15 



Dairy Cows. 

 During the past year the supply of dairy cows has de- 

 creased 6.8 per cent for the State, as a whole, with the most 

 marked falling off in Nantucket, Hampden and Middlesex. 

 The supply most nearly approaches that of last year in the 

 county of Plymouth. From that of one year ago the supply 

 has decreased as follows: Dukes, 25; Hampden, 14.1; Mid- 

 dlesex, 12.2; Franklin, 10.4; N"antucket, 10; Norfolk, 8.3; 

 Berkshire, 7.5; Worcester and Barnstable, 4.2; Essex, 3.8; 

 Bristol, 3.G; Hampshire, 2.5; Plymouth, 1.2; the State, 6.8. 

 So long as dairymen continue to dispose of their herds the 

 supply will follow the decline in the demand. 



Dairy Products. 

 The production of milk, cream and butter has not de- 

 creased in proportion to the cow supply decline; in fact, 

 cream production has increased in a few counties. With 100 

 representing the quantity of milk produced one year ago, the 

 production on June 27 was: Dukes, 110; Berkshire, 107.2; 

 Plymouth, 100; Hampshire and Barnstable, 98.8; Bristol, 

 98.5; Worcester, 97.8; Essex, 95; Hampden, 94.2; Nan- 

 tucket, Norfolk and Franklin, 90; Middlesex, 84.4; the 

 State, 96.2. For the State, as represented by the five west- 

 ern — the chief producing — counties, cream production has 

 increased .3 per cent, and is: Hampden, 113.3; Franklin, 

 100.8; Berkshire, 100; Worcester, 97.7; Hampshire, 91.7; 

 the State, 100.3. The butter-making figures as compared 

 with one year ago are: Hampshire, 98.8; Franklin, 97; 

 Hampden, 96.7; Berkshire, 95.8; Worcester, 93.8; the State, 

 96. The conclusion, from a study of all the returns, may run 

 something as follows : dairy cows are in less supply because 

 the demand has decreased, as a result of farmers discontinu- 

 ing, for other pursuits, the production of milk. The amount 

 of milk made has fallen off because dairymen have sold their 

 herds, and because more milk is skimmed for the butter and 

 ice-cream factories, as shown by the increase in cream pro- 

 duction. The butter decrease may be due to a decline in the 

 farm-made product, without consideration of the factory. 



