36 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



This full description of the Onondaga Milk Association 

 seems to be justified by its peculiarities and its excellence as 

 a model. 



The problem which it had to solve was ; — 



Would the savings arising from co-operation be sufficient 

 to enable them to sell only pure, unskimmed, unwatered 

 milk, at such prices as to give them a fiiir profit, at the same 

 time meeting any legitimate competition that might enter 

 the market? 



The experiment has proved a success, and the association 

 has, by its own honesty and by insisting upon the honesty of 

 all who supply the milk, acquired the confidence of its cus- 

 tomers, the people of Syracuse. 



With such an example for guide and encouragement, I 

 broadly declare that there should be twenty like it in Mas- 

 sachusetts. The farmers who produce milk in the neighbor- 

 hood of any city of 40,000 inhabitants, or more, cannot 

 afford to neglect such an opportunity for improvement, and 

 consumers are equally concerned. The Syracuse method 

 does not bring in the consumers as holding joint interest, as 

 may fairly be done, and it will be noticed that there is no 

 expense for transportation, the milk being delivered at the 

 depot by the producers. But the Onondaga Company have 

 so systematized the business and reduced the expenses, as to 

 handle the milk, after reaching the depot, and deliver to 

 consumers at one cent a quart or less. Add half a cent for 

 transportation, as would be necessary in the case of the 

 Boston supply, for example, and you have 1| cents as the 

 total cost between producer and consumer, instead of 3| or 4 

 cents, the present cost of this middle service in most cities. 

 Here is a saving of two cents a quart, if not more, to be 

 secured by the producers and consumers, and divided 

 between them, through co-operation. 



These facts are suflicient to justify unqualified approval of 

 the plans of Mr. Bowker and his associates in the proposed 

 Massachusetts Dairy Company at Boston. The charter for 

 that corporation, as granted by the State legislature, was 

 carefully drawn and is admirably adapted to its purpose. I 

 cannot understand how such a franchise is permitted to lie 

 unused in Massachusetts. There should be a spontaneous 



