Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-12-25
BUTTER FACTORIES.

Mr. Arnold's statement in an article print
cd on the first page of this paper that Yer.
mont butter is mostly made in families is
true, but we hope the time is not far in the
distance when butter factories shall be as
numerous as the cheese factories now are, or
as butter factories are in some parts Of New
York. The enterprise of Mr.. M. 4. Mar
shall, at North Clarendon, is good step in
this direction, and we hope Mr.. Marshal
will report to the FARMER his success, and
any lessons which he may have learned in
introducing the enterprise in this state.
The arguments in favor of the factory
system, so numerous and forcible in the case
of cheese factories, are equally applicable
to the manufacture of butter. The advan-
tage of having a uniform quality for the en-
tire product of neighborhood, and selling the
whole through one competent agent, as well
as of bringing to bear the best of skill, which
would not be available for individual manu-
facturers, are of much value, but what we
regard as the greatest advantage of the fac
tory system is the relief of the struggling,
over-taxed wives of our farmers from the
arduous burdens of the care of large dairy.
Hundreds, yes thousands Of farmers wives
sleep under the sod to-day, brought there
prematurely by the wearing out of the sys-
tenn under a never-ceasing round Of toll and
drudgery,-the days work never done, and
the poor, tired body getting barely rest
enough to begin to know how sweet rest is,
and then starting again on the same tread
mill round of existence.
Moving machines, rcapers, rakes, thrash
ers, and everything else conceivable almost,
have been introduced to lesson the labor Of
men, but woman must 60 unaided. To be
sure, the sewing machine has been brought
into the household but it can only affect
very small share of the work of the farmers
wife, and in nine cases out of ten the burden
instead of being diminished by the introduce
ton of the sewing machine is increased, be-
cause the farmer thinks it would be absurd
to hire any of the work done snow you have
a machine, you know" and for the same rea-
son many garments are made in ways re-
curing far more labor than formerly
Then there is the washing machine,
which more likely than not it is more
labor to use than to do the washing by hand,
and the wringer, real blessing if one has
good one.
But here is a chance to reduce the labor
in the regular line Of the employment of our
farmers wives. The milk may be carried
to the butter or cheese factory, and the
weary housewife can then find plenty to
busy herself about. And how much hap
pier and more pleasant will be the evening
hour than after long day of toll, scrubbing
pans and pals, skimming milk, working over
butter and packing it down, until backache
and heartache make the wife appear fretful,
cross, and tired, all the time and who would
wonder that she is so
Husband, it is your duty, as well as for
your interest, to labor for the introduction
Of the butter and cheese factory,-your duty
to her who is patiently bearing this burden
and walking down, step by step, into the
dark valley of shadows, your duty to the
cause Of humanity, and to God. And if
there be brute so lost to the feelings of hu-
manity which ought to animate every heart
that these considerations will not move him,
we add, there is money in it. 1t pays, in
dollars aud cents. Try it.
This talk about farmers wives wearing
out their lives prematurely is not the work
of imagination; it is solemn fact Ask
any intelligent physician, and he will tell you
that thousands are being hurried down to
death by over-exertion. We see their pale,
weary faces on every hand,-bravc, noble
women, who entered upon the responsible.
ties and duties of married life full Of hope,
courage, and determination, but whose very
courage and ambition are leading them to
their own destruction by overtaxing them
selves. Think of it, brothers aud sisters of
the farm, and tell us if you do not believe
we want more butter factories in Vermont,
where butter making takes such high rank
among our industries, Talk the matter up
in the grange and the farmers club, and then
take action upon it.