MILK-SUPPLY OF CITIES. 105 



indeed, that cannot be kept up, at least to its present state of 

 fertility, where this practice prevails, and especially where, 

 besides feeding the home-grown products, large quantities of 

 grain are purchased from abroad. 



The production of milk for towns and cities, not too far from 

 the farm, I have for many years considered one of the most 

 profitable branches of business that are carried on by the farm- 

 ers of the State. The sale of milk brings in a steady daily 

 income, while the manure made from the cattle gives the 

 farmer an additional advantage not realized by the grain- 

 farmer or the orchardist ; and nowhere in the State have milk- 

 producers been more successful than around this city of 

 Worcester. The land is excellent and the market is large, 

 while the purchasers are generally industrious and willing to 

 pay for what they buy ; but, better than all, they recognize a 

 difference between poor and good milk, and are willing to pay 

 an extra price for an extra quality. 



Worcester is the largest city in the State where milk is 

 received from first hands, and where the producer is his own 

 middle-man ; and if it were possible for Boston, the great 

 market for half the State, to be supplied iu a similar manner, 

 the gain would be great both to the producer and to the con- 

 sumer. If I can read the signs of the times correctly, the 

 most pressing need of the Massachusetts dairy farmer of 

 to-day — except a more thorough knowledge of his business — 

 is a good, honest milk trade in the city of Boston ; and I hope 

 I may be pardoned if, while occupying your time a little lon- 

 ger, I speak more specially of the needs of the Massachusetts 

 dairy farmer, leaving those who may follow, liberty to give 

 the discussion such a direction as shall to them seem most 

 usetul. 



Within the memory of men who are still making milk for 

 the city market, the people of Boston were furnished their 

 milk, as the people of Worcester are now supplied, by farmers, 

 who delivered their milk to the consumers directly from their 

 own wagons ; butas Boston grew in size, it outgrew the capac- 

 ity of its neighboring milk farms, and the aid of the railroads 

 was called in for bringing a supply from farms further back. 

 This required a division of labor, an agent to step between 

 the farmer and the consumer, and then as the business 



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