PURCHASE or MILK AND CREAM IO9 



the local creamery there is possibly no more satisfactory sys- 

 tem. It has the advantage that full remittance is made without 

 deduction for hauling; it brings the producer in close touch 

 with the butter maker or manager and each learns to appreciate 

 the work and efifort of the other. If the product delivered by a 

 patron is of poor quality the butter maker can discuss the 

 matter directly with him and make valuable suggestions as to 

 how such difiBculties may be overcome. 



The main criticisms that may be offered against this system 

 are: it may increase the cost per pound of butter fat delivered 

 by the route driver. This objection is naturally confined to 

 territories in which routes are also operated. The individual 

 system is not far-reaching; farmers living from five to six miles 

 from the creamery can be interested in this system only with 

 difficulty. The busy farmer finds delivery of cream a burden 

 and as a result he often starts to make butter on the farm; such 

 a patron is often slow to return. The time required for han- 

 dling a given amount of milk or cream at a creamery is some- 

 what increased by the individual system. 



2. Producer Shipping Cream by Rail. — The system of ship- 

 ping cream by rail has become rather popular during recent 

 years. By this system it is possible for the producer in a more 

 thinly settled district where a creamery cannot be operated 

 profitably to sell his butter fat at market price. Formerly such 

 farmers were compelled to sell their butter in the country store. 

 The system has met opposition, as it is claimed that it reduces 

 the patronage of the local creamery. It is hardly logical that 

 an up-to-date local creamery should experience much difficulty 

 on that account, as the local creamery has the advantage of 

 saving the shipping expenses and receives cream of better 

 quality. 



3. Creamery System of Handling Individual Shipments. — A 

 creamery receiving individual railroad shipments should imme- 

 diately upon receipt of the first shipment from a producer write 

 a personal letter to that shipper. This letter should be writ- 

 ten in such a tone that it will encourage future shipments. It 

 should also contain a report of weight and test of cream received 



