No. 4.] MILK SUPPLY OF CITIES. 57 



tation. Nearly all the milk which comes to Boston within 

 this circuit is brought in by teams, but what little milk the 

 contractors buy in this territory they buy at a discount of 

 7 cents from the Boston price. The next line is 23 miles 

 from the city, and between the 17 and 23 mile circuit the 

 discount is 8 cents. The next line is 36 miles from the 

 city, and in the belt included between the 23 and 36 mile 

 circuit the discount is 9 cents from the Boston price. The 

 next line is the 56 mile circuit, and the price in the belt 



1 id ween 36 and 56 miles is 10 cents discount from the 

 Boston price ; between 56 and 76 miles the discount is 11 

 cents; from 76 to 96 miles the discount is 12 cents, and 

 beyond that 13 cents, though the distances over which the 

 cars run are now growing so great that before long there 

 may have to be another discount. 



The theoretical price in Boston this winter is 37 cents 

 per can, so that within 17 miles of the city the price at the 

 railroad station is 30 cents per can; from 17 to 23 miles, 

 29 cents ; from 23 to 36 miles, 28 cents ; from 36 to 56 

 miles, 27 cents; from 56 to 76 miles, 26 cents; from 76 

 to 9Q miles, 25 cents, and beyond that, 24 cents. The 

 contractors sell the milk to peddlers at 2 and 3 cents less 

 than the Boston price. 



The " discount" for surplus varies from month to month, 

 but generally speaking it amounts to about a cent or less a 

 can. This year it will be less. 



In some cases the farmers co-operate in getting the milk 

 from the farm to the railroad, paying some one of their 

 number to carry it, and the prevailing price is about 2 cents 

 per can. Hence, on the basis of 37 cents as the theoretical 

 price, this winter the farmers nominally net at the station 

 24 to 29 cents per can ; if the surplus deduction averages 1 

 cent, they actually net from 23 to 28 cents ; and if liny pay 



2 cents for teaming to the depot, 21 to 26 cents per can is 

 left for the farmer at the door. For several years the sum- 

 mer price has been 3 cents less than the winter price, or 18 

 to 23 cents at the farmer's door, with the above assumption 

 as to surplus and teaming. These prices have been well 

 maintained without much change for several year-. 



