No. 4] REPORT OF THE DAIRY BUREAU. 145 



on a sound and profitable basis, she must protect it by a 

 proper and reasonable tariff. And if this Commonwealth would 

 maintain her milk industry she must commercialize two 

 things, viz., freshness and Massachusetts as applied to her milk 

 product. 



Massachusetts should further encourage ' by a large annual 

 appropriation the production of clean milk and the development 

 of live-stock husbandry within her borders. A resolve to this 

 end, and also an act broadening the powers of the Dairy 

 Bureau, have been introduced in the Legislature by Secretary 

 Wheeler. 



It is exceedingly gratifying to note the change of opinion 

 which is slowly but surely coming over the general public in 

 regard to the milk question. A few years ago health cranks 

 by their "scare talk" led the public to believe that milk was 

 the most dangerous article of food on the market. To-day the 

 same public sees clearly the fallacy of such ideas, and is be- 

 ginning to appreciate the importance of the common-sense side 

 of the question. 



A few years ago reformists were flooding the Legislature with 

 bills, thoroughly imbued with the idea that legislation was the 

 panacea for all milk evils. To-day it is realized that milk, in 

 comparison with other animal foods, is not only the most 

 important, but is by far the cheapest, of them all, and is being 

 sold by the producer at too low a price. If we look below the 

 surface for the reason, we find that dairy cows are and always 

 have been kept in connection w^ith some other form of agri- 

 culture, hence not of necessity on an independent paying basis; 

 that the general public has not appreciated the food value of 

 milk; and further, that the greatest loss to the dairy farmer 

 frequently comes in the price which he obtains for skim milk. 



Milk fat usually sells for somewhere near what it is worth 

 because of the great demand for cream, butter, ice cream, etc. ; 

 not so with skim milk. Skim milk is used for various purposes 

 commanding all the way from 30 to 70 cents per hundred 

 pounds in price. When it is realized that the top price of 70 

 cents per hundred pounds is only a cent and a half per quart 

 for skim milk, it is readily seen that this food is not selling for 

 anywhere near its real value. Failure to take this into proper 



