DEVELOPMENT OP THE INDUSTRY 13 



Comparing the increase in the butter and 

 cheese produced with the increase in popula- 

 tion, it is seen that the population is increasing 

 much more rapidly than is the supply of dairy 

 products. Dairymen need not be alarmed, there- 

 fore, about an over-production. 



Milk an economical food. Notwithstanding the 

 high prices paid for milk, butter and cheese, 

 milk and its products are among the very cheap- 

 est, most wholesome and most nutritious articles 

 of human food. People are rapidly learning the 

 economy of using dairy products. It has been 

 estimated that one-sixth of the food consumed by 

 the people of the United States is some form of 

 dairy product. There are more digestible nutri- 

 ents contained in milk than can be obtained 

 from the same amount of money expended for 

 meat, fish, or fruit at ordinary retail market 

 prices. The cow is the most economical food 

 producer extant. This fact will always oper- 

 ate to keep up the prices of dairy products. 

 "Whatever may have been the ups and downs of 

 the past, certain it is that the future of the 

 dairy industry looks exceedingly bright. 



The following table is based on a report 

 recently published by the State Food Commis- 

 sion of Illinois. Each food in this list contains 

 approximately the same amount of nutritive 

 material as one quart of milk. 



