DAIRY MEETING. 153 



cents. The same investigation showed that the producer re- 

 ceived approximately 50 per cent; that the railroads received 

 about 7 per cent and that the retailer received 43 per cent of 

 the consumers' price. If these reports are correct, as 1 presume 

 they are, then it is evident that consumers in our cities should 

 not expect to buy ordinary milk for less than 9 cents per quart 

 and if they expect a product of unusual quality they should be 

 willing to pay more. If the retailers' price of 8 cents per quart, 

 as shown by this report, is correct, and it actually costs as much 

 or more to produce and distribute the milk, then it is very evi- 

 dent that the producer is not receiving a profitable price for his 

 product provided he is producing a milk of standard quality 

 under proper sanitary methods. It has been estimated by 

 competent authority that the cost of producing milk to meet the 

 requirements of health boards has been increased approximately 

 one cent per quart on a 15 cow dairy for the improved methods 

 and equipment. If the producer is required to sell milk for 

 less than it actually costs him to produce it, he must either re- 

 duce the cost of production or go out of business. The figures 

 quoted then show, first, that it costs approximately 9 cents per 

 quart to produce and distribute milk of usual quality in our 

 larger cities; second, that the price paid by consumers is no 

 more than equal to the cost of production ; third, that the in- 

 crease in cost of producing milk to meet health board require- 

 ments is approximately one cent per quart. Therefore, we 

 must conclude that either the producer must frequently sell 

 milk of inferior quality or else sell it at a loss. There is no 

 one who can deny that the requirements of health boards re- 

 garding milk are a necessary protection to the health of consum- 

 ers, but if it costs the producer more to raise milk which meets 

 these requirements then they should be willing to pay for this 

 improvement. 



PRODUCTION OF MIEK. 



The production of milk is one of the most highly specialized 

 branches of agriculture and the successful producer must have a 

 good knowledge of the various branches of farm operation. He 

 must understand handling crops which will give him the great- 



