J4U 



AGRICULTURAL KEFOKT. 



dimmisbiug as the distauce increases. For larger distances, up to titly- 

 eiglit miles, the extreme of sbipmeut, summer prices generally tall 

 ■within 31 cents and winter jorices within four cents; as exceptions, 

 Mason, South Lyndeborough, and Nevv* Ipswich, in New Hampshire, 

 report winter prices of 4>j to 4 J cents, as in the season of 1870-'71. 



At distances of ten to twelve miles from Boston the milk is commonly 

 taken up by milkmen who carry to the city in wagons. Prices at the 

 farmer's door -i^- cents in summer and about 5 cents in winter. The cor- 

 respondent at Wobnrn, ten miles from Boston, writes that retailers pay 

 at the car in the city 40 cents per can of SI- quarts in summer, and oO 

 cents in winter, and that he is acquainted with farmers raising 40 cans 

 per day and delivering to retailers in the citj'^ at these x)rices. In that 

 vicinity 5 cents per can have represented the cost of collection and 

 transportation either by wagon or rail. 



The conditions of first prices and charges of transportation alfectiug 

 the bulk of supply are presented in the following table, the two last 

 columns giving the cost of the milk laid down at the depot in Boston : 



Putting aside shipments of twelve to fifteen miles, 4^ cents in sum- 

 mer and 5 cents m winter per quart will fully cover the cost of the 

 milk when laid down at the depot in Boston. Shipments by the Con- 

 cord car do not cost over 4^ cents in summer. Amounts carried by this 

 car are reported at about 1,000 cans, or 8,500 quarts, daily. City retail 

 prices are 8 cents in summer, 9 cents in winter. 



During the winter of 1870-71 prices throughout the greater part of 

 the milk-shipping region ruled o cents to 5 cents higher per can than of 

 late, and a controversy has prevailed since that time between protlucers 

 and contractors on this point. The Massachusetts and New Hampshire 

 Milk Producers' Association, an organization of several years' standing, 

 has endeavored by various measures to effect a return to higher prices. 

 A number of farmers in the Concord section, which, from its large pro- 

 duction of milk, feels quite sensibly the reduction of 5 cents per can, 

 endeavored to make a direct arrangement with the Fitchburgh road for 

 carriage of their milk, the amount thus offered for conveyance reaching 

 200 cans per day. A committee of the association having conferred with 

 the directors of the road, the latter offered the applicants the same terms 

 as those held with the contractor, namely, a car on lease at $5,000 per 

 year, and, as an alternative, conveyance by local freight-train at 6 cents 

 per can. The committee reported that neither alternative gave the peti- 

 tioners a practicable opportunity ; the tirst required the lease of a whole 

 car, and the second was impracticable, since the train had no regular 

 running time. 



The legislature of j\rassachusetts, a little more than twelve years ago, 

 passed an act requiring the use of sealed cans, showing capacity in wine 

 quarts, under penalty of fine in case of neglect. This lavr is generally 

 observed in that State, but an exception appears in the report from the 



