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it doing so ; follow its advice closely as to the amount and quality 

 of salt, color and style of package. 



Selling direct to consumers is another matter, and is to be 

 advised, as a rule, only in case the producer can comfortably de- 

 liver it once a week from his own wagon. The price should 

 then be fixed, say for each month, or at least for the six summer 

 and the six winter months. To contract at a uniform price for 

 the year is not advisable, as in most cases the consumer wll 

 be willing enough to take the regular quantity in winter; but in 

 summer, when he can buy it elsewhere for six to eight cents less, 

 there is danger of trouble. In this case it is also wise to re- 

 member that "short accounts make long friendships," and make 

 the collections regularly at least once a month and better once 

 a week. 



To sell direct to consumers, who live at a distance, is less 

 satisfactory, as there often is occasion for misunderstanding; yet 

 it can be done in exceptional cases with great profit, and for 

 this kind of trade some of the different fancy packages may 

 be used with advantage, though as a general preposition I can- 

 not endorse any return package. But, in selling direct it is well 

 to remember the extra cost, trouble and risk incurred, and in 

 order to do as well as selling the whole make for cash to a dealer 

 or through a commission house, it is certainly necessary to get 

 at least five cents more a pound at the creamery. 



THE FUTURE: BUTTER AUCTIONS. 



The greatest defect in our present system of marketing 

 is the lack of an equitable payment according to quality. It 

 is true some of our dealers have made an attempt to introduce 

 it, but I have no faith in it until a comprehensive general system 

 is adopted. 



We are not yet ready for such a system, which is simply an 

 extension of co-operation, but I shall shortly refer to it here. 

 Let us assume that 400 Minnesota co-operative creameries or, 

 if you please, 1,000 Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin co-operative 

 creamesies join together in a "Northwestern Butter Auction As- 

 sociation." They hire or build cold storage room in Chicago 01 

 New York, as may be deemed best, and secure the services of a 

 competent and honest manager. 



Shipments are arranged so that a regular number of tubs 

 (or nearly so) arrive each day and these are then graded by 



