The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1912-02-06
Cooperation in Dairying.

NV-oPOA otAoil Ill Od4 ylAS.
1t is not due to mere chance that of
the 6,235 creameries in the United
States in 1909, Wisconsin had 1000
and Minnesota had S31, their standing
being first and second with respect to
this industry. Under the fostering
care of the state and the federal gov
ernment cooperation among farmers
has been encouraged.
An examination of the map of the
United States as prepared by B. d.
White, Of the department of agricul-
ture, in charge of dairy manufacturing
investigations, shows that there are
two great groups of dairy product
manufactures. One takes in central
and lower Minnesota and Wisconsin,
with northern Iowa and Illinois, where
the number of creameries is 2,677 The
other group includes Vermont with
173, New York with 744 and Pennsyl-
vania with 461, total Of 1878 To-
gether, these dairy centers have A.
055 out of 6,235 in the entire country
--or they did have in 1909 Cheese
making is even more centralized. Wis
consin having LISA and New York
OF factories, or together 2,701 out of
1886 in the entire country.
An examination of the map prepared
by the department of agriculture
shows that in 1910 about 155 cream
cries were established, Minnesota lead
ing with %, Texas being second with
20, Wisconsin adding 16 to its already
long lead, Michigan gaining IS, New
York 13, Iowa 9, Virginia more than
doubling its number by adding 8, South
Dakota adding 8, Illinois Z Missouri
and several other states 3, or /.
while some states still are without any
creameries at all. 1t may be noted
that the celebrated Elgin butter comes
mostly from Wisconsin, Iowa and Min
nesota. The census report, just out,
shows that in 1909 the total value of
products turned out by the cream
cries adm cheese factories was $247,
55s,000.
How, it may be asked, has the state
of Minnesota jumped to second ~lace
in the ranks of butter-producing
states2 The assistant secretary of agri-
culture explains it. He says:
fThe state through it's dairy com
missioner, sends trained agents to ad-
wise localities desiring to organize a
cooperative creamery or cheese fac
tory as to whether the number of
available cows is sufficient to warrant
the expense of a centrally operated
plant for making butter or cheese for
the neighborhood. Affirmative advice
is followed by advice as to plans for
/ building and equipment. These train
ed agents, some of whom also serve as
teachers in the agricultural college in
its winter school for cooperative
dairy operations, recommended for the
new project a head butter maker or
cheese maker, who, under like condi-
tions, has proven his ability to sue
ceed. These agents aid the operator
at the start in any wav necessary, as
in the starting of the engine, separat-
ors, or other new machinery; in Civ
ing instruction to the cooperating
farmers; in inducing other farmers to
become patrons; in organizing a sys-
tenn of testing each patron milk nj
testing each cow for such patrons as
will undertake careful selective breed
ing based upon actual records of milk
and butterfat produced, in installing
simple, comprehensive and workable
scheme of bookkeeping; and in placing
the product before good markets.
More than this, the dairy commits
sioner is even ready to send man to
help adjust difficulties, as when pat
rons persist in sending unsatisfactory
milk to the creameries; when the man
agement is unsatisfactory, when poor
business methods cause loss. Monthly
butter tests are made, and factories
are encouraged to enter state and in
terstate dairy contests. Extra precau-
tions are taken to discourage the or
ganization of cooperative factories
when the chances are against their
succeeding. Each winter a dairy school
is held and the state college of agricul-
ture and state experiment station are
active in working for the dairy farmer
"Besides adding to the states pro-
duction millions of dollars and requir-
ing productivity of her farms for gain
and other crops grown in the rotation,
this expenditure for dairy farming. >
SAYS Mr.. Mays, accomplishes other
most benefcent purposes. 1t pre-
serves the individual business on the
family farm, because under coopera-
tive organization the part of the bust
ness which cannot well be done in the
home is most effectively done in the
factory. The farmer gets the profit,
enabling him to hold the land at a
price higher than that at which an
absent owner can afford to hold it with
commercial money and hired help or
tenants. Thus the young generation
is brought up in the owned farm home,
behind the family timber belt. under
the best possible system of combined
school training and apprenticeship. -
Moreover, this experience trains
men in cooperation and they can, as a
result ssbetter work together, as in
building up their rural schools, in the
sale of grain, in the purchase of fer
tiizers, in the cooperative drainage
of wet land, or in managing a rural
church, (To be continued.)