MARKETING OF BUTTER 419 



If the creamery establishes a local market for all of its out- 

 put during the flush of the season, it invariably is confronted 

 with the difficulty of supplying that market during the time of 

 shortage, or if the local market takes care only of the output 

 during the time of shortage, then in summer, during the heavy 

 make, there is a surplus of butter which must be disposed of on 

 the open market. This surplus is usually increased by the 

 fact that during the early summer months, when butter fat 

 prices are relatively low, considerable cream is churned on the 

 farms and the creamery has to compete against country butter, 

 which is usually offered for sale at prices below creamery 

 butter. At the same time also the consumption of butter in the 

 local markets generally reaches ebb-tide, partly because of a 

 reduction of butter consumption per capita during- the hot 

 weather and partly because many of the consumers leave for 

 cooler climes. 



In order to equalize these fluctuating conditions of sup- 

 ply and demand some creameries are buying butter on the open 

 market during the time of shortage to take care of their trade, 

 while others store some of their surplus during the time of flush. 

 In the buying of butter to offset the shortage of output, the 

 greatest care should be exercised that the quality of the 

 butter purchased is equal to that of the regular make. The 

 creamery should also make sure that it complies with the laws 

 of the state concerning the labeling of such butter. In many 

 states the law prohibits the sale of butter under the creamery's 

 private brand, unless the brand plainly indicates that the but- 

 ter was not made by that creamery. Instead of stating that 

 the butter is made by the respective creamery, the wrapper 

 should state that the butter is packed and distributed by the 

 respective creamery. 



The storing of butter in the creamery, in order to take 

 care of its surplus and to hold it over for the time of shortage, 

 is usually not a practical proposition in the case of the small 

 creamery Avith limited cold storage facilities. Unless butter 

 can be kept at a uniform temperature of Zero degrees Fahren- 

 heit or below it will, under average conditions, depreciate 

 in value to the extent to where it can no longer be sold to the 

 regular trade. If the butter is made from a good quality of 



