■Cha  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
The  Milk  Situation 
Evidences  of  the  need  and  wisdom  of  organizing 
9 
cooperative  associations  for  the  control  of  pasteuriz¬ 
ing  milk  plants  and.  the  shipping  of  milk  are  mul¬ 
tiplying.  Conditions  in  New  York  today  demonstrate 
and  prove  the  necessity  of  a  plant  and  an  agency 
in  the  city  controlled  by  producers  for  the  sale  and 
distribution  of  milk.  These  utilities  have  been 
persistently  urged  by  the  Department  of  Foods  and 
Markets,  and  by  this  publication.  Present  condi¬ 
tions  absolutely  prove  the  wisdom  of  that  counsel. 
Milk  in  New  York  at  this  time  is  a  luxury.  The  sup¬ 
ply  is  short.  Probably  15,000  to  20,000  quarts  could  be 
sold  daily  at  auction  with  prices  ranging  from  .$3 
to  $5  a  can.  Why  should  not  the  producers  of  milk 
get  the  benefit  of  a  scarcity,  and  of  a  high  demand 
just  as  producers  and  manufacturers  of  other  lines 
of  goods  do?  When  milk  is  abundant,  when  there  is 
a  surplus  of  it,  and  the  supply  exceeds  the  demand, 
the  producer  of  milk  takes  a  price  based  on  what 
the  surplus  will  bring  for  manufacturing  it  into 
butter  and  cheese.  When  the  supply  is  less  than 
the  demand  the  farmer  is  under  contract  at  a  fixed 
price,  and  the  men  who  hold  the  contracts  get  the 
benefit  of  the  emergency  prices. 
While  the  large  dealers  in  milk  control  the  pas¬ 
teurizing  plants  and  the  shipping  facilities,  they 
have  a  monopoly  of  the  trade,  and  the  producer  is 
in  no  condition  to  either  protect  himself  from  sur¬ 
pluses  or  to  meet  the  advantages  of  a  short  supply. 
If  the  producer  will  provide  himself  with  the  instru¬ 
ments  of  distribution,  as  we  have  suggested,  in  both 
country  and  city,  for  the  handling  of  a  portion  of 
the  milk,  we  will  then  be  in  a  position  to  standard¬ 
ize  grades  and  regulate  prices  from  time  to  time 
in  accordance  with  the  law  of  supply  and  demand. 
Another  necessity  for  the  control  of  utilities  by 
the  producer  is  found  in  the  attitude  of  many  deal¬ 
ers  in  the  settlement,  of  accounts  under  the  present 
contract.  Practically  every  day  from  all  parts  of 
the  milk  district  come  complaints  from  producers 
that  one  dealer  or  another  has  reduced  the  scoring 
of  their  barns,  or  the  test  of  butterfat,  or  in  some 
other  way  has  attempted  to  reduce  the  size  of  the 
pay  check.  Many  of  these  complaints  may  not  be 
justified.  Some  of  them  are  not,  but  the  majority 
of  them  are  made  with  reason.  It  might  be  said 
that  this  is  a  natural  result  of  a  new  arrangement, 
especially  where  the  details  have  to  be  worked  out, 
not  always  by  the  responsible  men  of  the  distribu¬ 
ting  houses,  but  by  their  local  employees.  The  com¬ 
plaints,  however,  seem  to  be  practically  all  on  one 
side,  and  even  if  due  to  errors  or  miscalculations 
of  employees,  the  reasons  are  all  the  more  why  the 
producers  should  regulate  these  things  for  them¬ 
selves,  and  be  in  a  position  to  sell  a  standard  pro¬ 
duct  at  a  standard  price. 
We  do  not  wish  to  appear  to  harp  on  this  string 
unduly,  but  the  time  is  passing;  another  time  to 
contract  is  approaching,  and  the  conditions  referred 
to  are  of  daily  concern.  The  charges  for  pasteuriza¬ 
tion  and  shipping  are  sufficient  to  pay  the  expenses 
of  the  work,  and  interest  and  profit  on  the  invest¬ 
ment,  besides  putting  the  producer  in  a  position  to 
at  least  be  a  prominent  factor  in  the  marketing  of 
his  own  product.  There  is  no  reason  in  the  world 
why  these  utilities  should  not  be  used  by  the  pro¬ 
ducer,  and  every  reason  in  the  world  why  they 
should  be  so  utilized. 
