THE MILK QUESTION. 35 



pendent " OAvners" of milk routes at first looked with sus- 

 picion upon the concern, but one by one have found it to 

 their interest to join. The impression of a monopoly, likely 

 to be at first formed, is not sustained by the facts, for the 

 association has opposition enough from individual sources to 

 force it to keep down its prices and keep up the quality of 

 its milk. The result has really lieen to maintain in Syracuse 

 a high standarct of quality and very reasonable rates. 



Every member of the association has a business interest 

 in having CA^erything right, and giving the public full satis- 

 faction. This leads them to sustain the management in mak- 

 ing and enforcing strict regulations to insure cleanliness, 

 purit}' and a good quality of product, and to ferret out any 

 fraud and bring offenders to justice. Frequent tests are 

 made of milk received, and close investigation as to causes 

 follow all appearances of inferior quality or any irregularity. 

 The directors often employ inspectors who are strano-ers to 

 the producing members whose farms they visit, and their 

 reports, covering the most minute particulars, are only made 

 known to the officers of the association. 



These interesting facts are derived from the annual reports 

 of the association : There is the greatest consumption at the 

 season of greatest ]iroduction. The winter demand is some- 

 Avhat reduced by the increase in retail price. Five cents in 

 summer, and six in Avinter, has been the rule at Syracuse. 

 The shrinkage or total loss in measuring, spilling, changino- 

 and cleaning cans amounts to 9 per cent, on the total busi- 

 ness, and to 121^ per cent, on the delivery routes ; in all, the 

 association losses annually in this "shrinkage" the Avhole 

 milk product of 120 coavs. The total expenses average less 

 tJian one cent a quart on the milk sold, and 84 cents for every 

 100 quarts of all the milk handled. This shows Avhat is pos- 

 sible in the way of reducing the cost of city supply. 



Fifty-tAvo dairies contributed the milk of about 1,600 

 coAvs. The actual average product of the coavs AA'as G.52 

 quarts per day, or 2,380 quarts per year, a very creditable 

 shoAving. One owner of ten coavs attained an average of 

 3,776 quarts per cow and year, and one owning 40 cows 

 averaged 3,339 quarts. The loAvest average of any member 

 was 1,843 quarts. 



