Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-04-06

season comes when there is little to do
on the farms, it seems strange that more
maple trees are not tapped. Reasons
given Tor this are that to produce the
pest quality of sugar and syrup a rather
expensive equipment must be maintained
winch is used only a few weeks a year,
while limitations lower the price of the
real thing.
lhese reasons do not apply as for
merry however. National legislation
looking to the promotion of pure food
products, and State legislation affecting
the marketing of PRODUCTS have com
plhed to enable the genuine products to
meet successfully close limitations as
well as the more evident spurious substi-
tutes' and Vermont maple never had a
better outlook than at present,
with reference to the general promo
ton of better markets for Vermont
products Editor G.. c.. sevcry of the New
England Homestead, after referring to
the annual report of our department,
writes as follows:
Il was especially anxious to see what
COMMISSIONS L. s. Brigham had to say
ABOUT marketing of farm produce in
this, his official report to the Governor
for 1915. AS minated in the Home
stead two or three times in recent
months Mr.. Brigham has been quietly
cunning for better conditions. The in
vestigations and preliminary deductions,
like the commissioner himself, are solid
but devoid of sensationalism.
AT the outset the department scores
a good point in recognizing the impor-
lance of better marketing to accom-
pany increased production. A bureau
of markets has been established, a
capable man placed in active charge ana
a systematic survey of conditions at
tempted. Vermont produces many things
agriculturally important, but it is pre-
eminently a dairy state. To the large
cheese and butter output which has been
important for years, cream and mix
sales have been added in large volume
the past half decade. Hence, Mr..
Brigham wisely selected the dairy
product for the first work in marketing.
Ills report says the Investigations
show too much inattention to quality
before the product reaches the local dis
tributing channels. Vermont farmers
are losing thousands of dollars annually
by careless handling of dairy products,
Acid tests of cream made by our cream
cry inspector have shown that cream is
delivered in warm weather in a condi.
ton too acid for making the fines,
quality of butter He is Systematically
urging farmers to use ice or even cold
spring water to remedy this. Another
strong point in addition to quality is tC
become better informed as to the tastes
and demands Of consumers, then supply
those demands not individually, but col
lectively. When shipping a product t.
a distant market the individual farmer
is too small to make much impression
a twenty-cow dairy, however superior
will not cut much of a figure in the
Boston market. Let one hundred farm
ers within a radius of "A few miles, eact
with a twenty-cow dairy. combine theil
product. Their marketing problem &
identical. Denmark in it's co-operativ,
societies has shown us how
commissioner Brigham has the gooc
GENTLY in touch with outside market!
and various modifying conditions to offe,
any creamery in the state, co-operativ,
or proprietary, a manufacturing anc
marketing service. The offer should h,
promptly accepted. 1t cannot fail t.
promote higher quality. better grading
and better prces. In return the cream
cry is required to give the additiona
profit to its producing patrons. Farmers
thus see that it is of them the commits
sioner is thinking. While this beglnnin.
is comparatively modest, / believe it il
fundamentally sound. Farmers mus
profit by better quality, we'll graded ant
standardized and placed before consum
erS in such a way that better price!
VIII be given. That seems to be tn,
honest effort in this case. | am glac
that Mr., Brigham and his associates arr
not dipping into every farm product
Too many irons in the fire seldom mean.
a good job for all. He has taken frs
the greatest agricultural product and IL
due time others can follow in the orde
OF their Importance. Credit the Vernon
department for trying to do somethin.
besides increase production
NEW YORK.