BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 333 



provement over past years has been shown. Much effort has been 

 devoted to developing an efficient system of records, which is now 

 on a very desirable basis. 



The experiment at the Algona (Towa) creamery, in cooperation with 

 the State dairy commissioner of Iowa and the professor of dairying 

 at the agricultural college, has been continued. The object is to dem- 

 onstrate the practicability of a small dairy community raising its eco- 

 nomic status by the employment of a skilled field instructor. The 

 first step was to secure an improved market by supplying sweet 

 cream to an ice-cream factory at an advanced price, and to meet the 

 requirements of this market the farmers were instructed how to keep 

 their cream sweet. A premium of 3 cents a pound of butter fat for 

 sweet as compared with sour cream was offered by the creamery, with 

 the result that nearly all the patrons brought in sweet cream. This 

 difference was maintained throughout most of the year, even after 

 the ice-cream contract expired, and the total amount gained by the 

 farmers by keeping their cream sweet was about $1,100. The drought 

 in the summer of 1911 emphasized the need for better feed, and a 

 special effort is being made to get the patrons to build silos. Also, 

 they are this year, for the first time, growing feed crops specially 

 adapted to dairy production. More than half of the cows and bulls 

 have been of beef or dual-purpose type, but since the field work has 

 been carried on 6 dairy bulls, 15 purebred cows, and a number of 



frade dairy cows have been brought into the community. Six men 

 ave been started to keeping herd records, which is expected to 

 result in further improvement of the stock. 



Creameries built and equipped during the year number 86. Atten- 

 tion and information have been given by the Dairy Division as hereto- 

 fore, including furnishing plans and estimates. Creamery promoters 

 have been active in some States, but we have discouraged the starting 

 of creameries in unsuitable localities. 



The working creamery at the International Dairy Show in Mil- 

 waukee in October, 1911, was under the charge of an employee of 

 the Dairy Division. This was an nnportant feature of the show and 

 met with great approval. 



Ice crea:m and other side lines. — Ice cream as a " side line " for 

 creameries is becoming more prominent every year. About 400 

 creameries are recorded as making it during part or all of the year. 

 Reports of a favorable nature have been received from 85 of these. 

 In 82 creameries 772,885 gallons of ice cream were made at a cost 

 of 43.31 cents a gallon, which was sold at an average wholesale price 

 of 77.11 cents a gallon, yielding a profit of 33.8 cents a gallon. These 

 creameries paid a premium to the patrons of 4.G5 cents on an average 

 for sweet cream over sour cream. 



There are two reasons why this side line should be encouraged: 

 First, the high quality of cream required, and, second, the increased 

 price paid to the producer for good cream. 



Feeding liogs on buttermilk is a side line giving satisfactory results; 

 27 of the creameries reporting to the Dairy Division practice it. 



Eleven creameries are buying eggs, -\vhicli are deli\ei-ed to them 

 with the cream; the largest number bought by a creamery reporting 

 was 300,000 dozen. 



