6 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 449 



Storage information is not yet complete; however, it appears that few Massa- 

 chusetts growers have permanent facilities for late holding. 



Fluid Milk Prices in Major Northeastern Markets. (A. A. Brown, B. E. 

 Brown and A. C. Chatel.) Work under this project has followed two lines, both 

 of which should lead to a better approach to pricing in markets drawing milk 

 from a common shed. Sales, supply, and producers' price data for the Worcester 

 and Springfield markets have been brought up to date. In fulfillment of co- 

 operative arrangements with the New England Research Council, milk-sales 

 data were developed on a daily basis for the flush and short seasons in 1944 in 

 the Northeastern States. Information on the rail movement of milk and cream 

 from various common points in the shed into the New York and Boston markets 

 was also made available. This material supplemented that provided by the 

 Rhode Island and Connecticut stations. 



Partial analysis of the data has been made along with tentative allocation of 

 milk and cream sheds among the various markets. 



Philadelphia's low price with the substantial differences at major markets to 

 the North and South of it is one of the potentially more significant findings. The 

 assumption had been that New York City was or would be the base market. 



Of additional interest will be the closeness with which the theoretically de- 

 termined short-season milk and cream supply areas approximate the historical 

 relationship for Boston and New York. 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING 



H. N. Stapleton in Charge 



Forage Handling Investigations. (H. N. Stapleton.) 



Barn Hay Drying. The application of high-volume fans supplying unheated 

 air for mow drying has been made for the purpose of improving the efficiency of 

 the barn drier. Since farm electric lines usually limit the size of electric motors 

 to 5 or 73^2 HP a fan selection which increases air volume per horsepower permits 

 greater drying capacity with this limited power. 



By pretesting large-diameter 2-blade propeller fans in a blast-gate tunnel, a 

 tentative selection of satisfactory sizes for 3 HP and 5 HP motors has been 

 made. Wind tunnel work also showed that, without the standard 1-diameter 

 length of discharge tube permitted by the manufacturer's test code for de- 

 termining fan ratings, a standard fan will not deliver the air volume of which it 

 is capable when the tube is applied. The use of additional mounting rings from 

 larger diameter fans to bell-flare the inlet was significant in improving the per- 

 formance of the fan except near free delivery and near blockoff. The bell-flare 

 also decreased significantly the noise level of these fans. No significant advantage 

 could be found from the use of a J^-diameter torpedo hub mounted in the dis- 

 charge tube. 



The application of 5 HP on a 2-blade 54" propeller fan with 60" ring and 1- 

 diameter length discharge tube added proved satisfactory in one of the barn 

 mows on the University Farm. Serving a 34' x 72' mow through a centrally 

 located main duct, slatted its entire length, a maximum static pressure of 7/16" 

 water column was developed. The calculated delivery of the fan was 35,000 

 cfm or more throughout the drying period. The calculated water load placed 

 at one time and to be removed by the forced air was 15,300 pounds. Satisfactory 

 drying conditions were obtained. 



