FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII. 591 



pounds of butterfat, and from May to November 155,494, a difference of 

 77,0S2 pounds. We then averaged the price paid for the butterfat dur- 

 ing the corresponding periods and found that during the winter months 

 the average price was three cents per pound more than that paid during 

 the summer months. 



If the above purchases had been reversed during these two periods the 

 77,082 pounds of butterfat would have been bought at three cents per 

 liound more, and as a result the patrons of the creamery would have 

 received $2,312.46 more for their butterfat. This increased income for 

 one year w'ould be sufBcient to equip the creamery with new fixtures 

 throughout. 



This is not the only advantage that the creamery would receive. It 

 goes without saying that cream or milk can be kept in much better 

 condition on the farm during the winter than during the summer, and 

 therefore it arrives at the creamery in much better shape. First-class 

 butter can only be made from first-class cream, and if better butter is 

 desired at the crearnery the only way to get it is to improve the conditions 

 under which milk is produced on the farm. It requires a great deal less 

 time to care for the milk and cream during the winter because the cooling 

 process is much simpler. Since this is true the bacterial growths are 

 lessened and therefore there is less danger of contamination. Again dur- 

 ing the winter there is more time for the care of the cows and if the 

 currycomb is ever used it is likely to be used more at this time of year 

 than during the busy summer months. 



Besides gaining this substantial increase in price and raising the 

 quality of the butter made, the patrons, if they had their cows freshen at 

 the proper time, would have received twenty per cent more milk; hence 

 twenty per cent more butterfat would have been sold to the creamery. 

 When a cow freshens in the fall she goes onto dry feed during the first 

 part of her lactation period. After receiving dry feed for from five to 

 six months she is turned out to pasture. This change of feed and condi- 

 tions stimulates milk flow and she practically refreshens. The lactation 

 is lengthened and from experiments thus far carried on the average milk 

 production is increased one-fifth. 



By having the cows freshen in the fall is also of great assistance in 

 solving the labor problem on the farm. Under the present system it is 

 not at all surprising that men do not care to work on the farm. They are 

 hired in the spring when the field work begins and are employed until 

 after the crops are harvested. During this season the cows are giving 

 their greatest flow of milk and the hired man, after putting in a hard 

 day's work in the field is expected to milk six or eight cows after supper. 

 This is continued until fall when the other work is over, at which time 

 the cows begin to dry off. The farmer now thinks that he can handle the 

 work himself and as a result the hired man is released to shift for himself 

 until the next spring. When April again comes and the field work starts 

 the farmer again searches for a hired man. The man whom he had last 



