50 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



As the speaker has said, the farmers Avant to know of this, 

 and want to be at the very front themselves in assisting in 

 the inspection of herds and the proper care of milk. 



The Chair. I see Mr. Ellis of West Newton in the audi- 

 ence. He has had considerable experience in this line, and 

 we would like to hear a few words from him, either in criti- 

 cism or suggestion. 



Mr. Geo. H. Ellis. I did not come to speak, but to 

 listen ; and certainly we have had a most valuable paper. I 

 don't know that I can add anything to it. There are some 

 points that need to be touched in other ways, and I for one 

 don't see just how they are to be touched. As the speaker 

 stated, and as Mr. Whitaker has said, the standard is being 

 steadily raised in the cities and towns for the consumer ; but 

 in most cities, — for instance, in Boston, — while the stand- 

 ard is being raised, while they are adopting new plans all 

 the time in the inspection of milk, 3'et the price to the con- 

 sumer is not increased. There is no mistake about our 

 needing all these sanitary precautions at the farm ; there is 

 no mistake, either, that the consumer has got to pay for 

 these precautions. In some way or another the consuming 

 public in our large cities has got to be educated up to the 

 idea, before the farmer can do very much. 



The speaker stated that, if the farmer himself will take 

 hold of the matter in the right way and will work on sani- 

 tary lines, he will find an increasing demand for his milk. 

 Is that true with reference to sections which supply milk to 

 the contractors for the city of Boston ? It isn't the fault 

 of the contractor, it is the fault of the consumer. The con- 

 tractor cannot pay an extra price for this extra care and 

 sanitation ; yet it costs the farmer. Milk cannot be properly 

 made and properly handled at the price the farmer gets from 

 the contractor. Again, I want it understood that I am not 

 for a moment blaminof the contractor. I don't believe the 

 milk contractors in the city of Boston are making a large 

 amount of money, I l>elieve they are paying as high a price 

 as they can afibrd ; but the consuming public must be edu- 

 cated up to paying a fair price for the food value contained 

 in the milk, for to-day they don't do it. It is perfectly well 



