130 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



times as much butter as this every year, or from thirty to 

 thirty-five million pounds, an average of eighteen or nineteen 

 pounds per annum for every person. This is more likely to 

 be below the fact than above it. Americans are the greatest 

 butter-eaters in the world, consuming nearly twice as much 

 as any other people. The general average for the whole 

 country is fifteen or sixteen pounds a year. A very careful 

 computation, made a year ago, led me to the conclusion that 

 the people of Franklin County average twenty-three pounds 

 of butter consumed annually. It seems fair, then, to place 

 the average for the State at eighteen or nineteen pounds. 



In preparing an article for market, the first inquiry should 

 be as to the demand. It would be worse than useless to 

 advocate greater attention to dairying in Massachusetts, and 

 an increased product, unless there was a demand to supply. 

 But it will be seen from the facts already stated, that, if the 

 yearly product of the cows now kept in the State could be 

 doubled, the milk and butter so produced would yet be less 

 than the annual wants of our population. Besides, these 

 wants are increasing year by year, especially the demand for 

 milk as an article of food ; so that it is practically impossi- 

 ble for the farmers of Massachusetts to make their product 

 of milk and butter sufficient for the present and prospective 

 supply of their own State. 



Table IT. — Yearly Receipts of Butter and Cheese in Boston Produce 



Market. 1 



But, beyond this, the demand which exists is by no means 

 limited to the daily wants of the people of the State. The 



1 December estimated. Of the packages of butter, about one-tenth are 

 boxes, eight to twelve pounds each. Butter packages, aside from boxes, may 

 be averaged at fifty pounds each. Boxes of cheese average fifty-eight pounds 

 in weight. 



