I4 4 THE BUTTER INDUSTRY IN UNITED STATES [368 



At Utica, N. Y., there developed an active market for cheese 

 shortly aft^r the cheese factories began to operate in 1850. 

 Later an association was formed known as the Central 

 New York Farmers' Club and the Board of Trade. Mem- 

 bership fees were charged, and " the bulletin was made up 

 in the morning, giving the receipts, price abroad by cable, 

 highest quotations in New York, etc." 1 In 1871, a similar 

 market was organized at Little Falls, N. Y., where the far- 

 mers frequently formed combinations to defy the "rings" 

 of dealers. The movement spread to Wisconsin. 2 Boards 

 of trade were established at various places throughout the 

 state. At Sheboygan Falls a board was organized in 1873. 

 " During the first two years of the existence of this board 

 most of the cheese was shipped to Chicago or New York 

 on consignment, but the claims for ' short weights ', ' off 

 stock ', etc., were so numerous that manufacturers ' kicked ' 

 severely against that method of doing business, and there- 

 fore established a system of selling their goods, to be paid 

 for when delivered at the railroad station or dock, where 

 also the weights were to be tested. Since that time the 

 business has almost entirely been conducted on that prin- 

 ciple, as there are from eight to fifteen buyers ready to buy 

 each sale day, representing London, Liverpool, Glasgow, 

 Chicago, New York, Boston, St. Louis, New Orleans and 

 other southern markets, and no cheese goes on commission 

 unless it is some poor and off stock." The idea of estab- 

 lishing a producers' market " where the manufacturers 

 could find protection against the grasping commission men, 



1 Report of the Vermont Dairy Association for 1872, p. 46; Report 

 for 1873, p. 145. 



* Vide Bulletin 231, Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, pre- 

 pared by H. C. Taylor, W. A. Schoenfeld and G. S. Wehrwein for the 

 history of Wisconsin cheese boards. 



s Report of the Wisconsin Dairymen's Association for 1882, p. 130. 



