MILK AS A MARKET COMMODITY 7 



composition is such that it is the ideal food for the 

 young. It has been estimated that two- thirds of the 

 American children under one year of age are compelled 

 to live on milk.' Whether the number is actually as large 

 as this or not is immaterial. It is undoubtedly very great, 

 great enough to mean that milk is an absolute necessity 

 in at least several million homes. Even children who 

 are breast-fed and older children use considerable milk, 

 and a great many adults use it regularly as a beverage. 

 As one of the chief ingredients needed in cooking it is 

 indispensable. 



The importance of milk in the diet has been thus stated 

 by the Committee on Nutritional Problems of the Food 

 and Drug Section, American Public Health Association, 

 in its report of October 14, 191 8: "A liberal use of milk 

 in the diet is the best safeguard against any deficiency 

 which might possibly arise through restricted choice of 

 foods. "^ The necessity for milk in the diet of growing 

 children has been emphasized by the studies and experi- 

 ments of Dr. E. V. McCullom concerning the influence 

 of milk and the butterfat which it contains on the growth 

 of young animals.^ 



Just how much milk is consumed in a given locality 

 either as a drink or for culinary purposes is hard to de- 

 termine. In 191 6 the writer made rather careful estimates 

 as to the consumption in several Wisconsin cities and 

 towns. The results are shown in Table III.^ 



1 Washburn, Prof. R. M., Milk Magazine, Sept., 1919, p. 19. 

 ' Mumford, H. W., and Wilcox, Roy H., Jour, of Farm Economics, Oct., 

 1919, p. 117- 

 ' Hoard's Dairyman, Dec. 19, 1919, p. 1033. 

 • Wis. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 285, p. 5. 



