The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-02-07

knowledge acquired by individual appli-
cation, among the masses. This can best
be accomplished by organized effort, by
public and private discussions, by the free
communication, and publication. Of those
isolated facts derived from personal ex.
perience
There are many subjects pertaining to
this business, of scientific and intricate
nature, the investigation OF which, though
best pursued by individual application, is
necessarily attended with so much
trouble, loss Of time, and expense, that
the farmer of ordinary means, whose at.
tention is wholly occupied as is usually
the case, by the demands of business, can
not afford to investigate them. This
should be accomplished by associated ef-
fort, and those questions settled, by re-
pcated experiments, and the application
OF such thorough tests, that the results
when reached can not longer be matters
Of doubt. The mental deductions of in
dividuals of experience even, are not
always correct, and their practice in con-
sequence is often defective. But by dis
cussion and comparison with the opinions
and practice Of others, such errors are
recti6ed, and uniformity in practice, and
products, established between them.
Much work Of this nature remains to be
done among us, before this uniformity
can be established, and the quality, and
reputation, of our butter so improved,
that it will uniformly command the
highest prices in the markets and return
the highest attainable profit to its pro-
duccrs.
MONT.
In the art of butter making, especial
ly, this work is imperatively demanded
That progressive spirit to which have
alluded, has scarcely commenced its work
Of improvement. among us, in this branch
of industry Wherever it is plainly
manifested, its results are apparent. The
wares Of the individual, or community,
where it predomnates, and is intelligent
ly practiced, invariably improved in
quality and advance in reputation. They
are sought for by the best customers in
the markets, and often command a price
many times greater, than the opposite ex.
treme in quality.
DO the pecuniary returns, received for
Vermont butter, indicate the possession
and practice of this spirit. on the part of
a vast majority of its producers ? In the
department of cheese making, it is evil
IDENTIFY at work among us, and with truly
gratifying results. But are not the de-
tails of butter making now practiced by
the mass of Vermont butter makers,
precisely the same as those practiced by
their fathers fifty years ago? Where
slight improvements have been made, is
not the system, or rather want of system,
almost invariably the same? Had our
fathers then reached that degree of per-
fection in the art, which rendered i'm
provement impossible? ?
The earnest calls for better article
which come to us from the markets, the
eagerness manifested BY consumers to
obtain the best, the extreme prices paid
for the choicest articles when found. all
attest the fact that the ntellects Of the
intelligent dairymen Of Vermont, have
not been thoroughly aroused to the wants
the necessities, of their calling.
Let it not be understood, that | admit
that VIC are behind the world around us,
in this matter. | speak of Vermont
practices and products, only because | am
speaking to Nermonters, and for the
benefit of Nermonters These remarks,
will apply with equal force to every other
section of the country, with few limited
exceptions. The well established charac-
ter of the Vermont farmer for enterprise,
should place him in the front rank in this
department of agriculture as it has al
ready in many others. 1t should not
allow him to rest contented, with mere
mediocrity in his attainments in this
direction.
1t is matter OF reproach to Vermont
dairymen, that while strictly prime
article of butter will sell in Boston Market
for one dollar per b., the great mass OF
our butter does not sell for scarcely one
third of that sum, have seen in that
r market, within the last month, butter
which was manufactured in December, fol
f which the dealer paid the producers one
dollar per h., and sold the same to the
q consumer for one dollar and ten cent
per lb., while our best, fall made, Yer.
mont butter, was selling in the same
. market for less than one half that sum
n Now it matters not to the producer, oil
. to us, whether that article was really
worth as much more to the consumer
3 than our Vt. butter, ms the price PAD
| would seem to Indicate. Or whether
the extra price received, was in consid
i GRAFTON in part. Of the known uniformity
= and excellence of his products, for which
consideration the consumer was willing t.
h pay.
!. The fact that our neighbors of Orang,
). Go. n. Y. receive nearly twice as mucl
, per pound for their butter. as we of VT. il
just as much matter of reproach to us
o if one half of the extra price which the,
receive, is plainly in consequence of thu
n superior reputation of their butter, i
"a that reputation is based upon its actua
! and known uniformity. Ifthe confidenc,
/. Of the consumers in this uniformity wa
It destroyed by sending the same butter t,
4 market Unfortunately with an equa
i. amount of poorer grades, this extra pric
h could not be obtained. Like poor Tray
it suffers when found in bad company
Every pound Of poor butter which goe
l. to market from W., thus affects indirect
y, the interests of those who produce
le superior quality, and sell in the sam
Al market
't The advantages of Il good reputation
l. are universally admitted, and acted upo
st in every department of manufacturing
lie business. And in no other, are its ben
efcial effects more valuable to its possess
ar or, than in that of butter making. .
j. The aggregate loss to the dairymen Q