As bearing on the dairy industry, the following questions 

 were asked : — 



First. " Has the season l)een favorable for the production 

 of milk and butter?" The correspondents are almost 

 unanimous in stating that it has. The drouth from the mid- 

 dle of June to the middle of July materially checked the 

 flow of milk, but, as the feed on the whole w^as unusually 

 abundant, the total production of milk has been above the 



average. 



Second. " How have dairy products averaged in })rice as 

 compared with former seasons?" Of the ninety-one replies 

 to this question, forty-eight state the price to have been 

 about the same as in former seasons, thirtj-three that it has 

 been lower, and ten that it has been higher. It is thous2fht 

 that the price of milk has not materially difl'ered from the 

 average price in years past, but that the price of butter has 

 averaged lower. 



Third. " In your section, what is the chief disposition 

 made of the dairy products produced ? " It is a little difficult 

 to condense the replies received to this question. Producers* 

 living near co-operative creameries generally send their cream 

 to them, where it is made into butter. Others make butter 

 on their own farms and sell in local markets, or, if they are 

 fortunate enough to have a permanent city trade, dispose of 

 their butter product in that way. The milk used in our cities 

 is largely obtained from the Massachusetts farmer, and con- 

 siderable is sent to Boston over the several railroads, where it 

 is disposed of by milk contractors. Some of this milk comes 

 to Boston from points more than one hundred miles west- 

 ward. Other milk is retailed by the producer. Some is made 

 into cheese, which is largely sold in ^Massachusetts markets. 



Fourth. ''Do you consider the business of dairying 

 profitable to the farmers in your section?" The replies to 

 this question cover quite a range of ground, but the central 

 idea seems to be that, if properly managed, dairying in this 

 State is perhaps as protitable as an}'^ other branch of farming. 

 It is not safe to say that those who are engaged in it are 

 making much money. The farmer must have manure in 

 order to grow crops, and he therefore cannot get along very 

 well without keeping dairy animals. 



