DISTRIBUTION OF MILK 87 



for the milk of these producers, but such premium is offset 

 by the fact that he does not have a large surplus to care 

 for in the summer months nor a large deficit to make up 

 during shortage periods in the fall. In the case of shortage 

 two methods are at hand. He may go out and pay what- 

 ever price is necessary for the small amount of extra milk 

 needed. Very often this means only the purchase of a 

 few extra cans from one or two farmers. Or he may buy 

 from another dealer, although this is not usually possible 

 during shortage periods. The small dealer can more easily 

 take on and drop patrons. Some of the Columbus dealers, 

 for example, quite frequently pay one farmer one price 

 and another a different price for the same grade of milk. 

 The large dealer, on the other hand, has an established price 

 from which he can less easily vary. Another method by 

 which a small dealer may meet a shortage is that of send- 

 ing his delivery-men out with only a part of a load in the 

 early morning, then sending them out with the balance 

 of the load after some of the day's milk has been received 

 from the farmers, pasteurized, and bottled. Thus by 

 making some deliveries a few hours late, he can tide over 

 a temporary shortage. 



Section 6. The Delivery Problem 



The delivery problem has been so prominent in dis- 

 cussions of the milk question that it seems worth while to 

 consider it at some length. The usual method of delivery 

 in most American cities is by horse and wagon. For city 

 delivery to the homes one horse is ordinarily used, although 

 in the case of direct marketing delivery is often made with 

 a two-horse outfit. For the wholesale trade the motor 

 truck is coming to be quite generally used. Thus far it has 

 not come into common use for retail delivery except in 



