172 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDIES 



AMOUNT OF SUPPLY 



There is a total of approximately 17,000 farms producing 

 milk for the city market. According to the most recent milk 

 census taken by the Chicago Health Department in August 

 and September, 1917, there are approximately 800,000 quarts 

 reaching Chicago daily, which includes that used for retail, 

 wholesale and industrial purposes. According to the popula- 

 tion of Chicago, this means an average per capita consump- 

 tion of .6 pint. 



The Monthly Crop Report issued at Washington, D. C. 

 credits the entire state of Illinois with 1,057,000 cows in 1917, 

 an increase from 1,047,000 in 1916. It is very evident that 

 Illinois produces many times the amount of milk consumed by 

 Chicago. 



Sixty per cent of the total milk of Illinois', ninety per cent 

 of Wisconsin 's and seventy-six per cent of Indiana 's are made 

 into butter, cheese and condensed milk. 



McHenry County, Illinois, is the third largest market milk 

 producing county in the United States, being exceeded by St. 

 Lawrence and Orange Counties, N. Y. Kane County, Illinois, 

 is the second milk producing county in Illinois and fourth in 

 the United States. Kane County borders on Cook County, 

 in which Chicago is located, and McHenry County borders on 

 Kane County, which gives an idea of the proximity of the 

 milk center to the city of Chicago. 



It has been determined by the Chicago Health Department 

 that McHenry County, Illinois, and Walworth County, Wis- 

 consin, produce sufficient milk to supply Chicago with its 

 needs. According to the same authority the average number 

 of cows per farm in 1916 was 17!/2 an d in 1917, l^/G ; also 

 the average production per cow in 1917 was 16 Ibs. per day. 



The consumption of 800,000 qts. per day by the city of 

 Chicago is a subnormal figure, brought about to a certain ex- 

 tent by the propaganda of economy, and the increased price. 

 Decreased consumption in the city means a surplus in the 

 country which must be conserved. The Chicago zone is 

 practically devoid of butter and cheese factories, making it 



