COST OF DISTRIBUTING MILK. 9 



were concerned, consists cliiefly in cooling the milk and bottling, i.e., 

 wasliing, filling and capping the bottles. Milk is almost universally deliv- 

 ered to the consumer in bottles; in fact, only one instance of dipped 

 milk was discovered; this was in Worcester. 



In addition to this, however, some of the larger dealers clarify their milk 

 by running it through a machine which removes the visible dirt, or pas- 

 teurize it to retard bacterial development. This materially adds to the 

 cost of processing. Tables II and III show that only a minor percentage 

 of the milk distributed in Springfield is pasteurized. 



In Haverliill, of 20 distributors visited, but 2 had pasteurizers. In 

 Springfield 16 were visited and but 1 had a pasteurizer and clarifier. In 

 Worcester 35 were visited; 2 had pasteurizers and 2 others possessed 

 clarifiers. Some few distributors produced milk under unusually good sani- 

 tary conditions, almost always keeping the bacterial count much lower 

 than in ordinary milk. This they called "special" milk, and maintained 

 that processing other than cooling and bottling was unnecessary and that 

 pasteurizing was more likely to prove harmful than helpful to their trade. 

 Under ordinary conditions the investment in processing machinery was 

 very small indeed, and the labor involved in caring for the milk was con- 

 fined to the most ordinary precautions to prevent souring. 



Difficulties in obtaining Data. 



Many difficulties were met in securing the necessary data to determine 

 the cost of distribution. Very few producers or dealers kept proper books; 

 in fact, any sort of bookkeeping was the exception rather than the rule. 

 CompHcations also arose when the producer distributed the milk, for it 

 was difficult to separate the items of production and distribution, the 

 stable, shed, horse and harness being used for both. In many cases, there- 

 fore, estimates only could be given, but great care was taken that such 

 estimates should cover the actual cost. The figures quoted are fairly 

 accurate, and those on the cost of distribution of "special" milk can be 

 relied upon in every detail, since most fortunately these distributors have 

 kept accurate records for a period of several years. 



Mixed Business. — The greatest problem, however, that confronted the 

 investigators arose from the fact that in almost all cases the distributors 

 not only deliver bottled milk directly to the individual consumer, but 

 deliver wholesale milk both in bottles and in cases to other retailers and 

 restaurants and also deliver cream both wholesale and retail. By good 

 fortune figures were obtained from a dealer who kept accurate cost accounts 

 and dealt entirely in wholesale milk. His accounts show that it cost him 

 three-quarters of a cent (S0.0076) per quart to collect his milk from pro- 

 ducers and distribute it in wholesale quantities. This figure is not appli- 

 cable in most instances, however, for the reason that ordinarily the dis- 

 tributor does not go out of his way to deliver his wholesale milk; that is 

 to say, liis route is no longer and his apparent costs vary but little, whether 

 he dehvers retail milk only or adds a few wholesale deliveries. Careful 



