PRODUCERS AND COMBINATION 17 



In regard to the milk traffic on the Midland system 

 during the course of a year, I have been favoured with 

 the following approximate statement : 



The figures I have given are quite sufficient in them- 

 selves to demonstrate the large proportions which the 

 business in fresh milk has assumed, and I may therefore 

 now proceed to say that if, hitherto, the dairy farmers 

 of the country have not derived so large a profit from 

 that business as they would like, and as they ought, to 

 have, the reason has been due mainly to the lack of 

 such combination on their part as would enable them 

 to control the market, instead of being themselves, in 

 effect, controlled by middlemen. There may be diffi- 

 culties in the way of farmers living 100 miles or so 

 away from a large town attempting to sell their own 

 milk direct to the actual consumer, though co-operative 

 retail shops have been opened by dairy farmers in one 

 or two provincial centres with a fair prospect of success. 

 But when, on the other hand, the individual farmer in 

 the country sells to a London wholesale dealer, who 

 sells to a retail dealer, who sells to the householder, 



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