98 ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Some of the correspondents who reported the prevalence of "ropy milk" as- 

 cribed it to various vague and imaginary causes, and in a majority of cases 

 suspected or admitted all but the real source of the trouble. 



SELLING PURE BUTTERMILK AS A BEVERAGE. 



A sentiment favorable to the increased consumption of buttermilk is rapidly 

 growing m the cities, and the producer is therefore realizing an increased mar- 

 gin of profit from its sale. The taste for buttermilk is easily acquired, and as 

 the consuming public are learning to appreciate its health-giving qualities, the 

 producer should endeavor to produce an article of exceptionally good quality. 

 The price that a critical public are willing to pay for the beverage should justify 

 the expenditure of a little more trouble and time in its preparation and treat- 

 ment for the city patron. The physician who prescribes buttermilk or skim 

 milk for his patients who are suffering from certain ailments will insist that 

 the article supplied shall be of a cleanly and palatable character. 



AVERAGE PRICES OF MILK IN PETsTNSTLVANIA CITIES. 



A compilation of the average selling price of unskimmed, fresh milk, de- 

 livered to the consumers, shows a somewhat remarkable uniformity in figures, 

 the price averaging exactly eight cents a quart, for the year, in the following 

 cities: Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Allegheny, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. In 

 the cities of Reading, Lancaster, Easton, AUentown and smaller places, the 

 average was somewhat lower, slightly exceeding seven cents per quart. This 

 was due to the absence of the higher transportation rate that applied to the 

 larger cities, local supplies being sufRcient for the smaller cities and bor- 

 oughs or the haul being shorter and cheaper. 



HOW TO COMMAND THE BEST PRICE FOR MILK. 



Although confined within a limited appropriation, the State Livestock 

 Sanitary Board has yielded a far-reaching influence, and has greatly re- 

 duced the percentage of tuberculous cows in the Pennsylvania herds. It is 

 therefore suggested that in every case where the owner has reasons to believe 

 his herd has become infected, he communicate at once with the Board, pre- 

 senting the facts for the information of the State authorities. The present 

 conditions of our civilization has placed milk high in importance, air and 

 pure water alone having precedence in sustaining life. This is especially true 

 so far as infants and invalids are concerned; consequently, the increased de- 

 mand for milk of approved excellence and purity — a theme that to-day is oi 

 National importance. 



If the dairymen cannot remedy some of the evils that are of such general 

 complaint without receiving an increased price for his products, let him be 

 paid an increased price, and then discontinue serving the impure and infec- 

 tious article. It would certainly be far better to supply only pure and healthy 

 milk, thus reaping a double profit, not only in a monetary sense, ibut the 

 community would also pixjfit by having better health, fewer deaths and less 

 suffering. 



With tulierculous cows exterminated from the dairy herds, and the general 

 improvements advocated inaugurated, the dairymen will be in a position to 

 not only select his clientele, but fix his own prices. 



THE NEW STANDARD FOR MEASURING MILK. 



The long standing complaint emanating from milk producers that they were 

 not treated with fairness when selling their milk to the city markets because 

 of unfair measure lieing exacted, resulted in the passage of an act providing 

 for a milk and cream standard of measurement. LTnder this law, every gal- 

 lon of milk and cream must contain 231 cubic inches of liquid per gallon, 

 while under the old enactment the producer furnished milk and cream at a 

 low rate by "dry measure," and the purchaser disposed of it by liquid meas- 

 ure, the difference alone affording a good share of profit. 



With this special legal requirement for a standard gallon of milk or cream, 

 there need be no further controversies, and the honest dealer will also be re- 

 lieved from further embarassment since he buys and sells by the same legal- 

 ized stancfird. The act referred to is novv' in force, and dairymen and others 

 must govern themselves accordingly. 



LA"W REQUIRES CLEANSING OF MIL.K CANS. 



While it is a matter df common knowledge that there is no better medium for 

 the dissemination of filth and disease germs than milk, many dairymen and 

 dealers were woefully indifferent as to the condition of the cans and other 

 vessels employed in shipping milk and cream over railways to distant patrons. 

 Many vessels were returned without cleaning them until the conditions be- 

 came intolerable. As a result, a law was enacted last winter which imposes 



