390 PACKING BUTTER 



This difference naturally operates in favor of the large creamery 

 and against the small creamery with limited operating capital. 

 The use of machines for printing, wrapping and sealing the 

 butter and for mailing the boxes reduces the help needed for 

 labor. In the large creamery this work can be done by the 

 cheapest kind of help, by young boys and girls, for there is 

 enough work to be done to furnish steady employment for this 

 kind of help. In the small creamery where the printing and 

 wrapping occupies only a part of one person's time, the creamery 

 usually cannot secure special cheap help for this work and it is 

 done by the more High-priced help, the buttermaker or his 

 helper. 



The cost of putting up one-half pound prints in separate 

 cartons is about one-third higher per pound and the cost of 

 putting up one-quarter pound prints in separate cartons is about 

 twice as high per pound of butter as the cost of putting up one 

 pound prints. The cost of putting up one-half pound prints and 

 one-quarter pound prints in one pound cartons is about one-fifth 

 and one-fourth, respectively, higher than the cost of putting up 

 one pound prints. 



Cost of Packing Butter in Tins. Two sizes of tins for 

 packing butter are accepted as standard tins by the United 

 States Navy, the net 5 pound tin and the net 6 pound 6 ounce 

 tin. The 5 pound tins are packed in boxes holding 16 tins, the 

 6 pound 6 ounce tins are packed in boxes holding 12 tins. In 

 May, 1918, the cost of the package (5 pound tins), including 

 tins, boxes, corrugated paper liners and strap iron, was about 

 $2.44 per 1000 tins or about 3 cents per pound of butter. To this 

 should be added the cost of nails and labels which amounts to 

 less than .05 of one cent. The labor, when large quantities of 

 butter are tinned, is but very slightly more than that of printing 

 and wrapping butter, but for average conditions it should be 

 placed at one-half to three-quarters of one cent per pound. This 

 then, would make the total cost of packing butter in tins about 

 3 1 cents per pound. 



It is customary for the manufacturers of tin cans to loan 

 to the creamery a sealing machine, for closing the cans after 

 they are packed. The rental basis is usually about $25 per year 



