MARKET MILK 171 



length of time the milk is in transit is so short that there is 

 little danger of its undergoing serious changes, but with the 

 supply for the larger cities, the problem is a more serious one, 

 because the supply must necessarily come from greater dis- 

 tances and be longer on the road. In the case of cities like 

 Boston and New York, some of the supply must come from 200 

 to 400 miles away, which means that it must be many hours 

 in transit before reaching the city plant. The farmer delivers 

 the milk of the morning and previous night to the shipping 

 station early in the morning, where it may be placed directly 

 in the milk-car or it may first be mixed, re-cooled and re-canned, 

 depending on the treatment given it by the farmer and the 

 facilities provided at the plant. The milk is then picked up 

 by the milk train and reaches the city some time during the 

 day or following night. Under these conditions the milk com- 

 ing from the more remote sections may be twenty-four or even 

 thirty hours old on its arrival at the city plant. 



Until a few years ago, milk was carried in ordinary express 

 cars without special provision for keeping it cold, but it was 

 found that there was a great increase in the germ-content be- 

 tween the time it left the country plant and its arrival in the 

 city. Now, most of the railroad companies provide refriger- 

 ator cars designed especially for carrying milk. When these 

 are well iced, the milk can be held at low temperatures even 

 in the long hauls. When the proper temperatures in transit 

 are provided, it is possible for milk coming long distances to 

 reach the city with very little change in quality. In fact, it 

 may be of better quality than other milk reaching the city 

 much sooner but which was not produced under so good con- 

 ditions as those received by the long haul milk. 



"Milk is usually transported in heavy cans, the most com- 

 mon sizes holding 20, 30, or 40 quarts ; the styles in use differ 

 a good deal according to locality. Within the past few years 

 some companies have established bottling stations near their 



