CHEESE-FACTORY ORGANIZATION 453 



purpose of building and running a cheese-factory, 

 the first point to be ascertained is the number of 

 cows which can be utilized as a source of milk sup- 

 ply. This information can be gained only by a 

 careful personal canvass. In general, it may be 

 said that no attempt should be made to establish 

 a factory unless at least 150 cows within a radius 

 of 3 or 4 miles can be relied upon to furnish milk. 

 Dairymen should be on their guard against so- 

 called factory "sharks/' a name applied to repre- 

 sentatives of supply houses who make a business 

 of promoting co-operative factories and creameries. 

 The promoter makes exaggerated representations 

 of the profits of cheese-making for dairymen with- 

 out reference to the number of available cows. 

 When he is successful in persuading farmers to 

 organize a company, he attends to the building and 

 equipment, turning over the plant to the farmers at 

 a price which nets him one to two thousand dollars. 

 Before erecting a cheese-factory, inquiry for plans 

 and cost should be made of the state department of 

 agriculture or of the nearest agricultural college. 

 In general, it will be found .safe and profitable to 

 have nothing whatever to do with any traveling 

 agents. 



Formation of a cheese-factory company or as- 

 sociation. After a successful canvass has been 

 made and there have been obtained signed agree- 

 ments to furnish milk from a certain number of 

 cows, on the part of those who intend to join the 

 association, a meeting should be called for organi- 

 zation. The money may be raised either by indi- 

 vidual pledges to purchase a certain number of 



