38 CONFERENCE ON MILK PROBLEMS 



oring, as best I can, to enforce State laws which relate to this sub- 

 ject. But I feel that I know very little about it. You have heard 

 some splendid papers upon the science of civic milk supply, and 

 the philosophy of it and the economy of it, and I think I may say 

 the religion of it; and still much more might be said. 



Our city milk supply is improving. It is better to-day than it 

 has ever been before, and there are a number of forces which are 

 bringing about these improvements. They are not working as fast 

 as we might wish, but they are working in the right direction. 



First, there are 196,000 farmers in New York State who are 

 producing milk, and a large proportion of them are producing it 

 intelligently. We have in this State four institutions that are 

 maintained by the State, that are giving instruction to large classes 

 of young men to-day on this very subject of clean milk production, 

 and Dr. Moore, who has just talked to you, is one of the noted 

 teachers of those young men. At this very minute there are, in 

 the four institutions that I refer to, about 1500 young men study- 

 ing agriculture, and a large number of them are studying clean 

 milk production. Fifteen years ago there were less than one hun- 

 dred studying those subjects. That speaks well for the advance 

 we are making. Give these increased numbers of young men a 

 little time to get themselves established, and we shall see great 

 results. 



We have to-day more discriminating dealers in the purchase of 

 milk than we have ever had before. I think it is safe to say that 

 seventy-five per cent of the milk that comes into New York City 

 is purchased by dealers who have reasonably good standards con- 

 cerning the quality of milk. 



We have far greater intelligence to-day on the part of the milk 

 consumer than we have ever had before. 



Then, the City is conducting a milk inspection, at a large cost, 

 and I must say that they are doing a great deal of good to New 

 York. I can't see that they are doing good to the other cities and 

 villages of the State, because I often receive letters from health 

 officers in the smaller cities who say that "dairyman so-and-so has 

 had his milk shut out of the New York market because it does 

 not come up to the standard of that city, and since he has lost that 

 outlet, he has begun disposing of it in our city or town, where we 

 do not have these prohibitory regulations, and we wish you to do 

 what you can to help us." But this milk inspection is a great 

 thing for New York City. 



Then, we have a State law relating to milk. It is a part of the 

 agricultural law, and it makes it the duty of the Department of 

 Agriculture to look to its enforcement. Just a few words on that 



