CONTROL OF THE PUBLIC MILK SUPPLY 455 



Dealers' Association on the Improvement of Milk Supplies for it recom- 

 mends that milk dealers urge upon boards of health in their respective 

 cities the establishment and supervision of grades of milk and it advises 

 the adoption, with such modifications as local conditions may suggest, 

 of the grades defined by the Commission appointed by the New York Milk 

 Committee. Pending the establishment of grades of milk the Committee 

 of the Milk Dealers' Association advises that dealers urge upon boards 

 of health the publication of both chemical and bacteriological analyses 

 or the publication of the scores of the various supplies distributed, as in 

 effect in Seattle. 



In these Seattle classified milk scores 100 points are allowed for the 

 dairy farm, 100 for chemical analysis, and 100 for bacteriological analysis, 

 making a total of 300 possible in the perfect score, and the percentage 

 that the total number of points actually scored is of the total possible 

 score gives the final rating. The dairy farm is scored according to the 

 "official" score card. The chemical and bacteriological analyses are 

 scored in accordance with values assigned on the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture score card for milk. 



So, if a milk was produced on a farm that was scored 59 points and 

 if the chemical analysis showed that it contained 12.89 total solids enti- 

 tling it to 90 points and if its bacterial count was 84,000 giving it 60 

 points, its final rating would be the sum of these points or 209 divided 

 by 300 or 69.6 per cent. 



A more highly elaborated system of rating was devised by Woodward 

 for use in Washington, D. C. 



The interest of producers, milk-plant managers and dealers is stimu- 

 lated by calling meetings at which opportunity is given them to discuss 

 their difficulties and to make suggestions with regard to the administra- 

 tion of the milk code. It is particularly important in drawing up a new 

 code or in amending an old one that these men be called into consultation. 

 Their intimate knowledge of the local situation and their practical ex- 

 perience, if availed of, will prevent the incorporation of unworkable 

 provisions into the law and the adoption of a code so far beyond the 

 ability of the industry to live up to that it will be a failure from the date 

 of its enactment. Besides this, the spirit of fair play demands that the 

 men whose business is to be regulated should have ample opportunity to 

 present objections and suggestions in regard to the proposed legislation. 

 Too often half-informed committees and legislative bodies have imposed 

 impossible laws on the dairy business to the detriment of all concerned. 



The good will and support of the producers can be won by helping 

 them to establish cow-testing associations, bull associations and other 

 things calculated to advance their prosperity. 



The effort should be made to develop the habit of reading and study 

 in the dairymen. To this end the bulletins of the various experiment 



