48 THIRTIKTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



ter with it the superintendent goes to the farmer and says 

 "there is something' wrong with your milk." 



Mr. Walker. I think the distrust that exists between the 

 patron and creamery man is mainly due to doubt as to the cor- 

 rectness of payment for butter made. The patrons find fault 

 and say they are not paid for the butter their cream makes. 

 A bill was introduced into the Legislature of Vermont in 1896 

 providing that there should be a public tester who should visit 

 creameries without previous notice and test the cream and 

 milk of the patrons comparing this result with that made by 

 the creamery. It was recommended by the Board of Agricul- 

 ture and it was passed in the House. Creameries should be 

 run so that the books should all be open. If they pay on the 

 Babcock test, the patrons should know how much butter they 

 are receiving for, if this was done harmony might prevail. 



Mr. Adams. I want to relate a little experience of my own. 

 Four years ago in Derby, where I live there was a private 

 creamery and this same distrust was manifest. The patrons 

 said "we won't carry our milk any longer to this man, we are 

 not satisfied, we will make our own butter, we will organize 

 a co-operative creamery." They have been running that 

 creamery as a co-operative creamery for four years. We use 

 the Babcock test, everything is open and above board and our 

 patrons understand that they may know everything - about the 

 creamery as well as the stockholders that there is nothing 

 covered up. I think it is one of the most satisfactor}^ cream- 

 eries in the State of Vermont. Men who were making butter 

 that was not salable are bringing their milk to this creamery 

 and we are handing out to patrons something like thirty or 

 thirty-five thousand dollars a year. I have had experience in 

 private dairying and there is not a business in the State of 

 Vermont that I like better than to make my own butter if I 

 could do it; but circumstances have compelled me to patronize 

 this creamery and I am probably doing as well as I could do 

 anywhere. If there is a person who can make his own butter 

 we will uphold him in it; but there are circumstances that 

 compel a man to go into creameries. If you have creameries 

 you are suspicious of, get rid of those suspicions some way 

 and have everything done openly and. above board. 



Gov. Hoard. You have touched upon the question I had in 

 mind, this distrust. There is a simple way for a square man to 

 deal with that question of distrust. But let me say you to that 

 ignorance is often at the bottom of distrust, the farmer does 

 not understand the facts of the case and he is suspicious be- 

 cause he does not understand. It is the duty of the creamery 

 to have matters so the farmer will understand. There are 

 farmers who do not understand the Babcock test and are 



