226 APPENDIX E 



long sold below cost price. Milk production will decrease until the 

 great law of supply and demand does its share of the work in rectify- 

 ing the situation. The remedy, so far as we are concerned, is the 

 education of the consumer to the food value of milk as compared 

 with other animal foods, together with the education of all to the 

 exact knowledge of the producer's position. Greater economy in 

 milk production must be practiced. Better cows, more scientific 

 feeding and improved business methods are urged of the farmer. 

 Economy in handling, especially in the method of distribution, is 

 urged of the distributer, and a sense of justice and willingness to 

 pay a fair price for milk is urged of the consumer.* 



It may be added that there is a feeling among Massa- 

 chusetts producers that they have been under stricter super- 

 vision, entailing greater trouble and expense, than those 

 sending milk from outside of the State, without corre- 

 spondingly greater compensation; and this feeling has further 

 complicated the situation. 



The New England milk problem, centering about the city 

 of Boston, has been subjected in past years to a number of 

 general or limited investigations, by the Federal Dairy Divi- 

 sion and by other investigators, mainly from the sanitary 

 side. In 1914 the whole matter was taken up afresh by the 

 Boston Chamber of Commerce, which, through its Com- 

 mittee on Agriculture, made a thorough investigation of all 

 phases with special reference to economic and business con- 

 ditions. The reasons and scope of this inquiry were as 

 follows: 



It has been apparent for some time that the production and dis- 

 tribution of milk in the New England States is not on a sound 

 economic basis, and that there is something radically wrong with 

 the way in which this important industry is now being conducted. 

 It is obvious that the opportunities in the industry are far from 

 being fully realized. 



* 62d Ann. Rpt. Sec'y Mass. State Board of Agriculture, for 1914, 

 p. 424. 



