400 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



notices a little gain in that respect. Much of the near-by 

 milk should be held at the full price or a little more, on 

 account of its greater freshness, instead of being offered in 

 competition with railroad milk at a lower price. 



The price of milk to the producers has been the same as 

 for previous years. As has been explained in previous 

 reports, the price of milk is based upon a theoretical Boston 

 price, subject to a scale of discount depending upon the dis- 

 tance from Boston as follows : — 



For stations between 17 and 23 miles from Boston, 

 For stations between 23 and 36 miles from Boston, 

 For stations between 36 and 56 miles from Boston, 

 For stations between 56 and 76 miles from Boston, 

 And 1 cent more for each additional 20 miles. 



Cents. 



. 8 



9 



. 10 



. 11 



When this plan was first established, the theoretical Boston 

 price was expected to be the selling price of wholesalers to 

 peddlers, and the discount was supposed to represent the 

 expenses of doing business and the profit of the whole- 

 salers. During the past few years of smaller margins milk 

 has not been sold at the theoretical Boston price into 2 or 3 

 cents per can, consequently this figure has been to an extent 

 misleading. During the past year the discount scale has 

 been reduced 2 cents. 



The theoretical Boston price per can of 8^ quarts for a 

 number of years has been as follows : — 



1886 

 1887 

 1888 

 1889 

 1890 

 1891 

 1892 



1893, 

 1894, 

 1895, 

 1896, 

 1897, 



Average (12 yrs.), 



Cents. 



33 

 33 

 33 

 33 

 33 



324 



Cents. 



37 

 37 

 37 

 35 

 35 



361 



