Part I.] 



REPORT OF SECRETARY. 



33 



mittee of the Boston Chamber of Commerce in connection 

 with the pubHc safety committees and the agricultural colleges 

 of the New England States. This survey covered 850 farms in 

 these States, representing 15,000 cows, or over 40,000,000 quarts 

 of milk yearly. No claim is made that these figures are abso- 

 lutely correct. They are taken, in so far as possible, based on 

 cows averaging 5,000 pounds of milk. The following table 

 gives the summary of the survey: — 



Average Cost of producing a Quart of Milk by States (Cents). 



[Figures represent costs at the country railroad station.] 



Number of farms, 850 



Number of cows, 15,000 



Number of quarts of milk 40,325,587 



The above are figured on the basis of year-round costs, which 

 includes summer pasture. The cost of producing milk from 

 cattle not on pasture is, therefore, increased. 



Certainly the Chamber of Commerce should be thanked for 

 their splendid work in getting these results together, for there 

 can be no basis of an adjustment of this question unless some- 

 thing fairly definite is known about costs. The attempt to 

 lower the price of milk to the consumer in Boston by establish- 

 ing a lower price at certain stores than the wagon delivery 



> Based on grain at $56 per ton, no increased labor charge figures in. 



- The principal difference between the United States Department of Agriculture standard 

 method of making the survey and the Chamber of Commerce survey is that the former has added 

 10 per cent to the net cost per cow per year for managerial ability, business risk and miscellaneous 

 overhead charges. 



