The Yale expositor., 1901-06-21
Cream separators on the Farm.

On invitation OF Secretary f. d. Co
burn, Of the Kansas State Board OF
Agriculture. an address was delivered
at the Boards recent annual meeting
by M. Geo. Morgan, longtime, OBJ
servant dairy and creamery man, on
the subject of using cream separators
on the farm. Mr.. Morgan is entirely
convinced of the desirability of the
milk-producer having his separating
done at home rather than at the fac
tory or station, and some of his OBJ
servations are as follows:
The value of the farm separator
to the private dairyman has already
passed the experimental stage. The
evidence of our experimental stations
and the testimony of all who have
made careful, intelligent comparison
between the gravity system and the
modern cream separator is practically
unit in favor Of the latter for the
private dairyman. The question as to
its advantages In localities where
creameries are established is one con-
fronting creameries at this time in
their operating expenses. This applies
alike both to creamery and patron,
whether under cooperative or pro-
prietary management, it makes but lit
tie difference. All are vitality interest
ed in the expense account. If the east
ern creamery enjoys a patronage of
from 10000 to 10000 pounds of milk
per day, while many of our creamerles
are running along at from 5000 to
5000 pounds, then we have lost much
of the advantages we possess on ac-
count Of our cheaper dairy foods in
the increased cost OF operating. Evil
IDENTIFY, as long as present conditions
exist, some system of Capitalization is
inevitable.
The farm separator, We think, will
assist greatly in solving this problem.
1t means a minimum Of labor with
maximum of profit. The product is
carried in condensed form from the
patron to the creamery. In our state,
dairying is incidental to beef and pork
production. The conditions at times
are peculiar and perplexing. The
farmer has way OF putting the cream
cry on half rations of milk. When
times and crops are good, it is no I'M
common thing to find him at milking
time quietly sitting on the fence with
a complacent smile upon his counte-
nance, as he watches the calf do the
milking, but when reverses come, the
cow and the creamery are counted
amongst his best friends and assets.
Where large investments are made in
skimming stations and these spells
strike the patrons, it often proves very
disastrous to the management, as they
feel compiled to keep running
though the patronage has gone below
any chance of profit. We feel safe in
saying that fully one-third of the
skimming stations in this state from
October to May do not pay running ex-
penses. 1t is in these localities where the
farm separator will prove of the great
est benefit. If the patronage is light
then the expense is correspondingly
light. We place the average cost of
Swimming station at $1,000 and the
average cost OF operating at $500 per
annum.
At points where the patronage Is
liberal, any radical change would not
be advisable. 1t will to a great extent
work its own way. But at these weak
err, non-paying stations much good can
be accomplished by the use of the farm
separator, especially in territory where
the distance is too great to haul milk.
True, to carry out this plan the farm
er must make an investment for which
he is amply compensated in the in
creased value OF the skim milk and the
convenience of having it on the farm
morning and evening to be fed while
warm, sweet and fresh and in the best
possible condition to be fed to the
young animal. The milk patron often
suffers a severe loss on account OF his
Sundays milk during the heated term.
He also loses again by feeding new milk
to the calf for six or eight weeks on
account of the danger incun ed in feed
ing the creamery milk. Where milk
is fed from the farm separator by care
full manager ent and the use of Kafir-
corn-meal, tie calf can be put upon the
SKINNED milk at Is days old. 1t has
been our experience that the patrons
with from 10 to Is cows save enough
in one year to pay for a 500 ma
china