26 Bulletin 85 



indicates that 21,460 cows whose owners report complete returns 

 brought in an average of $173,375 per month. This shows an average 

 of $8.07 per cow per month and probably is a representative figure for 

 the entire Valley. As might be expected in a district where extensive 

 development of the dairy industry has been fairly recent, there is a 

 considerable amount of inferior stock. At the same time, there are 

 some very fine individual herds and the general character of dairy 

 stock is improving each year. A comparatively sudden interest in 

 silo building was manifested in 1917, and has had a most beneficial 

 effect on the entire dairy industry in the Valley. About 17 silos were 

 in existence in the Valley early in 191 7. By midsummer this number 

 had increased to about 40 and in November 45 silos were in use and 

 3 or 4 were in process of construction. 



The dairy industry in the Valley has built itself largely around 

 the problem of supplying milk and butterfat to creameries and 

 evaporating plants. Considerable quantities of milk and cream are also 

 retailed in Phoenix, Mesa and Tempe. There are in existence at the 

 present time three creameries, all located in Phoenix, one evaporating 

 plant located in Tempe and another evaporating plant in process of 

 construction at Glendale. During 1916 and for the first seven months 

 of 1 91 7, there w^as another creamery in operation at Glendale. These 

 plants care for most of the dairy products originating in the Valley. 

 No stringent requirements are laid by the creameries upon their 

 patrons. Practically all milk or cream which is in even a reasonably 

 satisfactory condition is accepted and this has acted in some cases to 

 encourage slack methods of handling milk and cream on the farm. 

 In 191 6 about 4,001,900 pounds of butterfat were collectively handled 

 by the commercial plants in the Valley, while about 3,501,000 pounds 

 were handled by the same firms during the first nine months of 1917. 



These figures indicate more graphically than words the volume 

 of the commercial dairy business in the Salt River Valley. Prices paid 

 for dairy products during the past two years have varied from 31 cents 

 for butterfat in cheese milk in September. 191 6, to 55 cents for butter- 

 fat in the same form in October, 1917. The following table represents 

 an average of prices paid by all creameries and evaporating plants dur- 

 ing certain months of 191 7 and shows the very rapid increase in price 

 which became manifest during the later months of 1917: 



