354 COLD STORAGE AND BUTTER FOR STORAGE PURPOSES 



year. The producer of perishable products is also benefited 

 from the fact that he gets higher prices during the time that he 

 has his largest supj>l}', which he w(juld not be able to get if such 

 products could not be carried over. 



Prior to the general use of mechanical refrigeration for cold 

 storage purposes, various food products sold at very low prices at 

 the time of high production. This was particularly true of butter. 



A. R. Loomis, of Ft. Dodge, Iowa, told one of the authors 

 that at this early period he was able to buy several carloads of 

 creamery butter, whole-milk goods, at ii cents a pound. Certain 

 seasons of the year are now designated as cold-storage seasons. 



The season which is recognized as that for making butter for 

 storage purposes is the period extending from the k/ter part of 

 May to the first of July. This is regarded as the storage season, 

 although some butter is stored at other times of the year as well. 

 Practically all butter, however, is stored during the storage 

 season, for two reasons: first, there is more butter made at this 

 period than at any other time of the year; second, the grass is at 

 its best, and the conditions are more favorable for making good 

 butter than at any other time. During this period cows are 

 usually milked outside and there is less chance for contamination. 

 Hence, the best butter of the year is supposed to be made at this 

 time. 



Cold storage brings into the market many dealers in butter. 

 They are willing to pay good prices in the summer, taking chances 

 on making a reasonable profit during the fall and winter months, 

 but in this they are sometimes disappointed. In various states 

 laws have been enacted to regulate cold storage and prevent the 

 possibility of any individual or combination of individuals 

 cornering the food products for the purpose of forcing prices 

 beyond what will net a reasonable profit. 



A general agitation was started throughout the country by 

 women's clubs and other organizations when food prices were 

 extremely high. The impression prevailed among many that 

 cold storage was responsible for hoarding or cornering of food 

 products, but investigations by the Federal Government showed 

 that hoarding was not the cause of high prices. Nevertheless, 



