MILK AS A MARKET COMMODITY 41 



the restriction of its use to cooking and manufacturing 



purposes. 



C. E. North, Chairman, 

 Jas. S. Neff, 



October 17, 1917. A. D. Melvin." 



One does not proceed far into the matter of the grad- 

 ing of milk before coming to the question of standard- 

 ization of fat content. Many cities and states now for- 

 bid standardization. In cities where much milk is sold 

 by small producers and where there is inadequate inspec- 

 tion this practice may be justified, but in cities having 

 most of the milk sold by a few large dealers and having 

 an adequate inspection force, it would seem that stand- 

 ardization is desirable, if each grade is plainly labeled. 

 Such standardization would permit the dealer to sell milk 

 of 2, 3, 4, or 5 per cent fat content, each under its own la- 

 bel and each at a different price. The dealer could main- 

 tain these fat standards and build up a trade for each. 

 This would be of advantage not only to the dealer but to 

 the consumer as well, since many consumers prefer milk 

 varying in richness from the grade usually sold. It 

 would also benefit producers, because the dealer, selling on 

 a quality basis, would be willing to pay on a quality basis. 



That grading of milk can be established in any dty was 

 the opinion of a committee of the Boston Chamber of Com- 

 merce which made a careful study of the matter in 1916.^ 

 The committee further states: "The experience of cities 

 where grading has been attempted furnishes conclusive 

 proof that no city can properly refuse to grade its milk on 

 account of the cost. " ^ Thus far, however, relatively few 



1 Grading and Labelling of Milk and Cream, Boston, 1916, p. 14. 

 ' Ibid., p. 14. 



