2 BULLETIN 639, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
In the present study * is presented a general analysis of the market 
milk business as conducted in Detroit, Mich., during the year 1915, 
with a view of indicating some of the fundamental explanations of 
existing market conditions and milk marketing practices in the 
larger American cities. The cost of milk, wages, and many items of 
expense have increased greatly since the data were obtained, and for 
that reason no attempt has been made to show absolute cost and 
profit figures. Some cost analyses are presented, however, in a way 
that will point out fundamental tendencies not dependent upon 
transitory changes in prices and which help to explain some of the 
prevailing market practices. 
The city of Detroit, Mich., was selected for the study primarily 
because In many respects milk marketing methods in that city are 
representative of those in other large cities of the United States. 
Since the pasteurization of market milk had been made compulsory 
by ordinance in Detroit three months before the investigations were 
begun, the selection of that city also permitted a study of the effects 
of compulsory pasteurization upon the number of dealers engaged in 
Benes and upon the methods of handling and distributing 
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MARKET DEMANDS AND SOURCES OF SUPPLY. 
The average quantity of market milk consumed daily in Detroit 
during August, 1915, was approximately 47,569 gallons, and of 
market cream 5,953 gallons. Based upon an estimated population 
of 600,000 this would provide approximately 0.63 of a pint of milk 
and 0.08 of a pint of cream per capita daily. The consumption is 
not uniform throughout the year, however. The shipments of milk 
during May and June were the highest of the year, but the receipts 
were in excess of the city consumption during those months. 
According to the records of one of the largest dealers, the market 
demand for milk in per = of the yearly consumption is shown 
below by seasons: 
Per cent 
of total. 
PLING 22 — Set he et eee nih eee ee eee 26. 7 
STUNT pe at 2S pS gk aS Ee ses eh ge ee 
Wa oo eo ee ee 8 20.9 
TOV TNC ee Ee ae ee Don a 
100 
Tt will be noted that the consumption during the summer months 
was one-half higher than during the fall months. 
1 Most of the data upon which this study is based were collected during September and 
October, 1915. Figures of total quantities of milk handled and general information con- 
cerning the nature of the business of all the dealers were obtained from the records of 
transportation companies and the files of the milk-inspection department of the Detroit 
board of health. The cost analyses were based upon the records of certain typical dealers. 
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