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BULLETIIsr 973, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGKICXILTUEE. 



1,500,000 were obtained in tkree years. The usual charge for bottles 

 returned to the owner is from one-half cent to 3 cents each. Cans, 

 jackets, bottle cases, and other articles which constitute a milk 

 dealer's delivery equipment are also handled by some of the exchanges. 

 In many cases the exchanges are operated by dealers, who generally 

 are stockholders. 



In some exchanges a small profit is made, though the object of the 

 exchange is not to make money, but simply to help the dealers recover 

 their bottles, and the latter can well afford to pay the small price 

 asked. While these exchanges do away with but a small part of the 

 large loss of bottles incident to the milk business, yet they are a useful 



Fig. 20. — Dealers must keep a large supply of bottles on hand. Fifty dealers bought on the average 

 120 bottles a month for every 100 bottles filled daily. 



factor in reducing expenses, and dealers in those cities where such 

 exchanges do not exist would do well to consider this subject with a 

 view to organizing an exchange. 



All milk plants should have a system of checking up their drivers 

 on the number of bottles brought back each day. Drivers often 

 become careless even when there is such a system; but if no record is 

 kept, the losses are of course much greater. 



People are often ignorant of the value of the bottles and sometimes 

 break them, throw them into the ash barrel, or use them for other 

 purposes. Many dealers send special notices to the consumers in 

 regard to the necessity of returning bottles; this tends to eliminate 

 some of the carelessness. 



