54 VERMONT DAIRYMEN'S REFOKT. 



a larger proportion of the total New England make is sold in 

 the smaller markets and direct to private customers. There is 

 much to say in favor of this trend of trade, yet there is another 

 side to the question, one which appeals particularly to the 

 dealer. I doubt if I can make this point more clear than by 

 quoting directly and at some length from a letter received by 

 me some time ago from a prominent Boston commission mer- 

 chant : 



" Quotations and prices are established by large markets. 

 The markets are controlled or affected only by the merchandise 

 that constitute important factors in the daily transactions. Our 

 local creameries each year send a larger proportion to their 

 product to the ^mall markets and to what are called private cus- 

 tomers. The result is that New England made butter is 

 becoming each year a less important factor in the Boston and 

 other large New England markets. The time is not far dis- 

 tant, when Boston will, like New York, quote prices and estab- 

 lish values in reference to Western goods only and the prem- 

 iums heretofore paid for Vermont butter will be a thing of the 

 past. 



Another way of looking at this phase of the subject is this. 

 More and more each year regular wholesale dealers find that their 

 shippers send only such butter as the creameries cannot sell di- 

 rectly. This causes the supply to be very variable and uncertain. 

 For instance, last week we received about 1200 lbs. from one 

 Vermont creamery that for several weeks had sent nothing. We 

 do not know whether this week we shall receive more, less or 

 nothing, consequently we cannot plan in advance where to dispose 

 of the goods and all our other shippers will have an advantage 

 over this one. Then again we cannot advocate the merits of a 

 creamery when we do not know whether or not we will be able to 

 supply our customer with that particular brand the next time he 

 has occasion to make a purchase. We can always secure from 

 the great West all that is needed and of such quality as is desired. 

 This we cannot do with butter of local manufacture to any such 

 extent. Thus it is for the advantage of the dealer to advocate 

 only such goods as he can feel reasonably certain he can furnish 

 to his customers in such amounts and at such times as they desire. 

 For that reason I would suggest the policy of sending to large 

 markets and large dealers in order that New England produced 

 butter may be the controlling factor in our own markets and in 

 order that those whose transactions establish market values may 

 not be driven to the west for their only reliable source of supply." 



I have quoted thus at length because this statement expresses 

 the case fully yet clearly, and deserves weight as a view of the 

 seller. Whether the maintenance of the position of New England 

 butter as a controlling factor in New England markets is a suffi- 



