1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 235 



but the small farmer seems to have been ' ' left out in the cold " 

 until the last ; but now, wherever this system of co-opera- 

 tive dairying is available to him, he and his family can be 

 greatly benefited. Of the one hundred and twenty-five 

 creameries in New England, our State has its proportion. 

 But we have not half — no, probably not one quarter — 

 enough of them. Not long ago there was a great cry in 

 some localities, "All are going into creameries. Creamery 

 butter will glut the market." In fact, the market for this 

 grade of butter is continually improving. Our creamery 

 now has orders far exceeding the amount we can supply. 

 Here let me say that we have made during the year about 

 ninety-six thousand pounds of butter ; it was sold for above 

 twenty-six thousand dollars. The expense of selling and 

 collecting has been no greater than I formerly incurred in 

 marketing the product of my dairy of twenty cows. Note 

 the saving, — the product of sixty-five to seventy dairies 

 marketed at no greater expense than that of one. 



I have met but very few dairymen who sang in the minor 

 key. The burden of their song usually is, "I am doing 

 very well now. My wife makes better butter than any one 

 else about here ; this dealer or that city boarder said so. 

 They want all we can make." Some will say frankly that 

 they can make just as good if not better butter than any 

 creamery, — minister A. or Dr. B. said so, — when they 

 are selling at a considerably less price than our patrons are 

 getting. These people need instruction. They should 

 understand that a creamery butter-maker is an expert, be- 

 sides having a great many advantages not available to them- 

 selves, the disadvantages being nearly all on their side. The 

 low price they sell at, compared with what the factory prod- 

 uct brings, should convince them. As a class, they are 

 the last to see the benefits of co-operation. Their business 

 habits have an influence in this direction. Each works his 

 own little farm in his own way, selling his surplus near 

 home, usually to an acquaintance, — knowing very little of 

 the wholesale market prices. " Paddling his own canoe," 

 with very little regard for the bustling world outside, he is 

 very liable to get left. How can we reach and benefit this 

 class ? It is not very largely represented here to-day ; very 



