The Portland daily press., 1892-03-18
STARTING NEW cREAMERIEs.

c,,;ss;ener Upper, of Iowa.
Gives valuable Advice.
The following suggestions, published
ORIGINALLY in The Homestead, cannot be
TOO widely Disseminated
Recently many new cooperative
creameries and farmers stock compa-
MES have been formed in sections of the
state that have hitherto paid little or no
attention to the creamery business
These companies mean to build and
equip creameries this spring, and as SO
many mistakes have occurred in the
mast and are liable to occur in the fu-
tnre this Office feels called upon to
noint ont some of the most grievous
ones.
IF the farmers of neighborhood con-
temnlate starting cooperative cream
erv thev should find out first how many
cows are at convenient distance from
the place where the creamery is to be
built. and second how many men will
nledqe themselves to furnish milk or
cream. Unless the crops have been
| failure or disasters of various kinds have
made the community willing to do al
most ANYTHING to better their condi-
tions. a majority will not be willing to
stand the irksome confinement necessary
TO the care of the dairy. If they are de-
pendent for their milk supply on COWS
accustomed to having their calves run
with them, they will be disappointed.
Such cows cannot be broken to milk;
thew will kick often and lively, smash
YOUR pail and patience with the same
foot. Now send out committee of
your most conservative and best bust
ness men to the nearest county that has
a large and prosperous creamery business
established. There they will find CO.
lucrative creameries whose management
will gladly post them in regard to the
business, and will usually point out to
them the mistakes their company made
at the start, and advise them how to
| avoid like trouble.
Direct your committee to take plenty
of time and visit the patrons of the
creamery, learning all they can from
them of the care of the cows and of
the milk. They will discover that
the creamery business is one of in
finite detail, and that the least neglect
to either COWS or milk will work injury
to the quality of the butter. Write to
this Office and we will send you our re-
port containing list Of the creameries
doing business in each county. We
would advise your committee to visit
county containing at least dozen
creameries, for so large a number will
insure successful business.
The following is the usual way of
starting a cooperative or stock company
creamery: Shortly after the farmers
have held their first meeting one Or
more agents of dairy supply houses come
into the neighborhood. These men are
well posted in the creamery business
and give many glowing examples Of suc-
cess. They talk of the advantages to be
derived from the business and dwell on
the prosperity of the farmers that live
in dairy counties They extol the CO.
operative idea and denounce trusts and
individual creamery amen. They often
invite the committee to visit Elgin, Ills,
with them. The farmers look upon these
men as philanthropists and feel very
grateful to them for the interest they
manifest in their welfare.
These men are not sent out to educate
the farmer, but to build and equip Il
creamery for him. They will furnish
him with everything necessary to his
creamery at the largest possible price.
They are very careful to mention no cir
cumstance that would dampen the ardor
or discourage the company from build
ing. No creamery means no sales. Not
long ago attended farmers institute
in a county that had just built its first
creamery. The cost of the creamery
was nearly $1,000. 1t has two De Laval
separators, a twelve horse power boiler,
cheap ten horse engine and cheese
apparatus. It could be duplicated for
one-half the money, or at most for
$4,000.
The building is sided with third class
lumber, which when objected to read
in the specifications as sc stock" In
fact, the plans and specifications had
never been read before signing. There
are plenty of COWS within reach of the
creamery, but many of the farmers had
allowed the calves to run with them the
year previous and now they cannot milk
them. The farmers were made to be-
lieve that they would receive seventy
five cents per 100 pounds for milk. The
first shipment Melted them twenty-three
cents per 100 pounds, and there had been
nothing taken out for the interest on the
investment, either.
Four thousand pounds Of milk per
day was the maximum amount received
at the time Of my visit Cream was
being gathered twice a week, and both
butter and cream showed that the milk
was receiving very poor care. The farm
ers lack both tanks and windmills, two
very essential things in the proper
handling of the milk. These facts l
learned from reliable parties after at
tending the institute. The stockholders
realize that they have paid 100 per cent.
more for their outfit than it is worth,