Many makers are now expected to figure out the milk dividends for
the patrons, and issue fortnightly statements. A quick, easy rule
to follow in doing this business, is to first foot up each patron’s
milk for the number of days’ delivery in one or two sales, as the
case may be, draw a line across the page of the factory account
book opposite the date sold up to, and, as you add each man’s milk,
set the amount down opposite his name on the tally slate. After you
have summed it all up, go over it again, adding from the top of the
columns downward. This will correct any mistakes you may have made.
Next, add the separate sums of milk together into one grand total
and, using this united sum for a dividend, take the number of pounds
of cheese in the sale or sales for a divisor, and the quotient will
be the ratio or the number of pounds of milk it has taken to make a
pound of cheese. Then, multiply the number of pounds of cheese by the
price per 100 pounds you get for making, and deduct the product from
the full cash amount that the cheese has brought. The residue money
divide up proportionately among the patrons as follows: Using the
grand total of milk for a divisor, see how many times it is contained
in the money, minus cost of making. The quotient will be the net
price of one hundred pounds of milk. Multiply each patron’s separate
amount of milk by this price per hundred pounds, and the product
will be the net monied income on that sale or sales for the patron.
In getting the price of a pound of milk it is seldom necessary to
carry decimally beyond mills. In a measure, the work all proves
itself, for, if, by adding together the face value of each patron’s
check, the amount does not agree with the cheese returns, less
making, your figuring will need a review.
It is customary now to send out with each check a statement
demonstrating and setting forth just how the factory business is
running. Thus, each patron becomes a critic of the secretary. I
append a statement properly filled out: