Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-28
Suggestions In Relation to Gre am ries
and Their Patrons.
To the Editor of the Free Press:


To the Editor of the Free Press:
should like to Office a few suggestions
as to creameries and their patrons. After
some experience in the clerical and fnan-
cal part of creamery work it seems well
settled that the only fair way to handle
milk, either on the cooperative or pri-
vate creamery plan, IS by the test, and
the BabcoCk test is generally used. Con-
siderng this, the question of an honest
test is the one to consider. This, alone.
Is the bone of contention as a general
scale 1t is to be assumed beyond ques-
ton that the average private creamery
man is as honest and honorable in deal
as the average business man. whatever his
work or calling. He is no more liable to
commit fraud than the merchant or
broker. AS to the cooperative creamery
il is managed by directors Its work is
done by some competent man hired ana
paid a stated salary. In the first place he
can have no possible incentive to cheat
in reading his test. To succeed in cheat
ing the patrons there must be q concerted
conspiracy between the entire manage
ment, directors, treasurer and butter maxi
er. The butter maker must have a certif
cate of competency before he can test
anybudy's milk.
Provision has been made ian the interest
of creamery patrons whereby milk can
he sent to the Experiment Station in Bur
linGtoH and tested free Of charge. IL is
presumed that all experiment station
testers hold Certificates" of competency
1t is of this Experiment Stations testing
that I wish to speak particularly. The
theory is all right but in carrying it out
the station may work great harm unin-
tentionally. Granting that the work is
done correctly, 1t all depends on the milk
SAMPLE. Cream commences rising on new
milk the instant agitation ceases. After
,,.,n Of, liz tie. ,i,,,,
a richer sample from the top than from
the same milk thoroughly mixed. Sup
pose the dairyman takes his sample direct
from the COW at milking time--it is when
he commences milking; half way through;
or from the strppings. We all know there
will be a difference in richness. The
creamery sample Is generally taken every
day from the patrons milk after it is
thoroughly mixed in the weighing can by
dipping. 1t makes little practical differ
ence to the private dairyman how he takes
his sample-no body but himself Is inter-
ested 1t makes vast difference how he
takes it when the good name of an en-
tire creamery management is involved. /
make this suggestion to the Experiment
Station at Burlington. Samples of milk
sent for testing should be accompanied
with a statement showing whether they
arc from private diaries or from patrons
of creameries. If from patrons of cream
eileS lneH tnc Sample Slioulu oe tHe
identical milk that the creamery
man-private or co-operative-has tested.
Otherwise, the test by the station has no
weight at all as showing fraud on the
part of the creamery The station ought
to insist on some such regulation as a
protection to itself. Let the patron take
a sample from tho creamery milk TO be
tested-put 1t into d carefully sealed bot =
tie, and then the stations test may mean
business, The dairy interest is of vast
importance to Vermont, and our butter
leads everybody in the markets-and the
creameryman and the patron should work
in harmony to obtain the best results
w. w. HIGBEE.
| Charlotte, VT, Sept. 1889