192 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE). 



Last winter while discussion as to conditions attending the 

 production of milk was at its height, evidence was adduced in 

 a number of places as to the cost of keeping a cow a year. 

 These figures so far as they came within the range of my 

 investigations, varied from $40 per year to $186. The lowest 

 figure was given at a meeting of the Michigan Dairymen's 

 Association by a gentleman who hires all of the labor necessary 

 to run his dairy and keeps a systematic set of books. The 

 highest figure was made by a prominent Massachusetts dairy- 

 man of considerable experience, before a legislative commis- 

 sion on the cost of living. When the statements of practical 

 gentlemen based upon what purport to be exact figures, vary 

 from $40 to $186 per year, there would seem to be need of 

 instruction either in bookkeeping or milk production before we 

 try to reform the middlemen or railroads. Professor Sanborn 

 of New Hampshire testified before a Massachusetts legislative 

 committee that it cost him $122 per year to keep a cow. Mr. 

 B. W. Potter of Massachusetts put the figure at $161, but he 

 included family groceries, pew rent and grange dues in the cost 

 ot keeping a cow. A prominent Ohio dairyman at a meeting 

 of the Northern Ohio Milk Producers' Association stated the 

 annual cost of keeping a cow at $82. Edwin Van Allstyne 

 before the New York Dairymen's Association placed the figure 

 at $80, and J. G. Schwink before the Connecticut Dairymen's 

 Association at $136 and $141. Among the college professors 

 Professor Wing of New York places the cost at $79, Professor 

 Erf of Ohio at $102, Professor Hill of Vermont at $107. 



The cost of feed, alone, is given by various people at from 

 $35 to $142 per year. The Ohio gentleman above referred to 

 says $41; Professor Wing of New York, $47; Professor Erf 

 of Ohio, $59; President Abbott of the New England Milk 

 Producers' Association, $74; Mr. Van Alstyne, $59; average 

 cost in Alaine Cow Test Associations, $46. Some investiga- 

 tions by the Ohio Experiment Station among dairymen in that 

 state gave a range of from $25 to $58. The dairy department 

 of the Connecticut Agricultural College says the expense of 

 keeping a cow a year, other than feed, is $45 ; the Ohio depart- 

 ment says $43. The Ohio dairymen quoted above, $23 to $40. 



From this it will be seen that producers are almost hope- 

 lessly at sea as to the cost of keeping a cow a year. These 



