Condensed Mh,k and Milk Powder 137 



Cane sugar varies in price largely with the season and with the 

 success or failure of the sugar cane crop. Sugar prices usually reach 

 their climax in fall and their minimum price in late winter or early 

 spring. The variations usually fall within the limits of $4.00 and 

 $6.50 per one hundred pounds of sugar. 



Tin cans vary in price with style of can and whether made in 

 the condensery or bought from a can-making concern. Some fac- 

 tories are paying more or less heavy royalties for the privilege of 

 using certain patents of cans. Cans intended to be sealed without 

 the use of solder, but which are guaranteed to make a hermetical 

 seal, are generally higher in price than those in the sealing of which 

 solder is used. This difference in price, however, is offset, in part 

 at least, by the cost of the solder and gasoline. Cans purchased 

 from can-making concerns usually are more expensive than cans 

 manufactured in the condensery. This holds true only where the 

 tin-shop of the condensery is properly equipped and efficiently 

 manned. The cost of cans bought from can-making concerns is 

 about fifty-five cents per case, varying somewhat with size and style 

 of can ; when made in the condensery the price may be lowered from 

 10 to 20 per cent. 



The cost of coal varies with quality and locality. Under aver- 

 age conditions, the condensing and packing of one pound of fluid 

 milk requires about three-tenths of a pound of coal or thirty to 

 forty pounds per case. A good quality of "mine run" can be laid 

 down at the factory in states near the coal region, like Indiana and 

 Illinois for about $2.50 per ton, or in northern states, like Wisconsin, 

 for about $3.30 per ton. The cost of coal per case, therefore, may 

 vary from about three and eight-tenths cents to six and a half cents 

 per case. Where natural gas or refuse from lumber mills are avail- 

 able, the cost of fuel may be reduced materially by the use of these 

 substitutes for coal. 



Solder and gasoline for sealing the cans average about three 

 and a half cents per case. The price of solder is about twenty-seven 

 cents per pound and the solder used per case of forty-eight cans 

 amounts to about one-tenth of a pound. 



The labels vary in price according to quality of paper, and 

 elaborateness of printing. The average cost of labels is about four 

 cents per case. 