The  producer  must  not,  therefore,  be  satisfied  with 
an  advance  in  price  to  himself.  If  the  dealer  is  al¬ 
lowed  to  make  the  price  too  high  to  the  consumer, 
so  as  to  curtail  consumption,  an  increase  to  the 
producer  could  only  be  a  temporary  advantage. 
We  must  do  nothing  ourselves  with  our  products, 
nor  permit  anything  to  be  done  by  dealers,  to  les¬ 
sen  the  con  sumption  of  our  goods,  or  to  lessen  the 
standard  of  living  in  the  city. 
'  Our  expei’ience  during  and  just  following  the 
milk  controversy,  furnished  a  lesson  which  we  must 
not  forget.  During  the  fight  milk  was  scarce  in 
the  city.  People  could  not  get  the  regular  supply. 
They  learned  to  go  without  milk.  After  the  strike, 
when  the  milk  began  to  reach  the  city  in  its  regu¬ 
lar  volume,  dealers  soon  found  themselves  with  a 
surplus.  The  people  continued  to  use  less,  and  when 
the  dealers  advanced  the  price  to  consumers,  the 
surplus  increased.  Milk  could  be  bought  at  $1  a 
can.  Experiences  are  multiplied  to  show  that  man¬ 
ufacturers,  producers  and  speculators  overreach 
themselves  when  they  force  an  advantage  to  the 
limit  in  forcing  unreasonable  prices  for  a  product. 
The  people  soon  adjust  themselves  to  new  condi¬ 
tions.  When  the  price  charged  for  an  article  puts 
it  beyond  the  reach  of  prudent  consumers,  they  sub¬ 
stitute  something  else  or  go  without.  The  reduced 
demand  acts  back  to  the  disadvantage  of  those  who 
sought  unfair  advantage.  We  can  avoid  this  cal¬ 
amity  in  the  case  of  farm  food  products  by  stand¬ 
ardizing  the  quality  and  by  seeing  to  it  that  enough 
is  sold  to  the  consumer  at  a  fair  cost  to  set  a  price 
for  all  with  a  view  to  maintain  the  largest  possible 
consumption  at  all  times. 
Notes  from  Department  of  Foods  and 
Markets 
204  Franklin  St.,  New  York  City 
EGGS. — Fancy  large  new  laid  eggs  are  scarce  and 
the  demand  only  moderate.  The  best  white  State  and 
nearby  henneries  declined  and  sold  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  week  at  (J5c.  A  large  portion  of  the  white 
eggs  received  are  selling  from  50c  to  65c,  according  to 
the  proportion  of  small  and  cream-colored  eggs  included. 
The  best  State  and  nearby  hennery  browns  43c  to  55c. 
Nearby  browns  and  mixed  gathered  35  to  50c;  gathered 
whites  41e  to  GOc;  Western  and  Southern  fresh  gath¬ 
ered  40e  to  50e. 
BUTTER. — Western  creamery  butter  advanced  to 
43  %c ;  Western  good  to  fancy  30c  to  43c ;  finest  Eastern 
dairy  in  tubs,  36c  to  30c ;  Eastern  dairy  in  mixed  pack¬ 
ages  32c  to  35c ;  Eastern  dairy  in  prints  38c  to  40c. 
CHEESE. — Market  continues  firm,  supplies  being  de¬ 
pleted  rapidly  under  heavy  exports.  The  best  large  and 
small  State  brand  25c;  good  to  fine  24c  to  2414c;  com¬ 
mon  to  fair  21c  to  23%c;  State  part  skims  15c  to  21c. 
DRESSED  POULTRY.— The  Thanksgiving  supply 
of  turkeys  was  somewhat  limited  and  the  market  ruled 
from  32c  to  35c  per  pound.  Fancy  Maryland  and  Vir¬ 
ginia  turkeys  sold  from  33c  to  35c ;  old  toms  30c ;  iced 
roasting  chickens  24c :  milk  fed  26c ;  large  dry  picked 
fowls  20  to  22c;  small  fowls  17c  to  18c. 
LIVE  POULTRY.- — Western  receipts  heavy  and  con¬ 
signments  from  State  and  nearby  points  light.  White 
Leghorn  chickens  19c  to  20c;  Leghorn  fowls  16% e  to 
1 7  %  e ;  old  roosters  15o;  fat  ducks  and  geese,  18e  to 
22e;  live  turkeys  selling  generally  25c. 
