXtravagant to say that all the butter in
the New York market sells, on an average,
for one-thrd less than it would if the quail
ity was really excellent.
Good buttcr-makers know as well as we
can tell them, that there are very few farm
houses in which the work of the dairy is
done as it should be. From the first set
ting of the milk to the final packing for
market there is too little regularity, clean
illness, and thoroughness, and too great "A
disregard for the very important point of
temperature, for the best results to lie
obtained. Those dairy-womcn who have
the modification of seeing their butter sold
at the lowest market price, though they
may be powerless to remedy the difficulty,
will readily confess that remedy is needed.
Let us suppose that ten farmers, living
in the same neighborhood, keeping an aver
age OF ten cows each, join together in build
ing butter factory, with the necessary
MISUNDERSTANDING horsepower chuln.
an ice-house, and a supply Of cool water,
suitable for the manufacture of 700 or 500
pounds Of butter per week, or about 100
pounds per day in the hight of the season.
The buildings need not be expensive, nor
need any of the fixtures. The whole eStab-
liShment should be under the control of a
capable person, who should take pains to
inform himself, as thoroughly as possible,
on every branch of the business. lie should
he paid by the association, should keep the
accounts and attend personally to every
department of the work, and to the mar
keting of the product He would need of
course, to employ some assistance but if
the establishment were properly arral @ ID,
at least three quarters of the work required
different farm-houses, would be saved;
and as every thing would conduce to I'M
formity of quality, special market could
easily be made for the butter, which should
be prepared for sale in an attractive form,
and SO as to secure its arrival in good CON
ditlon at any season of the year.
1t would not be possible, within the scol
of a single article, to give detailed drec-
tons for the construction and the manage
ment of such Il dairy, but it should be the
first object of the association, before spend
ing Il dollar in building, to learn exactly
how everything should be done. The feas-
ibility of tho plan will be clearer if we say
that ordinary milk pans need not be used,
but that the milk, after being properly
cooled i'll summer or warmed in winter,
should lie set in watts largo enough to hold
the whole morning or evening milking Of
lliO Ou Sp"S, anu tICit SIOuItl
be sufficient hot-water apparatus for thor
oughly scaldnS all of the bulky utensils
that would be necessary
The manner in which the details of the
business should be arranged, so that even
justice should be done to all may vary
somewhat undo; different circumstances,
| but the following plan has suggested itself
to lis as practicable:
The partners forming the association
should each agree, for 4 certain number of
years, to keep at least a given number of
cows, unloss released from his obligation
by common consent. Tho association
should agree to take at least certain num-
Der of pounds of milk a day from each;
but there should be limit to the amount
it should be obliged to take in excess of
this This would insure sufficient business
for the profitable employment Of the estab-
lishmcnt, and would prevent its capacity
from being overworked. Each farmer
should be credited for all the milk delivered
at the works; but the super intcnient should
have suitable means for testing the quality
i'll case suspicion of watering" were
raised. After the milk is received at the
factory and duly credited. the farmers con-
troll of it should cease. Arrangements
should be made for the delivery of the but
ter to dealers at stated intervals. Near to
large markets, it might be sent daily and
only slightly sailed, there being, especially
i'll New York, good demand for such but
ter at high prices. Where the butter must
be packed for long shipments, each days
churning should be packed by itself, and 4
variety of tubs should he in readiness to
hold, as nearly rs possible, the amount
made each day. With the right sort of
superintendent, we have no doubt that an
advance of fully thirty per cent over the
prices now received by any ten farmers
living in the same neighborhoud, might
easily be obtained; and this alone, if there
were no other consideration, would be sul-
ticient to justify the undertaking. There
should be sufficient stock of swine to
consume the skinned milk of the estab-
lishment, unless it were found best to make
this into cheese. If swine are kept in any
numbers, it would be well to select some
pure breed, establish reputation, and let
the chief business be the selling of young
thorousli-bred pigs for breeding purposes
In closing the years business, interest
should be paid to the stock holders on the
amount of their investments, rs Il part of
the running expenses; and necessary repairs
and refitting should be paid for from the
same account All moneys remaining over
shopld be divided among the members of
the association, in proportion to the amount
of milk furnished by them. AS farmers,
with whom butter making is an important
item, often cannot wait until the end of
the year for their returns, it would be wise,
after reserving safe margin to cover in
terest, running expenses, and contingencies,
to divide the balance at tho end of each
month.
In the plan sketched above, we have vim
Dictated a means by which farmers may
secure to themselves better return from
their cows than they would have under