No. 4.] REPORT OF DAIRY BUREAU. 317 



and we have received, both verbally and by letter, very cor- 

 dial appreciation of our efforts. 



In support of our contention of an improved condition, 

 we quote from the last annual report of the Boston Board of 

 Health. In 1875, 43.84 per cent of all the deaths were of 

 children under five years of age, and in 1904 the percentage 

 was 28.87; under one year of age in 1875 the percentage 

 was 24.98, and in 1904 it was 20.52. Thus it will be seen 

 that the death rate among children under five years has been 

 reduced in that time practically one-third, and of children 

 under one year about one-fifth. Of course milk is not the 

 only cause of this decrease, any more than it is the cause of 

 the entire mortality ; but as 80 to 85 per cent of children 

 are brought up on cow's milk, this food may possess the con- 

 trolling influence. 



Taking the State as a whole, we find that in 1875 the death 

 rate of children under one year per 1,000 living at that age 

 was 226.56, and in 1900 it was 190.10, — an improvement 

 of nearly one-sixth. In 1875 the death rate of children un- 

 der five years of age per 1,000 living at that age was 73.96, 

 and in 1900, 57.79, — a reduction of practically one-fifth. 



These figures for 1900 and 1904 are the latest obtainable, 

 and 1875 is taken for comparison because it was in that year 

 that the firm of C. Brigham Company opened up a fresh 

 milk supply in Barre, Hard wick and New Braintree, which 

 was the beginning of our experience with the milk business 

 of Boston. We realize that figures such as these are at best 

 simply pointers, but it is gratifying to know that they all 

 point in the right direction. 



The price paid the farmer to-day is practically the same 

 as in 1875. The quality of the milk has been much im- 

 proved, as has been shown. Is not the farmer, then, in a 

 fair position to demand a better price, as a matter of justice, 

 and can such demand, in any spirit of justice, be refused? 



Butter. 



The butter market of 1905 has been in some respects 

 remarkable. The appended tables, relating to the Boston 

 market, virtually tell the story. With but about five and 



