104 



Co-operative Cheese-making. 



[may, 



The Authority will also ascertain that all local difficulties have 

 been overcome as far as possible and that the school has pro- 

 vided a thorough training in co-operation. 



The Scheme, which has now been in operation some little 

 time, has proved entirely satisfactory. The progress made is 

 exemplified by the extent to which the Scheme has grown 

 since it was first formed in 191 6. In that year one school was 

 established in Cornwall; in 191 7, 9 co-operative schools were 

 at work in Cornwall, Wiltshire, Herefordshire, Denbighshire, 

 Carnarvon and Montgomery ; in 1918, the number had risen 

 to 18 schools carried on in Anglesey, Berkshire, Cheshire, 

 Cornwall, Cumberland, Carnarvon, Denbighshire, Flintshire, 

 Herefordshire, Montgomery and Wiltshire ; in 191 9, 13 schools 

 were at work in Anglesey, Carmarthen, Carnarvon, Cheshire, 

 Cornwall, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Montgomery and Pembroke. 

 That the financial result was entirely satisfactory may be noted 

 from the following figures. These are taken at random from 

 the results of the working of 6 schools during 1918 and 1919. 

 In 1918, 115,251 gal. of milk were made into cheese, for which 

 the amount paid out to the suppliers of milk was £9,130 i6s. id., 

 or a fraction over is. yd. per gal. In 191 9, the total number of 

 gal. of milk made into cheese was 118,789, for which the 

 amount paid for milk was £11,024 5s., or a fraction over is. 10 Id. 

 per gal. It should be noted that, in addition to the price 

 received for milk, some farmers took their whey for home use. 



These returns compare most favourably with the average 

 wholesale prices obtainable for milk during the corresponding 

 periods, and demonstrate how greatly co-operative methods 

 benefit the farmer. It must also be borne in mind that much 

 of the milk thus profitably turned into cheese at co-operative 

 schools was surplus, and would probably, under ordinary 

 circumstances, not have commanded the full wholesale price. 



As a result of the work of these schools 32 co-operative cheese- 

 making societies have been definitely formed. Beginning in 

 1 91 6 with I society, 10 more societies were formed in 1917, 

 10 more in 1918, and 11 more in 191 9. A most encouraging 

 instance of the success of the system here outlined occurred 

 in a district where very little milk was produced previous 

 to 1 91 7. In that year a co-operative school was established, 

 which resulted in the formation of a co-operative society. 

 This society during 1917 dealt with 30,000 gal. of milk; in 

 1 918, with 6.^,000 gal. ; aud in 1919 with no less than 108,000 

 gal. It IS further claimed that these increases are entirely 

 due to the keeping of additional cows and not to diversion of 



