318 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



one-half million pound.s on hand Jan. 1, 1905, nearly two 

 million pounds less than the year previous, followed by four 

 successive months of light receipts and consequent high 

 prices, the arrival of May witnessed the beginning of un- 

 paralleled receipts, which continued, with the exception of 

 November, unbroken throughout the year, leaving, after un- 

 precedented consumption, a stock on hand of ten million 

 pounds, or almost double the amount on hand the year 

 previous. High as butter was during the early part of the 

 year, the average price for the year is below that for 1902 

 and 1903, but is well above the average of 1904. As a re- 

 sult of the high price in the early part of the year, there was 

 a stimulated activity in "imitations,'' which resulted in in- 

 creased prosecutions wherever the law was broken. 



The following table shoAvs th& average quotation for the 

 best fresh creamery butter in a strictly wholesale way in 

 the Boston market for the last eight years : — 



