New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-09
MILK FARMERS UNDERPAlD
In the West Business Is More Profitable
Because of Diversified Crops.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Again New York is in the throes OF
n strike, more serious in its relation to the
neopIe of New York than any of the previous
strikes. This time the farmer, becoming dis
satisfied with his condition, is following the
cxsnple of his city cousins and Withholding
the milk supply from the city until such time
as the distributors decide to accept the price
demanded and recognize the union, the Dairy
mems League.
In all the history Of unions and organized
labor the farmers as class have remained
free from attempts to gain financial ad-
vantage by force-the one class that remains
unorganized and has been willing to accept
prices offered him for his product and at the
same time accept prices fixed by others LOT
all that he purchases. His claims are lha'
milk has been furnished for less than 1t cost
to produce, and in order TO prevent hnanclai
ruin he has been compelled to resort to these
drastic measures.
The writer. who has been producing milk
for MANY wears in the West for butter
manufacturing purposes, was much inter-
ested in the article in The Tribune of Octo-
her by ]. B. Creswell, of Bangall, n. Y.
Mr.. Creswell gives an itemized account OF
is S7S4.94 on the wrong side of the ledger.
Another correspondent makes the statement
that the average farmer does not keep books,
and as result could not make so explicit
a statement Assuming that Mr. Creswell
owns his farm and does not actually pay the
interest account that he has charged, had
he not kept account of all expenses he
might have fattered himself that he had
made something, as he would have had
money TO spare, allowing that the wages al
lowed for his own time would have supported
his family.
II might be interesting to know what the
farmer who is producing milk for butter
making purposes is getting. Taking the an
nual report of one of the most progressive
farmer-owned creameries in Southern Mime
sofa, we find the results as follows: One
hundred and sixty farmers furnished 6,566,528
pounds of milk to this creamery in 1915, for
which they received sS2,274.78, or s1.25 a
hundred net. This milk had an average test
of 3.6 per cent of fat and made four and one
half pounds of butter TO the hundred pounds
Of milk. Then we should add the value Of
the skim milk, which is retained on the farm
for feeding animals-25 cents a hundred
pounds. This brings the amount the farmer
gets for his milk to sl60 hundred.
1t is evident that Mr.. Creswell is not get
ting enough for his milk, as it is reasonable
to suppose that milk can be produced much
cheaper under Western conditions than in
the East. Not because land is worth less, as
land sells for much more in the West than
the figures given by some of your correspond
ents. But we flatter ourselves that our land
produces more and Is much more easily cul-
tivated Another element that affects the
cost is the fact that in the West dairying
is usually a side issue, or one branch OF
diversified farming, and as n result the labor
on the farm can be more proftably employed
than in the case Of exclusive dairying. From
labor standpoint diversified farming is
operated much more economically than when
specializing on one single industry or crop.
The Western farmer has found this TO be
true in the times OF exclusive wheat raising,
as the nature of the crop provided employ
ment only portion OF the year. Wheat rails
ing also depleted The fertility Of the soil.