DRESSED  (’ALVES. — Under  liberal  supplies  mar¬ 
ket  declined  1c.  Prim®  to  fancy  veals  19c  to  20e ;  me¬ 
dium  to  good  17e  to  18c;  common  15c  to  16c.'  A  few 
arrived  in  bad  condition  and  sold  lower.  Dressed  but¬ 
termilks  12e  to  14c. 
LIVE  CALVES. — Market  declined  %c.  Fancy  12e  to 
13%e ;  prime  1114c  to  ll%c;  fair  to  good  ll%c  to 
11  %c ;  common  10%e  to  lie;  culls  Se  to  9c;  buttermilks 
6c  to  7c;  yearlings  Ge  to  6%C. 
LIVE  SHEEP  AND  LAMBS.— Spring  lambs  10c  to 
1114c;  old  ewes  5c  to  6%e.  Dressed  hothouse  lambs, 
fancy,  30  pounds  and  up,  $10.00  to  $10.50;  25  to  28 
pounds,  $8.00  to  $9.00  per  carcass. 
DRESSED  FIGS  AND  HOGS.— Roasting  pigs,  10  to 
15  pounds  each,  18c  to  20c  per  pound ;  roasting  pigs,  15 
to  20  pounds,  10c  to  ISc ;  roasting  pigs,  25  to  35  pounds, 
10c  to  16c;  light  pigs,  40  to  60  pounds,  13%c  to  1414c; 
medium  hogs,  80  to  300  pounds.  12%c  to  1314c ;  hogs, 
100  to  150  pounds,  ll%c  to  1214c;  hogs,  150  to  200 
pounds,  10%  to  lie. 
RABBITS. — Live  Belgian  hares  15c  to  18c  per 
pound;  prime  cottontails  30c  to  35e  per  pair;  iced  cot¬ 
tontails  20c  to  23e  per  pair ;  common  cottontails  15c  to 
18c  per  pair ;  prime  jacks  75c  to  90c  per  pair. 
IIONEY,  MAPLE  SYRUP  AND  BEESWAX.— 
Fancy  No,  1  clover  comb  honey  14c  to  15c  per  pound ; 
clover  comb,  common  to  good,  11c  to  13c;  clover  ex¬ 
tracted  0%c  to  7%c;  buckwheat  comb  lie  to  12c; 
buckwheat  extracted  6%c  to  7c.  Maple  syrup,  $1.15 
to  $1.20  per  gallon.  Maple  sugar.  15c  to  16c  per  pound. 
Beeswax,  domestic,  31c  to  33e  per  pound. 
NUTS. — Chestnuts  per  60  pounds  $10  to  $14  ;  hick¬ 
ory  nuts  per  60  pounds  $3.50  to  $4.50;  bull  nuts  per  60 
pounds  $1  to  $2 ;  black  walnuts  per  60  pounds  $1  to 
$  1 ,2o. 
APPLES. — The  apple  crop  this  season  amounts  to 
67,695,000  barrels,  which  is  approximately  9,000,000 
barrels  less  than  last  year  and  nearly  2,000,000  in  ex¬ 
cess  of  the  average.  Of  the  total  crop  45,759,000  bar¬ 
rels  are  Winter  varieties,  and  of  these  it  is  estimated 
that  52.5  per  cent  or  24.011.000  barrels,  will  be  mar¬ 
keted,  compared  with  25,478,000  barrels  which  was  50.6 
per  cent  of  last  year’s  crop  of  Winter  apples.  The  crop 
in  the  New  England  States  is  larger  than  that  of  last 
year,  almost  double.  The  quality  only  fair,  scab  being 
generally  reported.  The  production  in  New  York  shows 
an  increase  of  almost  50  per  cent,  but  the  quality  is 
poor,  72  per-cent  against  80  per  cent  last,  year,  and  an 
average  of  77  per  cent.  Virginia  crop  is  about  the  same 
as  last  year,  being  a^  fairly  big  crop  of  good  quality. 
