Commissioner of Agriculture. 13 



most needed for a vendor to sell milk as whole milk, guaran- 

 teeing it to contain 1 per cent, of fat orless, without ever excit- 

 ing the suspicions of the purchasers that the milk was not pure, 

 and thus, with this changed condition of affairs, they would be 

 able to sell skimmed milk as pure milk. If for any reason a 

 case was made where milk did not contain the amount of fat that 

 was guaranteed, then it would be a question of fact to determine 

 what amount of fat was guaranteed, and the trial would be 

 lengthy with the result doubtful. The safeguards that we now 

 have in such a case would be entirely removed, and, in my judg- 

 ment, would soon go back, as regards quality of milk, to the con- 

 dition of maximum adulteration. 



There has been much said, by parties interested, pro and con 

 relative to the equity of the present standard of milk in this State, 

 viz.: That it shall not contain more than 88 per cent, water, or 

 less than 12 per cent, solids or 3 per cent. fat. Wben this stand- 

 ard was created in the State of New York there was no other 

 State in the Union that had a standard, as I understand it. Since 

 that time thirteen States in the Union, and the Province of On- 

 tario, Canada, have all established standards, as follows: 



Iowa — 



3 per cent. fat. 



Maine — 



88 per cent, water. 



12 per cent, total solids. 

 3 per cent. fat. 



Massachusetts — 



87 per cent, water. 



13 per cent, solids. 



9.3 per cent, milk solids, exclusive of fat. except in May and 

 June, when there is to be at least 12 per cent, milk solids. 



Michigan — 



87^ per cent, water. 

 12^ per cent, total solids. 

 3^ per cent. fat. 



