SECONDARY MILK MARKETS, 1930-1932 9 



Table 6. Distribution of Cows Owxed bv Producers in Gardner Area 



(Table 6.) Most of the producers, however, had some supplementary income 

 either from outside employment or from other farm enterprises. During the pre- 

 ceding year about one third did some work off the farm by which they earned a 

 total of J58.205: 48 out of a total of 73 sold poultr\' and eggs to the amount of 

 314,285; and 58 sold \'egetables and other products to the amount of 311,670. 

 (Table 7.) 



Table 7. Annual Sales of Other Products by Milk Producers in 

 Gardner Area, 1931-32 



Products Sold 



Poultry 



Eggs 



Vegetables and other 



The combined average daily output of milk producers and producer-distribu- 

 tors in Gardner area has remained at a level of about 11,000 quarts for the last 

 three years. The average daily sales of milk in that market were nearly 7,000 

 quarts, leaving a surplus of 4,000 quarts. Under normal conditions this excess of 

 milk was sold by distributors in the adjoining markets without great difficulty. 

 For the last two years, however, the adjoining markets, especially the city of 

 Fltchbure. have been oversupplied with milk coming from outside areas, resulting 

 in sharph' lower prices. Under these conditions the surplus milk in Gardner area 

 became more burdensome, and the large dealers, who lost much of their business 

 to producer-distributors, began to drop off some of their producers. A few of 

 these in the town of Hubbardston found a new outlet in sales to a dealer from 

 Worcester. Several others could not find an adequate market at all and planned 

 to sell oif their cows. 



MILK SALES AND CONDITION OF MARKETS 



Gardner 



As will be seen from Table S, the course of the sales of milk in the three markets 

 has showed varying tendencies since 1930. Inasmuch as all three of these markets 

 were affected by unemployment and the fall in purchasing power, the variations 

 in demand are to be explained largely by the condition of supply, local regula- 

 tions, and price policies pursued by local distributors. During the 3-year period 



