48 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
January 10, 
HOW MlLK PRICES ARE MADE. 
There are two principal price-making 
parties for market milk in our vicinity, 
Chenango Co., X. Y. One is the Borden 
Condensed Milk Co., and the other is the 
Consolidated Milk Exchange. There are 
others that fix prices in isolated localities, or 
in limited areas. Neither of the two parties 
mentioned fixes a higher price for high-test¬ 
ing milk than for any other. The Bordens’ 
buy enormous quantities of milk at their 
one hundred and forty odd stations in the 
United States, many of them handling at 
the herd of the season a hundred thousand 
pounds a day, and some of them much more. 
The Milk Exchange as such, buys no milk, 
though its members do buy. The members of 
the Exchange are dealers in New York City. 
Were the milk to tes't the minimum legal 
standard, that is, three per cent fat, 1 doubt 
if the Borden Company would buy it. In 
that respect a man who produces 3.8 per cent 
milk can do better than the one who produces 
three per cent milk. The Bordens fix no 
particular limit, but the general understand¬ 
ing is that if the test falls much below 3.8 
per cent, there are some steps taken look¬ 
ing toward a change. Milk testing 4Vj or 5 
per cent butter fat brings no more than 3.8 
per cent so far as I am aware. Occasionally 
some report gets into circulation thaj a bonus 
Is paid by the Borden people for milk having 
a high test, but I have never yet been able 
to trace such a report to any authentic 
source. 
As for the Exchange, that price is thrown 
out as a basis for contracting both in the 
country and in the city. Each individual 
dealer is free to make the best contract if 
he can. He may pay a certain per cent less 
than the Exchange fixes, if he can get the 
farmers to agree to his terms. In the city be 
may sell at Exchange prices if he can get no 
more, or charge as much more as he can get 
his customers to pay in a wholesale way. The 
Exchange is only a convenience in working 
up a deal. lie may make his bargains upon 
a fat basis or with no reference to a fat 
test. The latter Is the usual way in our 
locality. At the present time, I know of only 
one concern of any note that is buying milk 
for shipment, on a fat basis, for a good many 
miles around. The Dairy Products Co., 
operates eight or ten stations and bases its 
prices on those given out by the Bordens. 
Four per cent fat is taken as the basis and 
Borden prices are paid except for four months, 
April to July, when the price is lower. A 
bonus of two cents a point for milk testing 
above four per cent Is paid the whole year, 
and a deduction of the same amount for a 
lower test. In this case a “point”' is under¬ 
stood to be a tenth of one per cent. Five 
per cent milk will bring 20 cents a hundred 
more than four per cent milk. In this way 
a higher test is encouraged ; and by the terms 
of the contract less is paid for milk in ttie 
flush than the Bordens pay, but I think more 
is paid for milk in Winter by the Dairy 
Products Company than by the Bordens. 
Whether the aggregate amount paid is more 
or less than it would be on a “flat price” 
depends upon the test, Iu this case I doubt 
if the result makes any material difference 
to the company, there being probably as much 
milk testing under four per cent as above 
it. With little doubt this company will 
change next Spring to the “flat price” method 
of buying milk. The reason for this change 
is that so many farmers believe their tests 
are not correctly made. Dissatisfaction is 
the result, and if there is any thing that a 
creamery man needs, these times, it is a 
satisfied patronage. There may be a few 
other concerns that dre buying on the test, 
as we occasionally hear of such, at some 
distance away. 
Milk in this vicinity tests practically four 
per cent as an average, I believe. Our neigh¬ 
boring county, Delaware, is noted for Jersey 
cows. There a good deal of milk is pur¬ 
chased on the test. There is less milk-shipping 
from that county than from many others, one 
chief reason being that the milk is rich in 
fat. For that reason, too, evidently, many 
dealers advertise their milk as coming from 
Delaware County. Co-operative creameries 
flourish in that county as they do in no 
other part of the State with which I am 
acquainted. One such started up right under 
the nose of an enormous Borden plant, and 
has held its own against its competitor for 
nearly or quite 10 years. It could not have 
done that except with high-testing milk, for 
butter was the chief article sold. Some 
milk is purchased for shipment in that 
county, and a part of it is bought on the 
test, 4.0 per cent being the basis, 
A new railroad is being built into Dela¬ 
ware County, primarily, I believe, for the 
purpose of carrying milk. I was in that 
section in September, and found that both 
creamerymen and farmers were expecting 
that their co-operative butter-making is about 
to end, and the farmers are expecting to 
change to cows producing milk of a lower 
fat content. This change is hardly in process, 
but is expected. Yesterday, I saw a cream- 
eryman from the central part of the State, 
who said that he is working for a concern 
that buys without reference to the test, and 
that low-testing milk is universal. The 
average test at his creamery is 3.4 per cent. 
I doubt if the Bordens would buy that milk, 
and I question whether a man here could 
get aa good a price for that grade of milk 
as for something having a higher test. In 
general I should say that 3.8 to four per 
cent milk will sell as well as any, and bring 
about as much as that having a higher fat 
content, while that going much below 3.8 
per cent would be subject to some discount. 
