738 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



guarantee uniformity and richness as it was necessary first to im- 

 prove the buildings in a sanitary way, remove the unhealthy animals, 

 arrange for better cleaning of the animals and stables and for proper 

 handling of the milk, and to teach all connected with the work 

 the importance and necessity of cleanliness. This was not li ally 

 accomplished until late in the summer of 1897, when a dairy house 

 was built, which enabled an immediate and rapid cooling of the 

 milk and its storage at low temperature until delivered, as well as 

 the sterilization of the necessary utensils. In the meantime, how- 

 ever, the relative advantages of different methods of delivery were 

 studied, and the marked advantage of the bottle system from the 

 sanitary point of view was so obvious that the consumers were en- 

 couraged to take milk in this form rather than from the open can. 



The product was sold entirely upon its merits. No persons were 

 solicited to purchase milk, no advertising was done, and in no case 

 was the milk sold for less than six cents per quart for the six 

 months beginning with May, and for eight cents for the remainder 

 of the year. The sales made during the year beginning April 1, 

 1896, when progress was being made in the production of milk of a 

 uniformly high quality, and during the years 1898 and 1899, when 

 to these characteristics purity was added, are actual statements 

 taken from the records. The results are as follows: 



During the year beginning April 1, 1896, the sales were 64,616 

 quarts; the following year (1897) the sales were 68,230 quarts, the 

 gain being but 3,614 quarts, or 5.6 per cent, more, while in 1898 

 the sales were 78,839 quarts, a gain of 12,373 quarts or 18.9 per 

 cent, over the sales in 1896. Again, the sales for 1899 were 81,930 

 quarts, the gain being 17,314 quarts, or 26.8 per cent, over the year 

 1896. That is, though uniformity and richness were practically 

 maintained throughout the first two years, owing to unclean animals 

 souring, and sales increased slowly, but as soon as the milk de- 

 livered possessed the three characteristics mentioned at the outset 

 — namely, uniformity, richness and purity — it began to sell itself and 

 no legitimate complaints were heard. The increase was marked 

 and has been increasing from year to year; in fact, we have some- 

 times had 25 customers on the waiting list. The increase in sales of 

 18.9 per cent, in 1898 is, on the average, 33.6 quarts a day, which 

 at the price received, an average of 7 cents a quart, is a total gain 

 to the farm of about $1,000.00 in the annual income. This is ob- 

 tained too without other increase in the cost than in the extra ani- 

 mals required and in the feed, the labor required for handling the 

 milk, both in production and delivery, is the same as that found 

 necessary in the smaller product. The results of this experiment 

 show that there is wide room for development along this line, that 

 dairymen can, by attention to these matters, both increase their 

 sales and secure a better price. The key to the situation is the mak- 

 ing of a better product. 



A statement of the September receipts for milk in New York City 

 shows that there was a total increase of milk, cream and con- 

 densed milk over the same month in 1891, equivalent to 4,848 cans 

 of plain milk. This should give some encouragement to the pro- 

 ducers. The conditions for manufacturing butter in this country 

 are as good as in any, and one reason we do not produce more high 

 grade butter is because of carelessness on the part of creamery 



