8 N. H. Agkic. Experiment Station [Bui. 270 



pounds of a 15% nitrogen carrier annually, 600 pounds of 16 per-cent 

 superphosphate every three years and 200 pounds of muriate of potash 

 every three years. {Purnell Fund) 



Milk-Marketing Costs Examined 



Because conditions in Laconia are considered typical for those of 

 other small cities and towns of New Hampshire, an examination of 

 milk-marketing costs was begun last spring in the lake city by E. H. 

 Rinear and H. C. Moore. 



The investigators found 87 licensed milk distributors with individ- 

 ual sales ranging from 24 to 400 quarts daily. Price cutting was 

 common. Marketing costs varied greatly. 



Because pasteurization may eventually become compulsory, the aim 

 of the inquiiy is to inform the producers so that they may determine 

 the best course for improving the quality of their milk and reducing 

 their costs of distribution. 



Winter bacterial counts on 64 samples varied from 1,800 per c. c. to 

 1,200,000, with about 30 per cent over 50,000. The 57 summer samples 

 varied from 3,100 to 2,000,000, with only 12 per cent under 10,000 

 and 38 per cent over 50,000. 



Butterfat and solids tests were high. Only one sample showed in- 

 dication of watering, testing 2.9 per cent fat and 10.72 per cent total 

 solids. The Avinter samples ran higher than the summer one in fat 

 and total solids. Sediment disks indicated lack of care in producing 

 and handling most of the milk. 



Quantity and cost records revealed that 55 producer-distributors 

 sold bottled milk and cream to houses, stores and hotels; 11 producers 

 sold regularly to other distributors; and 3 distributors purchased milk 

 regularly from more than one source. 



The yearly selling price of 47 producer-distributors ranged from 5.7 

 to 13 cents and averaged 9.6 cents per quart. Current expenses ranged 

 from .03 to 1.06 cents per quart and averaged .38. 



The average price received by the 47 producers for their milk and 

 labor was 8.33 cents per quart. The difference between this and the 

 average N. E. M. P. A., Class I, net price of 3.92 cents at the farm 

 amounts to 4.41 cents per quart and represents the returns for the 

 labor of bottling and distributing the milk. This return for labor 

 varied from 17 cents to $2.34 per hour. [Purnell Fund) 



Cost Studies on Grade A and Grade B Dairies 



Detailed information has been obtained on 81 Grade-A dairies and 

 19 Grade-B farms to show the comparative costs of each type of pro- 

 duction and the most economical methods of preventing bacterial de- 

 velopment when milking, cooling, trucking, assembling, transporting 

 and distributing milk. E. H. Rinear and H. C. Moore are doing 

 this work. 



The records on the 100 farms show the type and size of stable and 

 milkhouse; milking equipment and its location; sanitary conditions; 

 practices in caring for cows before milking, cooling the milk, and 

 washing and sterilizing equipment; amount of ice or electricity used 



