The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-05-21
Official Press OF King County.
Tuesday, May 81, 1873.
THE BUTTER TRADE.

We have often heard complaints On
account Of the importation Of Califor-
mia dairy butter by dealers, and the
preference given by consumers to the
imported article over the home produc.
ton, and the consequent tendency to
discourage home industry.
While it is true that thousands of
dollars worth of imported butter is
annually sold by our local merchants,
and while ii is also true that some Of
our farmers are at times unable to dis
pose Of the small quantities OF home
made butter, which with their present
imperfect arrangements they are able
to produce, yet the dealers and con-
sumers are not to be blamed for this
state Of affairs, and the complaints 30
often made are in the main unjust. Our
merchants are directly interested in the
progress and growth of the country,
and are disposed to foster and encour-
sge in every way ell our home indus
tries. The people generally demand.
and will have. good article at the
lowest price obtainabls; and they are
right in doing so.
Now. the only cause for complaint in
this matter lies in the fact that our but
ter producers have not placed them
selves in position to supply the de.
mand. and control the market. Dairy
ing as a business, independent of oil
other pursuits, has scarcely been COM
mehced; it exists only as an auxiliary
to the production of potatoes and hay.
and ~ part of the care and drudgery
Of the farmers family. The amount of
butter produced by each family is linn
tied; and the quality is varied, and the
aggregate amount produced each sea-
son is uncertain. aud is not capable OF
being ascertained in advance; so that if
left to depend upon home praRction
dealers would be unable to contract in
advance for sufficient supply during
all seasons, and the market would be at
times overstocked, and at other times
bare and unsupplied. Consumers. of
course, will not buy more than enough for
present use when the market is glutted.
and will not be content to wait when
the market Is unsupplied. Therefore,
so long as the present system and I'M
certainty of supply continues, the i'm.
portation of butter must of necessity
DO continued. Dealers will 60 for sup
plies where they get what they want
when they want it.
AS the primary cause of complaint
lies in the system prevalent among the
producers, it is obvious that the remedy
must be found in the adoption OF new
system. Our farmers should give this
subject the attention it deserves. They
should cooperate with each other, and
by their united efforts and enterprise
take the position which they are able
by the help Of each other and the aid
of the resources which nature in her
bounty has supplied. to control the mar.
ket. supply home demand throughout
all seasons. stop importation, and ex-
port both of butter and cheese such
large quantities as to make this feature
of our business enterprise second to
none other.
What is wanted is that there should
be adopted and established among our
farmers what 10 known as the American
system OF cooperative dairying; that
is the establishment in convenient To-
cality in each neishbsrhood of q fac
tory to which the milk Of oil the farms
in the vicinity 10 taken and made into
butter and cheese by professional dai
rymen.
The advantages of this system are
many and must be obvious TO oil per.
sons who have had experience in dali
rying. Among them arc uniformity
and superiority of quality; saving OF
labor; saving by buying at wholesale
all articles required in the business. rs
salt, cloth. boxes. etc; relieving the
farmer and his family of drudgsry;
and the ability of the factory to con.
tract in advance with dealers for def
mite quantities at different seasons.
Under this system. American dairy.
ing has become national industry oil
vast importance. Millions of dollars
worth of cheese is.now annually ex.
ported 10 Europe, and the trade is in
creasing every year.
There Is certainly OF least one branch
Of agriculture to which the western
portion of our Territory is especially
adapted. and for that it 10 destined "a
become famous, and that is dairying.
We have here perennial springs and
streams of pure water everywhere;
grass grows luxuriantly on even the
poorest OF our wild lands. and crops
never fail. As fast as the lumberman's
axe removes the forest timber. the soil
without. other lAbsr than scattering the