ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 59 



GATHERED CREAM WORK. 



BY H. GILLIS, BIG FOOT, ILL. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: — As I have been requested to write 

 an article on gathered cream, I will do the best I can, but I want none of you to 

 expect too much of me, as I am not accustomed to writing, nor am I accustomed 

 to speaking or reading in public, this being my first attempt, and if I always feel 

 as I do now, it will be my last. I do not see why this committee should have 

 chosen me for such an important task as this. Although I make the gathered- 

 cream business my business, I do not feel competent to take this subject up and 

 explain it as it needs explaining. It is a very important subject, and it does not 

 want to be misunderstood. 



As almost every dairy paper that is published writes more on the subject of 

 gathered cream and butter than I can, I think it is unnecessary for me to repeat 

 what has been written and read time and again by every reader of the dairy 

 papers. I could only say that every person employed by a creamery must be 

 thorough, honest and industrious to make a success of the business. The only 

 point that I could think of that is of importance, but has been well discussed, is 

 to give the farmers some advice. Most farmers who sell cream to the creamery 

 seem to think that it is for their interest to sell to the creamery all the gauges that 

 he can. Now, they that figure this way ought to take the creamery in charge 

 themselves and be responsible for all losses that may occur. If they would, I 

 think some of them would be contented and give honest gauges. Every patron 

 of a well-regulated creamery or cheese factory ought to feel that he is interested 

 to a certain extent in the success of the creamery or factory. 



Let us see what a creamery is worth to a community. A creamery at 

 present is getting about 30 cents for its butter ; the same butter made by the 

 average farmer will bring, if well made, about 20 cents at a country store, in 

 trade. Every person here knows that I have given the farmer the benefit of 

 making good butter. Some of the stuff would be a loss to the storekeeper at 12 

 cents per pound. At these figures there is a gain to someone of 10 cents per 

 pound, and it is far better for someone to have that than to throw it away, as it 

 would only be thrown away by making poor butter. 



I do not claim that the creamery and dairy butter is at so wide a range in 

 price in summer as in winter, but it certainly will average 5 cents per pound the 

 year around. Now, at 5 cents per pound, what does the creamery system save? 

 In one creamery which I own and operate we have made from December 1, 1884, 

 to December 1, 1885, 559,832 pounds of butter, and at 5 cents a pound means 

 $27,991.60 profit ; and this is only a drop in the bucket to someone. The skim- 

 mer and the butter-maker and all the employes of the creamery get their share. 

 The farmer gets all or more than he would have if he made his own butter, 

 and here is $27,991.60 going to persons for honest labor. 



The skimmers and all employes should understand that their support comes 

 from the creamery, and ought to feel that responsibility that they would if they 

 were working a farm of their own, for this is their farm in one sense. The farmer 

 ought to feel that the creamery does his work the same as his horse, and ought 

 to be worthy of as good care. 



Do not try to starve the creamery or give it short gauges ; if you do, it will 



