THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 353 



The proposed establishment of a large dairy farm near Washington, together 

 with a town depot for the distribution of milk, the whole to be owned and 

 operated by a corporation financed by the people of Washington, D. C. 



Modern requirements in the handling of milk and modern improvements in 

 farm machinery make a dairy farm operated on an extensive scale the only 

 logical way of dealing with the milk question. 



The essential conditions for any location to be considered for the farm are : 



(1) Part of the farm must touch a convenient railroad line. 



(2) There must be an abundant supply of good water on the farm. A 

 running stream, indeed, is essential. 



ADVANTAGES, EFFICIENT COOLING OF MILK, CLEANING AND STERILIZING OF ALL 



UTENSILS. 



The small farmer can not be expected to get all the expensive apparatus 

 which is needed for cooling milk efficiently and for cleaning and sterilizing all 

 utensils. 



On the other hand, on a large farm operating its own ice plant, where 2,000 

 gallons of milk had to be handled, the cost per gallon for efficient cooling, etc., 

 would be insignificant. . 



If pasteurizing was desired, it could also be carried out economically. 



EFFICIENT AND ECONOMICAL SHIPPING. 



A refrigerator car on a private siding adjacent to the dairy building, ready 

 to be filled with milk cans and attached to a passenger train for Washington. 



Contrast this with the shipping methods possible to the small farmer ! 



It would probably be found desirable to bottle the milk at the farm ready for 

 delivery to the consumer. This would add to the cost of shipment, but is the 

 most sanitary of all methods, and avoids the delay and expense of an extra 

 handling of the milk. 



ECONOMY IN LABOR. 



With a large number of employees, labor can be much more economically and 

 systematically directed than is possible on a small farm. 



Reasonable provision, too, can be made for the entertainment of the men and 

 their families and for the education of their children. In this way the best 

 class of labor can be attracted to the place. 



Besides, the men would always feel certain of their pay. This is not the 

 case on every small farm. 



LABOR-SAVING DEVICES. 



Manure spreaders, 2-horse corn planters, and feed cutter with powerful engine 

 are typical instances of the kind of machinery which saves a large amount of 

 labor on a large farm, but which would be out of the question on a small place. 



A large farm can have a blacksmith shop of its own, which in itself means 

 a great saving of time and money. 



ECONOMY IN FARM HORSES. 



By going in for mule raising and using brood mares for the farm work, 

 except for one or two strong teams for the heaviest work, it is possible to 

 make the horses almost, if not quite, pay for their own keep. This plan could 

 not be carried out on a small farm, but where 20 or more horses were needed 

 for farm work it would be most remunerative. 



In the following estimate of capital required, the cost of buildings, etc., is 

 based on the actual cost of material and labor in putting up barns and dairy 

 buildings at Arlington, Va., in the summer of 1910, according to plans furnished 

 by the Bureau of Agriculture and thoroughly approved by the health depart- 

 ment of the District. Allowance is made for grading and all extras. 



With the economies possible in work undertaken on a large scale, with ready 

 cash, it is probable that the estimate given might be materially reduced, even 

 if everything used was of the best quality. 



The average price of milk to the retail customer is placed at 9 cents per 

 quart. Probably 10 cents would be charged for seven months and 8 cents for 

 five months in the year. This would make the average price more than 9 cents. 

 Cream is sold at a proportionate rate and need not be treated separately. 



82444 S. Doc. 863, 61-3 23 



