THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 329 



dairy business is practically in its infancy. We know very little about 

 milk or its production. I think it was Ex-Governor Hoard who said that 

 the laboratory of a cow was one of the darkest places in the universe. 

 The success of the creamery depends more on the buttermaker than on 

 anyone else. Many things that to the careless maker seem of little im- 

 portance, to the intelligent maker are of the greatest importance. The 

 condition is quite evident to anyone who visits a large number of cream- 

 eries. In some creameries we find every evidence of prosperity. The 

 maker meets the patrons with a "Good morning" and a pleasant smile, 

 and weighs and samples the milk as it should be done. The creamery is 

 in first class order and there is a pleasant atmosphere everywhere. It is 

 a pleasure to visit such a plant. Contrast this with a creamery where wo 

 find everything in a dilapidated condition, with an untidy maker at the 

 head of it, patrons dissatisfied and the complaint is made on every side 

 that the creamery business does not pay and the patrons think that the 

 creamery men are among the greatest rascals in existence. This is what 

 is preventing tue creamery business from progressing as it should. Jeal- 

 ousy among farmers has destroyed more creameries than all other things 

 combined. More faith in mankind is needed. I believe there are very 

 few dishonest men in the creamery business. If one-tenth of the dis- 

 honesty that is printed in the sensational papers was true, the business of 

 the world would be seriously affected. 



When we consider that only 5 per cent of the world's business is done 

 on a cash basis, we find that business men must have faith in mankind. 

 How frequently we hear farmers in a community find fault with the 

 creamery in their section and do everything they can to injure the oper- 

 ator's business, when in reality the very presence of a creamery in their 

 neighborhood is enhancing the value of their land from $3 to $5 an acre 

 in many cases. 



With your permission I will review the butter business from the time 

 the milk is received up to the finished product. The weighing of milk, 

 which seems of little consequence to some makers, is a very important 

 place in the creamery, and a place where the head maker should always 

 be found in the morning. Here is the opportunity of coming in contact 

 with the patron and doing missionary work that will educate him to fur- 

 nish a better product. It also gives the maker a knowledge of the condi- 

 tion of the milk that he is to handle that day. The importance of taking a 

 correct sample of milk is quite an item in keeping patrons good natured 

 and satisfied. More dissatisfaction exists over the testing than any other 

 business in connection with the creamery. If milk is allowed to stand 

 only a few moments in the weighing can, and a sample is taken without 

 carefully stirring in the cream, the result will be an inaccurate test, which 

 may defraud the patron of the creamery. The leaving open of milk jars, 

 as frequently happens, after samples are taken, will not give accurate 

 results, as evaporation of moisture is taking place all the time. I have 

 known samples of this kind to cause a variation of 2 per cent. And take 

 up the question of testing milk. The testing machine must run perfectly 

 smooth and at a certain speed to insure correct results. Sulphuric acid 

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