112 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



felt as though I must make that point emphatic in this public 

 meeting, where we have so many interested in this line of 

 work. 



Professor Brooks (of Amherst ) . I would like Mr. Wheeler 

 to explain whether this gathering system has materially 

 increased the cost. He says that he is satisfied to change 

 from the old to the new. I think that the farmers of Massa- 

 chusetts think it costs more than it is worth. 



Mr. Wheeler. It docs not add materially to the cost. 

 It is no more trouble for the cream gatherers. They are paid 

 no more, they are paid by the day. From 600 to 1,000 

 pounds of butter are made there in a day. The butter maker 

 makes the tests at the factory. I really do not know whether 

 he is paid any more for that work. Very likely he is, a little 

 something, but immaterial in the aggregate. 



Mr. Whitaker. Our Massachusetts milk standard is 13 

 per cent of total solids, but in May and June there is an 

 exception, when the standard is only 12 per cent. That 

 exception is partly due to compromise in the Legislature, 

 in order to get what we wanted, and partly due to the feel- 

 ing in the community that when cows are first turned out 

 on spring feed they will give milk not quite so rich. In 

 answering Mr. Bull's question you have stated that there is 

 no practical difference in May and June. 



Ex-Governor Hoard. No practical difference between 

 the several patrons. 



Mr. Whitaker. Do you find the quality very much 

 diminished in May and June? 



Ex-Governor Hoard. Yes, for the reason that a suffi- 

 cient number of cows are fresh to affect the general average. 



Mr. Whitaker. Suppose the farmers should produce 

 milk the year round, and have about the same number of 

 cows fresh all the year. 



Ex-Governor Hoard. That is an unsupposable proposi- 

 tion. The fact is that with too large a per cent of the 

 fanners the cows are coming fresh in the spring when they 

 ought to be in the stripper period. 



Mr. Whitaker. Wo find that there are times during 

 July and August when it is more difficult to get milk up to 



