62 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



usual way by the producer. The moral effect of unwashed 

 cans is bad on the producer's family. They see them coming 

 back from the city, and they must infer that that is what the 

 city people like, and see no reason why they should take any 

 great pains to clean up. 



Secretary Sessions. In reference to the Springfield Asso- 

 ciation, my home is near by (the farm being carried on by 

 my son) , and the effect of their sending out clean cans has 

 been that most of the men who buy milk from the farmers 

 to peddle now return clean cans to the producers. They are 

 obliged to do it, to compete with the association. There is 

 no extra charge. The cans that come to my son's farm are 

 all clean. There is nothing to do but air them and fill them. 



Mr. Walton Hall (of Marshfield) . I move that the sec- 

 retary be instructed to introduce a bill into the Legislature 

 requiring contractors to send clean cans to their patrons ; 

 that the Dairy Bureau be instructed to introduce a bill re- 

 quiring a sanitary inspection of stables of milk producers in 

 the State of Massachusetts. I can almost imasfine that Pro- 

 fessor Sedgwick has worked on some of the farms I know. 



The motion was put and carried. 



Professor Sedgwick. He has worked on farms, but not 

 the ones you know. He was brought up on a farm. It may 

 turn out that it is not necessary to secure this particular legis- 

 lation. It may turn out that the boards of health have already 

 sufficient power to do that. If so, it would probably save 

 some trouble. I should hope, if possible, that some addition 

 to this motion might be made looking toward fraternal co- 

 operation with boards of health. 



Dr. LiNDSEY. We have a great deal of sympathy for the 

 farmer who is supplying milk to the Boston market. That 

 is where a large proportion of our milk goes. I know that 

 he is obliged to produce it for two and one-fourth or two and 

 one-half cents per quart. I know from personal experience 

 how small the margin of profit is. I have always realized, 

 on the other hand, that efforts are being made from time to 

 time by local boards of health to improve the quality of the 

 milk, and I believe that matter has got to be agitated more 

 and more. The contractor should make an effort, if possible, 

 to pay rather more for milk that he feels reasonably sure is 

 well produced and well cared for before it leaves the farmers' 