There are exceptions to this statement, but 
the general rule for common market milk in 
this vicinity can not be much different from 
the statement just made. 
The fact that the New York City Board 
of Health concerns itself very much with 
cleanliness at the farm and at the creamery, 
and very little with the fat content of milk, 
tends to emphasize the condition noted. The 
only legitimate reasons for dealers wishing 
milk to test above the legal standard of 
three per cent, is that they may make a 
stronger bid for patronage, and prevent n 
possible falling below the legal standard at 
some moment when the State inspector may 
call, unannounced. Many dealers in the city 
make some pretty low bids for milk. They 
say they do not care anything about the 
test so long as they have no fines to pay. 
Many hotels take the same position, and 
some pretty good hotels, too. The buyers for 
public institutions, in many cases take the 
same position. So long as the creamery 
people were allowed to mix a part of the 
skim-milk with other milk that was to be 
shipped, reducing the fat content to three 
per cent, there was profit for dealers in 
high-testing milk. The law in New Yorx 
State now forbids this process, although 
other States still allow it to be done. Un¬ 
doubtedly it is still done in New York State, 
but a fine and other punishment is liable to 
be Imposed, and there must be much less of 
it done than formerly in this State. The re¬ 
sult is to change dealers from the plan of 
buying on a fat basis, and there is little 
to change them back, unless there is a de¬ 
mand that milk be sold in the city on a 
fat basis. To be sure, those who sell cream 
might find it to their advantage to buy a 
high-testing milk, and the cream business is 
by no means insignificant. The possibility 
of effecting sales more readily may make 
higher testing milk more desirable. In spite 
of a few such advantages, the general tend¬ 
ency, so far as I can judge, is to buy milk 
without reference to the test, and depend 
upon other influences to keep the test from 
running too low. 
There are dealers who are making some 
special effort to cater to a trade desiring a 
“high grade" of milk. “High grade” is more 
likely to refer to the way the milk is handled, 
or prefessed to be handled, than to the actual 
fat content, although it may mean both. It 
is to be understood that I am stating this 
from appearances at the country end of the 
deal, but we believe we understand the city 
methods pretty well. There are special cases 
where a man can get more for five per cent 
milk, but they are not very common. What 
the future may bring we do not know, in 
fact, the future of the milk business appears 
to bjt one of the most uncertain of all farm 
questions. Reports here are to the effect 
that the largest and strongest dealers are 
better able to standardize their milk without 
detection than the small dealers, and the 
standard is likely to be 3.4 to 3.5 per cent 
for eight-cent bottled milk. Many users of 
milk do not care to have milk testing much 
above four per cent. The greater number of 
farmers putting up high-priced milk intend 
to have it test four per cent or a trifle more. 
Only one or two that I recall now are mak¬ 
ing any effort to reach 414 per cent. Four 
per cent if I remember correctly, is the atm 
at Ellerslie, at Col. Cutting’s Tully Farms, 
Red Gate, and the Hood Farm in New Hamp¬ 
shire, and at many others, where milk is 
produced for retail at from 10 cents to 15 
cents a quart. It was reported to me last 
Summer that some of the cities in Central 
New York, are about to demand four per cent 
milk, but of this I am not positive. 
H. H. LYON. 
The Buckeye Clipper 
Promises (o Astonish the Vehicle 
World this Year. 
The “Buckeye Clipper,” the 1907 model 
of The Columbia Mfg. & Supply Co., is 
going to set the pace in the vehicle race this 
year. Its manufacturers are ready to prove 
that their factory equipment for turning 
out economical and guaranteed work is the 
most complete in the State of Ohio and that 
the whole Buckeye line possesses more points 
of real merit than any other buggies offered 
at corresponding prices. The manufactur¬ 
ers’ guarantee also is extraordinary. Their 
catalog at this writing is in the hands of 
the printer. It is free. Don’t fail to send 
for it. Address Columbia Mfg. & Supply 
Co., No, 112 Summer St., Cincinnati, O. 
^ ^ ^ V 
If you can increase your butter production 
■without any increased cost or any more work 
won’t it pay you to do it? And if you can get 
more butter from you milk with leia 
work, that will be still better, won’t it? 
That’s exactly what you can do if you 
, will do as Mr. Leiting did—buy a 
Sharpies Tubular Separator. Here's 
what he says about the Tubular: 
O e 
Randolph, Nebraska, Feb. 15th, 1906. 
Gentlemen:—On the 23rd day of January, 
1906, I took a No. 4 Sharpies Tubular Separator 
on trial. On learning that I was in the market 
for a cream separator, the agent for the disc 
style “bucket bowl” separator brought one to 
my farm and requested me to give it a trial be¬ 
fore making a purchase. After giving both 
machines a fair trial, I concluded to keep the 
Tubular as I consider it far superior to the other 
machine. It skims closer, runs easier, and is 
very much easier to wash, there being so many 
less parts. From three skimming* of milk from 
7 cows, we were able to make XV% lbs. more but¬ 
ter with the Tubular than we could with the 
“bucket bowl” machine. B. LEITING. 
