294 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



A more liberal use of the columns of the agricultural press of the 

 State by creamery men, dairymen and butter and cheese makers gener- 

 ally in the exchange of ideas, every day experiences, etc., would aid in 

 working up a greater interest in dairy work among our farmers. 



My experience in operating creameries in Missouri has been that in 

 many sections of the state conditions for their successful operation differ 

 in some particulars, from those of the recognized dairy states, and it has 

 been a question with me whether it would not be best for a creamery 

 man to accept the conditions as they exist and shape their business 

 accordingly. 



One of the most serious questions that we have to contend with is 

 a supply of good living well water for the cows, and the proper cooling 

 of the milk. In most sections of the State a good supply of living 

 well water can be obtained by drilling into the rock. This being a little 

 expensive many farmers content themselves with the cheaper and easier 

 method of obtaining a water supply by means of cisterns at the house 

 and ponds for stock water. This gives a Hmited amount and often no 

 water for cooling the milk — and a very poor kind of water for any 

 stock. It is one of the easy-going practices of the Missouri farmer, 

 that education will finally change. This brings the milk to the cream- 

 ery usually in such shape that by the time it is all mixed and run 

 through the separator, and the farmer gets home with his skim-milk 

 it has developed so much acid that it is unfit for feeding the young 

 calves, hence they must have fresh milk, and usually get about as much 

 butter fat as the creamery does. They care for the calf first and the 

 creamery man gets what is left. The average Missouri farmer thinks 

 more of the calf than in the older dairy sections, and prefers to com- 

 bine the two and breed for beef as well as milk. 



The only relief I have had from the above conditions has been 

 through the use of the hand separator. It requires no water for milk 

 cooling, and but little to care for the cream. It gives fresh, sweet, skim 

 milk for the calves, and I find that the creamery operator gets a mate- 

 rial increase in butter fat that formerly went to the calf. Taking the 

 patrons who formerly hauled milk, and are now using hand separators 

 I find that from the same number of cows they have nearly doubled the 

 number of pounds of butter fat. Comparing the amounts paid, last 

 month, to the patrons who are using hand separators and those who 

 are hauling milk, I find that the average amount paid to those who are 

 using hand separators and delivering cream only, is in round numbers 

 $33.00 and those hauling milk $18.00 each. 