West  \  irginiu  and  North  Carolina  have  larger  crops, 
about  one-third  and  one-tenth  more  than  last  year.  The 
crop  in  each  of  the  Pacific  Coast  Stares  is  about  one- 
fourth  larger  than  last.  year.  The  quality  is  reported  at 
76.4  per  cent,  compared  with  S4.S  per  cent  last  year, 
and  an  average  of  77.4  per  cent.  The  quality  is  strik¬ 
ingly  lower  than  last  year  in  all  the  Eastern  States, 
from  Massachusetts  and  New  York  southward.  All  the 
Southern  States  show  a  poor  quality,  Colorado  has  a 
better  crop,  80  against  75,  and  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  90 
against  S3  last  year.  The  poor  outturn  in  the  North 
Central  States  follows  a  good  crop  last  year.  It  is  esti¬ 
mated  that  32.4  per  cent  of  all  the  apples  grown  in  the 
United  States  this  year  are  early  Summer  or  Fall  varie¬ 
ties  and  67.6  of  the  Winter  varieties.  These  figures  are 
close  to  those  of  34.3  and  65.7  reported  last  year. 
Market  continues  firm  on  fancy  fruit.  Fancy  State 
apples  scarce ;  New  England  and  Virginia  shipping 
freely.  McIntosh  $4  to  $6.50;  Spy  $2.50  to  $6;  Jona¬ 
than  $3  to  $6.25 ;  Snow  $3  to  $5;  Alexander  $3  to 
$4.50;  King  $3  to  $4;  Hubbardston  $2  to  $3.50;  Ben 
Davis  $1.75  to  $3;  Baldwin,  fancy,  $3.25  to  $4.50;  B 
Grade  Baldwin  $2  to  $3;  ungraded  $1.50  to  $3; 
Greenings,  fancy,  $4  to  $5.50;  B  Grade  $2  to  $3. 
POTATOES — November  reports  show  the  present 
crop  is  $0  per  cent,  of  the  five  year  average.  This  is 
the  smallest  crop  since  1908.  The  crops  in  the  East¬ 
ern  States  are  about  the  same  as  last  year’s  produc¬ 
tion.  The  great  decrease  is  in  the  North  Central 
States  where  the  decline  amounts  to  about  65,000,000 
bushels.  The  crop  in  Wyoming.  Montana  and  Colorado 
is  smaller  than  last  year.  Utah  and  Nevada  have  the 
finest  crops  on  record.  Maine  has  a  6  per  ceut.  greater 
production  than  last  year.  New  York  figures  82  per 
cent,  against  73  per  cent,  last  year. 
Moderate  receipts,  prices  continue  high.  Long 
Island,  per  barrel.  $5.50  to  $6 ;  Maine.  180  pound's 
bulk,  $5-2;>  to  $r»,50;  Maine  Gobbler,  165-pound  bag, 
$4,85  to  $5;  Maine  Green  Mountain,  165-pound  bag, 
$4.80  to  $5 ;  J ersey,  165-pound  bag,  $4.25  to  $4.75 ; 
1501 
Virginia  second  crop,  per  barrel,  $4  to  $4.50.  Sweet 
potatoes,  fancy  Virginia,  barrel,  $2.50  to  $2.75;  Vir¬ 
ginia,  barrel,  $1.50  to  $2.75;  Jersey,  basket,  $1.25  to 
$1.50. 
ONIONS. — Moderate  supply  with  slow  demand. 
Red  and  yellow,  100-pound  bag,  $3.50  to  $4;  lower 
grades  from  $2.50  to  $3  per  hundred. 
BEANS. — Marrow,  1916  crop,  12% e  to  13e;  Mar¬ 
row,  1915  crop,  12%c  to  12%c;  Pea  12c;  Red  Kid¬ 
ney,  choice  1916  crop,  13c;  Red  Kidney,  1915  crop, 
1114c  to  12c;  Imperial,  1915  crop,  10c. 
Summary  of  sales  of  miscellaneous  farm  products 
during  the  week  ending  November  22,  1916: 
EGGS. 
2%  cases,  doz . $0.72 
8%  eases,  doz .  [70 
1  case,  doz . 69 
3%  Cases,  doz . 63 
1  ease,  doz . . . 67 
2%  cases,  doz . 65 
1  case,  doz . 64 
3  cases,  doz.  . . . 63 
1  case,  doz . 62 
1  case,  doz . 60% 
4%  cases,  doz . 60 
1  case,  doz . . . 53 
4  cases,  doz . 55 
2  cases,  doz . 54 
%  case,  doz .  .52 
3%  cases,  doz . 53 
%  case,  doz . 51 
2  cases,  doz . 50 
5%  cases,  doz . 48 
1  case,  doz.  . 46 
%  case,  doz . 45 
1  case,  doz . 40 
1  case,  doz . 38 
1  case,  doz . 33 
\1  case,  doz . 37 
2  cases,  doz . 35 
BUTTER. 
