316 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



ited individuals have come to the front in recent j^ears, with 

 their sanitary dairies ; agricidtural colleges and experiment 

 stations have done their work ; the national government has 

 issued circulars and bulletins ; farmers' institute lecturers and 

 grange speakers have expostulated ; physicians and city 

 boards of health have been active ; not to forget the work 

 now being done by the various State departments. All 

 these have yielded results, until it is safe to say that not 

 only has the condition of the milk su})i)ly of the city of Bos- 

 ton improved steadily for the last thirty years, but never 

 before was the public so sure of getting a fairly clean article 

 as it is to-day ; and it may reasonably be questioned whether 

 Massachusetts has a peer among all her sister States in the 

 quality and marketable condition of her milk supply, though 

 perhaps tar from perfect at that. This to our mind is encour- 

 aging, and also the very best argument for still better farm 

 conditions. 



Of course there are some filthy dairies, — dairies perhaps 

 where owners should and may go out of the business for lack 

 of requisite neatness of habit, and most dairies can be im- 

 proved ; but it seems that the time is at hand when the shafts 

 of reformers should be also aimed at consumers in our cities 

 and towns, to the end that the milk be properly cared for 

 and suitably prepared for consumption, and that the milk 

 producer be not called upon to bear undue share of blame 

 for child mortality. He certainly may have much to answer 

 for, but he is not to blame for neglected children, filthy 

 rooms, stufi'y atmosphere, cold milk, irregular meals, im- 

 proper or insufficient quantity, the lashes of poverty or the 

 whims of fashion, both of which often place the child in the 

 hands of a third and more or less disinterested and not 

 unfrcijuently incompetent person, — and many other things 

 which might be named. The cam[)aign of true [)r()gress is 

 the one which keeps ever in view the mutual benefit of both 

 producer and consumer ; thus making no undue demands or 

 reflections upon the one, and observing the rightful needs of 

 the other. It is along this line that this Bureau is conduct- 

 ing its educational work. W(^ have during the year ort'ered 

 many suggestions, some of which at least have been ado[)tcd ; 



