35 



Unless otherwise specified, the above wholesale quotations were 

 taken from the weekly report of the Boston Chamber of Commerce. 

 The average retail prices were obtained by the representative of this 

 station from local dealers during the first four months of the current 

 year, and therefore are not strictly comparable with the average 

 wholesale figures which are brought up to the first of July. 



Prices of all concentrates have ruled high. The cost of cotton- 

 seed meal has risen steadily since 1899, when it could be bought 

 for about $24. a ton. In spite of this fact, it may be considered at 

 present one of the cheapest sources of protein for feeding purposes, 

 as well as an economic source of organic nitrogen. Linseed meal 

 has been offered at lower figures than formerly. The retail advance 

 appears to be greater than for most feeds, probably because of the 

 comparatively small amount sold. 



But little gluten meal was on the market and it was held at a high 

 figure. Gluten feed was found to be quite generally distributed, 

 and for the last four months wholesale quotations have not shown 

 wide variations. This feed has proved itself very satisfactory for 

 milk production. Distillers' dried grains, comparatively speaking, 

 have been offered at reasonable prices, and may be regarded as a 

 satisfactory and economical source of protein. 



The prices of mill feeds, — middlings, " mixed feed '' and bran, — 

 have been very firm. During May they were practically prohibitive. 

 It is believed from the standpoint of economy that the majority of 

 feeders use too much bran and not enough cottonseed, linseed, 

 gluten, distillers' grains and flour middlings. One third bran in the 

 average grain ration is generally sufficient ; many feeders endeavor 

 to do with less, depending on distillers' and brewers' grains and 

 malt sprouts to give the grain ration the necessary bulk. Hominy 

 and corn meals showed no marked difference in price. Their nutri- 

 tive values are quite similar. The term " provender " does not 

 mean a mixture of corn and ground oats, but varying proportions of 

 corn and oat offal. The difference in the quality of such mixtures 

 renders them of uncertain value. Oats have been uniformly high in 

 price during the last six months. On the ton basis the average 

 retail price was practically $36. Feeders naturally look for oat sub- 

 stitutes and are inclined to reduce the oat ration to a minimum and 

 substitute hominy chop, dried brewers' and distillers' grain and 

 wheat bran. 



