INSTITUTE PAPERS, 8l 



market has been demoralized in Boston. I look for the price 

 to return until both sides about fairly meet. 



It will be noted that the cost of milk was just about 3.81 

 cents per quart. This is found by deducting the credit for calf 

 and manure from the cost and dividing the net cost by the 

 quarts of milk produced. Below this rate milk cannot be made 

 under the average conditions prevalent in New England. In- 

 deed four cents roundly may be assumed to be a fair cost. 



In some sections it cannot be produced for this. Indeed, about 

 our great centers the increased cost would be material. I am 

 not a butter producer at present and can speak only in the light 

 of past experience. I do not claim in the following data to be 

 exact but very closely so. The cows in question should show 

 4% fat. This would average 240 lbs. butter fat per cow and at 

 16% water in the butter would mean 284 1-2 pounds of butter. 

 The cost of making, including packages, is very closely the same 

 as the delivery of the milk to the station in the case of milk 

 sales. From the total cost of keeping the cows must be deducted 

 the credits aside from butter. To the credits already given in 

 the case of butter must be added the value of the skim-milk. 

 This at 22 cents per 100 lbs. would be $12.57, making a total 

 credit aside from butter of $33.82. This taken from the total 

 cost, of keeping the cow leaves a balance of $93.67 as the cost 

 of 284 1-2 lbs. butter or 33 cents per pound. If the matter is 

 traced further it will be found at the rates paid for milk in 

 Boston during the past year that butter making from cows 

 whose milk is rich in fat is as profitable as milk production from 

 ordinary cows. This factor requires some nice calculations and 

 compilation of results derived from the cost of butter produc- 

 tion from Jersey and Guernsey cows compared to milk produc- 

 tion from the milking line of cows. But the data are sufficiently 

 clear in my mind to warrant the above statement based on rates 

 for milk and butter for the past year in Boston. There has 

 been a constantly falling away of milk producers from the 

 Boston market. There is no doubt a general dissatisfaction on 

 the part of producers with the milk market. The calculations 

 above made not for the purpose of proving a position but for 

 the elucidation of it seem to justify the general views prevailing 

 as to the profits of the business of milk production. 



