No. 4.] MILK SUPPLY OF CITIES. 85 



importance than the distance it has been transported. On 

 the other hand, we must remember that milk is largely 

 composed of water, and that there is a limit to the distance 

 which it can be freighted. 



Besides this, the cities are growing rapidly, and calling 

 for more and more milk. A study of the map shows 

 that Massachusetts is becoming thickly settled ; and that, 

 between the thirty creameries, its many private butter 

 dairies, one condensed-milk factory, the milk cars and the 

 near-by consumption, there are many localities where all 

 the milk that is produced finds ready sale. This is em- 

 phatically true of Essex County. In portions of Plymouth 

 County during the summer-boarder season there is an 

 absolute shortage, ithode Island is reaching over into this 

 State for milk for her nourishing cities. Even in the less 

 thickly settled western portion of the State there are not a 

 few towns where milk is in quick demand. Two creameries 

 in this State and one just over the line in Connecticut have 

 been closed within about a year on account of the demand 

 for milk from the cities. Hence there seems to be a pros- 

 pect for an increasing demand for milk from Massachusetts 

 cities at a moderately satisfactory price. 



With a standard unreduced, and with better sanitary in- 

 spection, the demand per capita will also increase. Milk is 

 the cheapest food there is, — except the cereals, — and with 

 increasing guarantees as to its quality the consumption will 

 increase. There is need for some educational work in the 

 city as to the food value of milk and the average good 

 quality of that now sold. Only a few days ago I met a 

 very intelligent gentleman, who remarked, "I suppose we 

 get pretty poor stuff for milk in Boston." When I ex- 

 plained to him the system of inspection and its thorough- 

 ness, he was much surprised. 



It also seems as if there is a good opening lor business 

 enterprise to put milk on the market guaranteed to contain 

 14 or even 15 per cent of solids, and from inspected herds. 

 Such milk would pay an extra profit. 



But, although the milk situation has both its light and 

 its dark sides, when wo strike the balance, when we look 



