222 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Prof. Sanborn: There are features of that question to 

 which he has referred ; I think we have a more efficient farmer 

 and a more efficient cow than ever before. 



Question : Does anyone know how the census stands in 

 Wisconsin ? 



Prof. Sanborn : I do not. It is the greatest cow state in 

 the Union. The cow population was standing about still As 

 a whole, it has been decreasing and you know the cattle of 

 America have fallen ofif ten millions within the course of a 

 dozen years. 



Question : What were your conclusions a year ago when 

 you were before the Interstate Commerce as to whether the 

 price was sufficient to pay a good profit, or not? 



Prof. Sanborn : I have forgotten. I estimated the cost, 

 reckoning at the common rate of interest. I made the cost four , 

 cents. The cost of milk today would be placed at four and one- 

 half or five cents. 



Question: Would you mind speaking of the relative summer 

 and winter cost of making milk? 



Prof. Sanborn : The summer price of milk costs more on 

 the ordinary farm than the winter. Probably not a man in the 

 house will agree with me, so I must defend myself. Your 

 pastures are good through June, then there is a constant dimin- 

 ishing in July, August and September of the pasture feed and 

 the cows will fall off probably lOO pounds. W^hen the cows 

 come back to the barn you have to give them an additional 

 amount of feed to bring them up in weight ; then, as they have 

 fallen off in weight, they have also fallen off in milk, and you 

 cannot restore the amount of milk again because the cows ar<j 

 coming nearer to the time of dropping their calves. There are 

 several other factors that enter into this question, but when you 

 have considered them all scientifically and fairly, you will find 

 your summer milk costs you as much or more than the winter 

 milk, and that there should be one price in Boston and all over 

 New England throughout the year. I am asking my friends in 

 Boston when they are establishing the price of milk to consider 

 this matter. 



Mr. Bradford: If they have a surplus in summer, even if 

 they do sell it at the same price, they pay a good deal higher 



