20 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and the returns from the milk sales, the story is but half told. 

 The depreciation in the value of the cow herself, the time of 

 men and horses, the wear and tear of wagons and harness, and 

 the heavy losses on cans, besides incidentals of ice-cooling and 

 so on, are too often overlooked or rated below their actual 

 cost. Every one with any experience knows that the business 

 of selling milk, whether wholesale or retail — entirely distinct 

 from the actual cost of production — is one which involves 

 constant expenditures which, however small singly, are so great 

 in the aggregate as to materially reduce the margin of profit, if 

 any accrues. 



The most serious objection to selling milk, however, is the 

 daily drafts made upon the fertility of the farm. These are 

 small and imperceptible, but they are sure, and when ex- 

 amined hy the year, become formidable. They show that con- 

 stant production and sale of milk is, in efiect, as year succeeds 

 year, nothing more nor less than selling the farm itself, by the 

 gallon or by the pound. 



The better to appreciate this, let us consider of what the 

 article milk is composed. 



The following table is compiled from the writings of two emi- 

 nent dairy chemists — Dr. Henry L. De Klenze of Munich, 

 and Dr. Aug. Voelcker of London. The chemical constituents 

 of milk, as thus exhibited, are the average results of a very 

 large number of analyses. 



For convenience of reference, two other tables are also here 

 inserted. • 



