816 The Organisation of the Milk Supply, [jan., 



is said to make it difficult to attract fresh buyers, and even 

 the old customers can be retained only by the superior quality 

 and condition of the commodity which is manufactured. 



The S calf or d Dairy, in Leicestershire, while not actually 

 engaged in the sale of milk, affords another striking instance 

 of what organisation can accomplish. The Society is situated 

 at Scalford, near Melton Mowbray, and practically confines 

 its operations to the manufacture of Stilton cheese. It 

 began its career in 1903 by renting from the Duke of 

 Rutland a disused malt house in the village of Scalford. 

 This was put into thorough repair and altered to adapt it 

 for use as a cheese factory. In the true co-operative spirit 

 the members themselves carted all the materials used in the 

 various alterations in the building, and they have since con- 

 veyed the cheese produced in the dairy to the station without 

 charge. 



The members enter into strict contracts with the Society in 

 regard to the manner in which they supply milk to the 

 factory. Further, the milk suppliers bind themselves that 

 if a season's trading results in a loss, this shall be borne 

 proportionately by each. It has, unfortunately, been found 

 necessary to put this latter provision in operation as, owing 

 to some bad debts, a loss was incurred in 1904. The 

 milk suppliers, however, paid the levy required of them, and 

 their loyalty was rewarded, for, though in 1905 there was a 

 slight further loss, a substantial profit was shown in 1906, 

 and the business is now on a thoroughly sound footing. The 

 total turnover of the Society for the twelve months ending 

 March 31st, 1909, was ^"3,400, and a substantial net profit 

 was made. Their best make of cheese realises is. per 

 pound. 



The Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society. — Follow- 

 ing fast on the footsteps of the English Agricultural 

 Organisation Society, and improving on it in some respects, 

 the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society has been of 

 late also devoting its attention to the organisation of milk- 

 selling societies, and in the Annual Report of the Society for 

 1908 an account is given of the successful efforts now being 

 made to organise the dairy industry on co-operative lines. 

 "The milk depots," says the report, "are highly successful. 



