The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-16
Improved Method of Handling
Milk Accountable.
PRODUCT Ss,545, 296.
Last Years Business Largest in
States History.
Cream to Swimming Stations
Adds to the Industry.

Abilene. .Kas., Feb. 16.-The owners Of
the creameries in the central and west
ern part of the state, which includes
the larger number of stations, are max
ing the largest profits from their cows
In the history of the industry in Kan
sas Owing to the cheap food for the
cattle. the large demand for the product,
and the improved processes in manufac-
ture, they are receiving a generous re-
turn from their herds. A short time
ago the creamery was merely re-
source for the farmers who had been
suffering losses of crops and We're IN
financial straits They considered the
cow as a makeshift to tide them over
the hard years That time has passed
FOR Kansas and Nebraska. The cream
cry has become a permanent INSTITUTION
and is common part or the develop
ment of progressive communities 4nel e
are including the skimming stations, al
most as many creamerles in some parls
OF the state as school houses.
The greatest test Of the creamery In
dustry in this state was in July, 1901
The milk supply. which had been up to
1he usual standard in june Ieu SUD
denly TO Oue-thlrd or one-1ourlhs anu
the creamery managers who were ue-
pending upon their sales to pay the milk
bills and to keep up the expenses or the
Creameries were In dlf1CulCleS- but pet
Ter times came and the industry is again
an healthy condition, with the largest
demand for material. butter and cheese
that has been known in years.
In the sos milk was paid for by the
weight. The farmers took the Dig cans
to market and they We're weighed on the
creamery scales. The price then ranged
from so cents to S1.40 a hundred pounds
Then came the test and the payment
by the amount of butter fat in the milk.
The percentage is approximately 4 per
Of h7affpr and is found DX
struments which are constructed for the
purpose. Many farmers have tester
at home to determine which cows give
the best milk The COW that gives
large quantity of poor milk is not
profitable The low point for butter fat
was reached in June, 1887, when the
farmers received only twelve cents
pound for it, It has never reached that
point since. Last month the price IN
this county was % cents, the highest for
December milk in sixteen years One
creamery paid $4,000 in cash for It's
milk, and another half as much more
giving the farmers of this county $500
in cash from this source alone in mid
winter The products of the dairy cows
in the last ten years have been remark
able. The totals for the state are:
1884 --.-.--..-..- .-----.---.---$ 8, tlt.2l6
1886 .-.-.-.---.- .-....-----..- s44s' DO
1878 --.--....-.. --.--... .----- III saJy,5Ut
less-l5uy -.#---.....- .-.-s- $1,000. 12-Jeo,U9L
Last year s iEA4uGL was aolJ4lt4JDs the
largest i'm the states history. With the
Increasing acreage Of alfalfa and kim
drS5 forage crops and the betterment
c1 lhe herds there is every indication
0n7t the Improvement VIII continue.
There has been much change in the
farmers end of the industry in the last
three or four years. The wagons with
rows Of milk cans are seldom seen i'll
town and in a short time will be a
thing Of the past. The cream alone is
now brought to the creamery by most
of the farmers. They own hand sepa-
Tators. machines that are run by small
treadmills. A large dog or calf fur
nishes the motive power. The cream
alone is easy to handle and instead of
taking a team and driving slowly to the
station. the cans of cream are put in a
buggy and the trip made in a short
time. Then the SKINNED milk is at
home for feeding calves.
Agents are finding the selling of hand
Eeparators a very profitable business
now and are travelling in every county
east Of the Tooth meridian. Last year
one company sold ]. 500 separatOrs at an
average price of 500 This year it ex-
poets to sell 8 600. Other companies are
doing as well and the farmers Of the
state probably paid in the last twelve
months fully One-half million dollars
aor these implements. They are revOlu-
IiOntzlnR the business and are mai king
ct much more pleasant and satisfactory
Tor farmers. The railroads are running
refrigerator cars on their passenger
trains to carry the milk and cream to
che central stations, so that the farmer
on the outskirts Of the short grass
country may sell his cream in Topeka or
ST. Joseph. One family pastures its
COWS in Colorado. milzs them in Kansas
and sells the cream i'm Topeka.
The coming year promises a further
advancement in the dairy industry OF
she state IT viii see the consolidation
Of the butter manufacturing owing to
the better methods OF handling the
cream. and the
prodt to the farmer because Of the i'm.
proved system under which he is work.
ang and the better knowledge he has OIL
the business.
is A BRUTAL STORY.