The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-08-06
FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1897.
THE CREAMERY INDUSTRY.

TIE success of the creamery in this
state is of much importance to farmers
and though at first it was not an easy
task to educate them 10 the belief that
that there was money in the business.
they have now come TO the realization
that in the course OF a year the product
OF ten COWS amounts to considerable
sum. furnishing an income every month
OF the year and enabling him to meet
all current expenses and TO lay enough
aside to apply on debts. The Sioux
City Journal makes thefollowing timely
comment concerning the value of the
creamery to South Dakota:
The significant thing in regard to
these South Dakota creameries is that
practically every one OF them has been
built within the last FIVE years. The
creamery business in South Dakota is
entirely new. Some years ago persons
who were familiar with the growth OF
the creamery industry in other states
commenced agitating for creameries
in South Dakota. About that time
the creamery school was opened in
connection with the State Agricultur-
ri college at Brookings. Young men
from the farms began to learn the
secrets, and they returned to their
homes fired with enthusiasm for the
dairy and creamery business. They
saw the farms of their fathers and
neigh bors rich in grass and laden with
valuable forage, but much OF this pri-
mary wealth going to waste because
the farmers were not prepared to
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consisted Of few sheep and hogs
the work horses, few COWS to supply
the families. ana occasionally a drove
OF range cattle tattening them for mar
ket. Grain crops were all right when
they were good and prices were high,
but there was uncertainty all along the
line. The creameries were the hope of
the state. and creameries we're built,
Each one started became a standing
argument for the starting OF another.
Each one proved its OWE value and con-
vinced the farmers that as means of
diversification OF the farming industry
the creamery has no equal. In less
than five years l40 creameries and
cheese factories have been built and
put in operation.
There has been some fear that with
the great increase in the number of
creameries there would come decline
in the value of the product, making
the business Improbable for ali.
Prot. Wheaton. in his address before
the South Dskota dairy association tat
its last meeting, illustrated the ground
lessness OF such fear by citing the ex-
perience of the Wisconsin people.
Some years ago they commenced build
ing creameties, and when they started
they built 300 in one year In one
county alone. and email county, there
are y creameries and IA cheese factor
las. But all tbs time the Wisconsin
people we're building creameries the
price OF dairy products continued to
rise.- Now for some years prices have
tended downward, but they have not
fallen as have some other prices. es-
pecially OF farm products. The South
Dakota creameries of today little more
than supply the homo demand for but
ter. There 's no immediate danger OF
overcrowding the market with dairy
products.
The state of South Dakota is admir-.
ably adapted to the creamery business.
Grass grows luxuriantiy, land is com
paratively cheap, the farmers are in
dustrious and intelligent. and supple
menting the grain and feeding features
OF farming with dairying the farmers
OF the state can easily fortiiy them
teives against any possible loss. What
has been done is but beginning. ri
the farmers go right on building
creameries and finding new ways OF
utilizing the agricultural resources OF
the state they will build for them
selves rich empire on the prairies.