44  lbs . $0.38 
100  lbs . 37% 
268  lbs . 33% 
56  lbs . 3414 
VEGETABLES. 
2  bkts.  turnips  . $0.75 
6  bkts.  turnips  . 70 
1  8-12  bunches  celery  . 1.00 
4  bids,  cabbage  .  2.25 
1  bbl.  cabbage  .  2.00 
POULTRY. 
853  lbs.  chickens  . $0.22 
491  lbs.  chickens  . 21 
654  lbs.  chickens  . 20 
100  lbs.  chickens  . 23 
95  lbs.  chickens  . 19 
204  lbs.  chickens  . . 18 
230  lbs.  chickens  . 15 
206  lbs.  fowl  . 20 
83  lbs.  fowl  . 19 
181  lbs.  fowl  . . . . . 18 
340  lbs.  fowl  . . 17 
240  lbs.  fowl  . . .  16% 
1865  lbs.  fowl  . 16 
26  lbs.  fowl  . 14 
424  lbs.  ducks  . 17 
119  lbs.  ducks  . 16 
9  pair  guinea  hens  .  1.00 
16%  pair  guinea  hens . 90 
DRESSED  MEATS. 
282  lbs.  calves  . $0.17% 
309  lbs.  calves  . 18 
1154  lbs.  calves  .  . . 20 
115  lbs.  calves  . 20% 
1  liver  . 60 
3  livers  . 65 
4  livers  . 40 
14  pig  livers  for  .  1.10 
2  pig  'livers  for  . 35 
FRUITS. 
4  lbs.  quinces  . $0.65 
1  bbl.  pears  . 4.00 
1  bbl.  pears  . . 3.00 
1  bbl.  pears  . 2.50 
3  bbls.  pears  . 2.00 
10  bbls.  pears  . * .  1.87% 
9  bbls.  pears  .  1.75 
1  bbl.  pears  .  1.50 
11  bbls.  pears  .  1.25 
3  bbls.  pears  .  1.00 
7  crates  pears  .  4.75 
1  keg  pears  . 50 
3  baskets  pears  . 4.50 
2  baskets  pears  .  1.00 
33  baskets  pears  .  1.50 
3  boxes  pears  . 33% 
6  bbls.  apples  .  5.00 
6  bbls.  apples  . , .  4.75 
58  bbls.  apples  . 4.50 
17  bibs-  apples  .  4.00 
1(5  bbls.  apples  .  3.75 
27  bbls.  apples  . 3.50 
29  bbls.  apples  . 3.25 
01  bbls.  apples  . 3.00 
47  bbls.  up  pies  . .  2.75 
15  bbls.  apples .  2.62% 
3  bbls.  apples  .  2.66  2-3 
9S  bbls.  apples .  2.50 
15  bbls.  apples .  2.37% 
115  bbls.  apples  .  2.25 
6  bbls.  apples .  2.12% 
87  bbls.  apples  .  2.00 
23  bbls.  apples  .  1.87% 
13  bbls.  apples .  1.75  - 
5  bibs,  apples .  1.50 
3  bbls.  apples .  1.62% 
10  bbls.  apples  .  1.25 
2  bbls.  apples . 1.00 
5  baskets  apples  . SO 
37  baskets  apples  . 75 
14  baskets  apples  . 70 
68  baskets  apples  . 65 
3  baskets  apples  . 62% 
1  basket  apples  . 60 
7  baskets  apples  . 50 
13  baskets  apples  . 46 
7  baskets  apples  . 40 
1  box  apples  .  1.00 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
8  boxes  honey  . $3.25 
8  boxes  honey  .  3.00 
336  lbs.  hickory  nuts,  bu .  4.50 
710  lbs.  hiekorynuts,  bu . < .  4  00 
42  lbs.  hiekorynuts,  bu .  1  “0 
32  lbs.  chestnuts,  bu . 13.50 
93  lbs.  rabbits  . IS 
