g THE BUTTER INDUSTRY IN UNITED STATES [314 



High temperatures have a deteriorating effect upon milk 

 and cream, and this fact gives to regions with comparatively 

 cold climates a distinct advantage. Through the power 

 separator it has become possible for a group of farmers to 

 engage in butter making even in warm countries. The 

 climatic conditions, however, require that the milk be 

 hauled to the creamery every day, or after each mikl.ing 

 during the hottest part of the year, unless the milk is iced 

 while on the farm. The hand separator also adds to the 

 possibilities of butter making in warm sections. Obviously, 

 taking care of the cream on the farm and transporting it to 

 the creamery is less difficult than keeping all the milk in 

 good condition. 



Experiments have been conducted 1 to show the com- 

 parative costs of mechanical refrigeration and the use of 

 natural ice. Creameries in Illinois were chosen for the 

 purpose. With the use of various kinds of insulation the 

 experiments show the difference in cost to cool 100 pounds 

 of packed butter to 30 degrees Fahr., including cooling the 

 cream during the manufacturing process between the na- 

 tural ice system and the artificial refrigerating system, to 

 be as follows : 



Natural-ice system 20.1c. 



Mechanical refrigerating system — 17.8c. 

 Per cent favor mechanical system. . . 12 % 



In these experiments the attempt was made to take ac- 

 count of all capital, labor and maintenance costs in both 

 systems. It is shown that mechanical refrigeration is con- 

 siderably cheaper in the latitude of Illinois than refrigera- 

 tion through the use of natural ice. The writer who con- 

 ducted these experiments believes, however, that the use of 



1 Oscar Erf, in Bailey's Cyclopedia of American Agriculture, vol. iii. 

 p. 245. 



