MILK -PLANT OPERATION. 
Table 13.— Men employed in plants in different cities. 1 
39 
Location of plant. 
Average 
number 
routes 
per 
route 
foreman. 
Average 
number 
routes 
per 
office 
clerk. 
Average 
number 
routes 
per 
stable- 
man. 2 
Average 
number 
gallons 
handled 
per milk 
handler. 3 
Average 
number 
routes 
per 
milk 
handler. 3 
7.0 
12.2 
9.5 
<4.5 
7.5 
7.0 
6.5 
6.3 
7.9 
4.5 
6.4 
7.0 
3.0 
4.3 
3.9 
6.4 
4.7 
2.5 
6.8 
5.9 
7.0 
6.3 
125 
212 
204 
167 
186 
216 
171 
288 
317 
271 
200 
123 
140 
277 
1.8 
2.1 
2.0 
7.5 
5.0 
9.7 
7.3 
4.6 
5.1 
10.1 
8.6 
10.0 
1.5 
2.3 
1.7 
1.7 
6.3 
6.1 
10.2 
9.3 
10.0 
< 4.1 
7.6 
1.5 
2.1 
Detroit . 
2.0 
Seattle 
1.8 
1.4 
2.1 
2.0 
1 According to data collected in 1916-17. 
2 As a general rule, horses and wagons are used for retail milk delivery, and these figures indicate the 
number of men required to take care of the horses. 
3 Under this heading are included all men in the plant whose work deals with the milk department, 
including engineers and firemen. 
* Includes collectors and solicitors. 
SYSTEMS OF BUYING MILK. 
A few years ago by far the larger part of the milk handled by city 
dealers was bought from producers on the basis of the measure, 
that is, the can or the gallon. Dealers as well as producers have come 
to recognize the inaccuracy of this system and its unfairness, both to 
the buyers and to the farmers, so that in recent years the tendency 
has been to abandon it and adopt systems that are more nearly 
equitable and at the same time practicable. 
The following bases are those in common use: 
By the quart or gallon. 
By the can, the size of the can varying from 8| to 40 quarts or more. 
By the can or the gallon, with a minimum standard for butterfat and a definite 
premium per gallon for each one- tenth per cent butterfat above standard. 
A certain price per point butterfat per gallon. 
Same as third way stated above, but with addition of a minimum standard for 
dairy farm score, and premium for extra points in this score. 
By the can, the can of milk being required to come up to a standard weight. 
By the gallon, the number of gallons being determined by dividing the weight by 8.6. 
By weight, which is determined by the number of cans, each can being supposed to 
hold a certain quantity of milk by weight. 
By weight, the milk being weighed at receiving station or at city plant. The milk 
is usually dumped into a tank for weighing. In some cases it is weighed in the cans 
and the weight of cans (tare) is deducted from the total weight of cans and milk. 
On the weight basis, with a minimum standard for butterfat and a premium for extra 
points. Sometimes the butterfat standard is established and additions or deductions 
are made for each one-tenth per cent above or below it. In some cases the premium 
is paid only for milk of three-tenths per cent or more above the standard, while the 
deductions begin at one-tenth per cent below. 
A certain price per 100 pounds as base price, the base price being fixed differently 
for each month in accordance with the average butterfat content of the milk in that 
month, as shown by the experience of previous years; and a variation in the price per 
100 pounds of from 4 to 8 cents for every one-tenth per cent butterfat above or below 
the standard butterfat content for that month. If milk is below 2.8 per cent butter- 
fat, only its butterfat is paid for. If any milk contains less than 8.5 per cent solids- 
not-fat, a suitable deduction is made. The price allowed per point butterfat is usually 
higher in winter than in summer. 
