42 THE BUTTER INDUSTRY IN UNITED STATES [ 2 66 



eastern sections but has been discontinued in many sections 

 of the North Central States in favor of separating the 

 cream on the farm. The number of skimming stations in 

 1900 was 2,050. The change during the succeeding five 

 years was so rapid that by 1905 the number had decreased 

 to 1,602. 



Concentration in the butter industry may be more defi- 

 nitely shown by the following statement : 



Census No. of Product per Capital per 



Year Establishments Establishment Establishment 



1900 5» 2 75 53.3 2 9 lbs. $3,927 x 



1905 5,235 60,582 " 5,746 



1910 4,7 8 3 130,622 " 8,994 



The statement shows that in the ten years from 1900 to 

 1910 there was a substantial decrease in the number of 

 establishments and an increase of more than double in the 

 average output. The capital per establishment has also in- 

 creased. The evidence is very plain, therefore, that during 

 this period concentration has proceeded rather rapidly. 

 Whether or not concentration in the butter industry pro- 

 ceeded from 1880 to 19 10 cannot be separately shown be- 

 cause the census figures combine in most cases butter, cheese, 

 and condensed-milk factories. In order that an idea as to 

 whether or not concentration in the dairy industry as a 

 whole has been in progress from the beginning of the fac- 

 tory system to the present, the following statement of com- 

 bined establishments of butter, cheese, and condensed-milk 

 factories is given : 



1 The average capital of all butter, cheese, and condensed-milk estab- 

 lishments. The following two amounts are for butter establishments 

 only. 