The Sharpies Tubular 
Separator 
MORE BUTTER 
MORE MOREY 
gets all the cream there is in the milk, does it so 
easy that it’s not work to run it at all, and is so 
simple, with only one little part in the bowl to wash 
and keep clean that comparison is out of the question. 
The extra cream it gets makes the Tubular a regular 
savings bank for its owner. 
All the other good money-making points are told 
in book F-153, which you ought to read. Write for it 
today—we’ll send it free to you. 
Toronto, Can. 
THE SHARPLES SEPARATOR CO., 
WEST CHESTER, PA. 
Chicago, III. 
DAVIS Separator 
w It comes direct Irom the factory 
Save 20% to 50% 
By buying a 
Factory prices. No middlemen s profits. Investigate our fair selling plan. 
It’s the low-down separator (just belt high) that has a three-piece bowl that can never 
get out of balance. In all the separator world there is nothing to equal the Davis 
for convenience, for nice, close skimming, for easy running and easy cleaning. Don't 
buy without having our money-saving Catalog No. NO. It's free. Write for it to-day. 
Davis Cream Separator Co., * 6 A ""g^fcAcV.'TLLiNois. 
Lou den’s Overhead 
Carriers - 
Do All Kinds of Work. 
Clean Barns, Stables and Pig Pens. Convey all kinds 
of Feed, Water, Milk, Ice, etc. Handle Merchandise, 
Coal, Ashes, Slop, Saw Dust, and a hundred other 
articles about the Farm, Store, Mill and Factory. All 
the Latest Improvements. The Best Designs and 
Construction. Raise and Lower, and run on Solid 
Steel Track, or on Self Returning Wire Track. 
Warranted Superior to All Othera. They will save 
you money and hard work. Then why drag a go-cart 
through the mud when by using our Overhead Route you 
can do your work so much easier, quicker and better! Our 
Illustrated Catalogue explains it ail. Also gives plans of 
installation, tells how to Preserve the Fertility of the soil, etc. It will pay to Investigate. Address, 
LOUDEN MACHINERY COMPANY, 39 Broadway. Fairfield, Iowa. 
WARRINER'S 
CHAIN 
HANGING 
STANCHION 
I. B. Calvin, Vice-Presi¬ 
dent, State Dairy Associa¬ 
tion, Kewanno, Ind.,says: 
“I think them 
PERFECT.” 
Send for BOOKLET. 
W. B. CRUMB, 
73 Main Street, 
Forestville, Conn. 
Farmir’s Favorite 
Feed Cooker 
Is the model for cooking feed 
and best adapted to water heat¬ 
ing. apple butter and sugar 
making, etc.—a score of uses. 
It's made to last. Weight 
greater than any other cooker 
of same low price. Write to¬ 
day tor circular. Sent free on request. 
L. R. Lewis, 12 Main St. Cortland, N.Yc 
WE LL TAN 
YOUR HIDE 
Cattle or Horse hide, Calf, Dog, Deer, 
or any kind of hide or skin with the 
hair on,soft,light, odorless and moth¬ 
proof for robe, rug, coat or gloves, and 
make them up when so ordered. 
Avoid mistakes by getting our catalog, 
prices, shipping tags, instructions and 
“Crosby pays the freight” offer, before 
shipment. We make and sell Natural 
Black Galloway fur coat sand robes, Black 
and Brown F’risian, Black Dog Skin, and 
fur ined coats. We do ta- idermy and 
head mounting. We buy no hides, skins, 
raw furs or ginseng. Address 
THE CROSBY -FRISIAN FUR COMPANY, 
116 Hill Street, Rochester, N. Y. 
Banner Root Gutter 
in 7 sizes for hand and power. 
Cuts all roots and vegetables 
fine— no choking. No matter 
what other feed you have. Cut 
roots will increase its value. 
Root cutters are indispensa¬ 
ble to dairymen, sheep, hog and cat¬ 
tle feeders. “Banners” shake out all 
dirt and gravel, cut fast and easy and 
last Indefinitely. Our free book tells. 
Write for it today . 
0. E. THOMPSON & SONS, Ypsilantl, Mich. 
Stop 
PROF. J.Q 
■ ■ ■ _ >m WITH THE 
mm BEERY BIT 
You needn’t be afraid if you 
have a Beery bit on your 
horse. 10 days free trial con¬ 
vinces. Write for it today. 
BEERY, Pleasant Hill, Ohio 
KELLY 
r DUPLEX Ml I I 0 
GRINDING I IILLj 
Free 
Catalogue 
Grind ear corn, shelled corn, 
oats, rye, wheat, barley, Kaffir 
corn, cotton seed,corn in shucks, 
sheaf oats, or any kind of grain; 
coarse, medium or fine. The only 
mill in the world made with ft 
double set of grinders or burrs. 
FOUR SIZES 
Easily operated, Never cho*e. 
Especially adapted for 
gasoline engines. 
Irnr r a copy of 
|l HC L Farmers 
Guide, most useful 
book of Records and Recipes 
. mailed upon request. 
| the o. s. kelly CO., 
Box ID, Springfiild, Ohii. 
