The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-09-28
COOPER ATIVE CREAMERIES In
SOUTH CAROLINA.
Clemson Extension WOrk-Articlc
XIX.

derstand have succeeded in organ
izing at least one creamery company
and are now at work in other COM
munIties. In the sections In which
they are working 1t is safe to say
there arc not enough cows to supply
the local demand for milk. cream
and butter, and yet the people have
been led to believe that a plant de-
pending upon a good milk supply for
success, can be profitably operated.
To mislead people into such an enter
prise Is nothing but deceit and graft
and the people in every community
of the State should bs on guard
against such dealers in "gold bricks"
Georgia has just passed through a
sad and expensive creamery exper-
ience. During 1908 creamery pro-
moters of Chicago organized seven
creameries in various parts Of the
State costing from $4,950 to $4,000.
is now in operation and it Is flnanc-
ed by capitalist. All the remand
er have perished from lack Of sup
port. At some of these plants not
more than forty or fifty cows sup
piled milk while for profitable oper-
alton the milk from five hundred
cows of average quality is required.
One Of these creameries lost seven
hundred dollars In few months
time, while the failure of other
showed either that no money was
made or there was a loss.
The establishing Of creameries in
sections where there is practically no
dairy interest and whore local mar
kets pay more for dairy products than
a creamery can possibly pay, Is alb
solute folly as is witnessed by the ex-
perience Of Georgia, Kentucky and
other States. Yet the people are be-
Ing misled and deceived by smooth
tongued sellers of machinery who
charge abou+ fifty per cent more for
their machinery than it can be pur-
chased for elsewhere.
That creameries are profitable no
one denies and that examples cited by
promoters In proof Of this profit may
be true. but II should be taken into
consideration that these were made
In dairy localities-places where the
dairy Is the money crop and where
most every farmer has herd of
cows and understands how 70 handle
those cows. In such sections cream
cries are necessary to handle the milk
from these cows and to find a mar
ket for the products. Such condi-
tions do not exist in South Carolina.
Cows are scarce and poor In quality
and more than that they cannot be
bought in sufficient number. Local
demands for milk cannot be sup
piled even at a good price and farm
ers know very little about how TO
handle oows to the best advantage
and most often do not care to learn.
creamery cannot afford to nay
more than one and a-half dollars per
hundred pounds for milk and until
the farmers learn how to prouce II
at a profit for this price it Is foolish
to expect a creamery to be sue
cess.
III any section Of the State is in
terested in a creamery 1t should care
fully investigate the milk supply first
and then form a company of inter-
ested men, buy the machinery neces-
sary to equip 1t at a reasonable price
and begin operations on a practical
business basis and not be rushed In
to an enterprise pushed forward by
a set Of men who have no interest in
It's success further than the sale of
the machinery at exorbitant prices.
Banks and other business undertake
ings first investigate the possibilities
OF success before officers are elected.
but the doctrine Of the creamery pro-
moters Is to get the building and
equipment first regardless Of other
conditions.
The Extension Department Of
Clemson College will be glad to visit
any community interested in cream
cries and advise them as to the re-
quirements for successful operation
and assist them In every way In es-
tablishing such an enterprise. should
the outlook for success prove favor
able. Plans and specifications for
creameries can be obtained free OF
cost from the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture.
With all OF these things at their