374 
THE RURAL, NBW-YORKER 
March 16, 
M Z L ZSL 
N. Y. Exchange price .$1.81 per 40-quart 
can, netting 3% cents to shippers in 26- 
cent zone. 
MILK CONDITIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS. 
Much thought and study seems to be 
given this Winter to the subject of why milk 
production is on the decline in Massachu¬ 
setts, and what is the remedy for the same. 
Geo. Albee of Concord lays it partially to 
the lack of interest of the State Board 
of Agriculture, saying he has written per¬ 
sonally to each member on the matter 
and received reply from only two. One 
was the Governor, the other a member sick 
in bed. It does seem as if the board 
might do something in the matter, as it 
seems to be in their line of business, and 
is an important and necessary part of 
Massachusetts agriculture. 
The Ellis bill was put forward by a few 
interested consumers as the cure, by estab¬ 
lishment of a uniform system of inspection 
all over the State. This would perhaps 
benefit Boston and the metropolitan dis¬ 
trict, but is of doubtful benefit to many 
other cities and towns in other sections 
of the State, yet the expense of the same 
would be borne) by them in part even if no 
benefit was received. These other cities 
and towns are able and willing to look 
after their own business without help from 
Boston in this matter, and I believe they 
should be allowed to do so. Many believe 
with very good reason that the Ellis bill 
would have dealt a severe blow to the 
milk production in Massachusetts, and as 
a result benefited the neighboring States 
at our expense, flfc State Board of Agri¬ 
culture believes in and recommends legis¬ 
lation to permit local boards of health to 
have authority to issue permits for sale 
of milk under such regulations as they may 
approve, and also have $25,000 appropriated 
by the State for prizes for best kept dairies 
and lowest count of bacteria and best qual¬ 
ity of milk, which if divided in an intelli¬ 
gent manner among the producers would 
have an excellent effect. 
The Interstate Commerce Commission has 
decided that the leased car system is not 
unlawful under the Saunders act in Massa¬ 
chusetts, and the contractors can now have 
no reason for charging the producer extra 
freight on this excuse. It recommends a 
can rate slightly above the car rate, and 
icing facilities for cars carrying 600 cans 
per day. The freight question should now 
be settled and adjusted as a permanent 
basis by all railroads. 
The B. C. M. P. Co., whose officers are 
L. II. Ruggles, Hardwick, Mass., president; 
Simon Brewster, Jewett, Conn., first vice- 
president; John Spaulding, Lyndeboro, N. 
H., second vice-president, with W. H. Hun¬ 
ter acting clerk, have been busy getting 
into shape to look after the farmers’ inter¬ 
ests on all these matters, and deciding just 
what action to take for the best interests 
of the producers as a whole. The directors 
of this company interviewed the several 
contractors February 1 to obtain an advance 
in the price of milk to the farmer, but 
failed to make a raise. The Whitings, 
however, did agree to take all milk sent 
them at the regular price, and others will 
probably do tbe same. They can well afford 
to do this, as any surplus can now be made 
into butter and disposed of without loss. 
Milk on the whole is short. The inde¬ 
pendent dealers are paying about 40 cents 
per 8% quart can on the average, the large 
contractors are paying in Masachusetts 
about 32 to 34 cents per 8% quart can at 
the farm. Some Connecticut farmers re¬ 
ceive 35 cents per 10-quart can. Vermont 
milk shipped to Boston nets about 32 cents 
per can, while the creameries are paying 
from 36 to 41 cents for butter fat per 
pound. The high price of butter has turned 
some dairies from selling milk to Boston at 
present unsatisfactory prices, often below 
cost of production. In this matter they 
have acted wisely, and probably receive 
more actual benefit themselves, instead of 
giving it to the other fellow, which in too 
many cases is just what we do. Better 
sell to a home market when possible, only 
in case of necessity sell to distant parties, 
as the nearer home you market your produce 
the more of the dollar you keep in your 
pocket instead of paying a heavy per cent to 
the railroads and other agents. For one 
example of this right here in this section 
many local milk peddlers are glad to pay 
five to eight cents per can more for milk 
in times of shortage, and are doing so right 
now above what the contractor pays. We 
also have cases where farmers are actually 
selling to one contractor for 33 cents per 
can and no extra for higher test milk, 
when they could sell to another and get 
34 cents for the common milk and one 
to four cents more if the quality of the 
milk warranted it. This is an actual fact, 
and shows the business ability of these 
producers. The writer is receiving 38 cents 
at door or 41 cents at car from the latter 
buyer, when he formerly sold to the first, 
and never received a cent extra for reason 
of extra quality or any other reason, in fact. 
A. E. P. 
Madison is a town of 8,000; the milk¬ 
men haul their milk to the consumers and 
get from 6% to eight cents per quart. 
A co-operative creamery has been running 
here for a number of years. Auction 
sales have been very scarce for several 
months, I will give you the prices paid to 
farmers by the dealers: Corn, 65 cents per 
bushel; Timothy hay, $19 to $20 per ton; 
clover, $17 per ton ; wheat, 94 cents; cows, 
$40 to $60; hens, 10c; eggs have varied 
for the last three months from 25 to 35 
cents; butter, 22 cents. Farming has 
changed here greatly in the last five years. 
A great number of Kentucky tobacco raisers 
have come over the river, and are raising 
tobacco here, and they have taught the 
farmers here how to care for it. We now 
have three loose-leaf tobacco sale houses, 
and tobacco is auctioned off daily, during 
the Winter months. The farmers are get¬ 
ting from $50 to $100 per acre this year. 
I have a neighbor who got $740 off four 
acres. There are a good many thousand 
pounds of tobacco auctioned off daily, prices 
varying according to the quality; it is 
higher than last year. A local branch of 
a big catsup factory has contracted for 
2,000 acres of tomatoes at $8.50 per ton. 
Last year most tomato growers received 
$70 to $80 per acre. A few got $100 per 
acre. j. p. l. 
Madison, Ind. 
Scarcity of hay and fodder makes slow 
sale of stock; I have heard of no sale of 
cows above $40. Milk brings seven cents 
per quart delivered at Norwood, six here 
at East Palmyra. Vegetables of all sorts 
bring about Rochester prices. Hay has 
been sold for $21 per ton; some are hold¬ 
ing for $25. Stalks brought six cents a 
bundle In the Fall. Apples brought 50 
cents per bushel at the driers’; some crops 
extra good, 75 cents, mostly barreling stock. 
East Palmyra, N. Y. c. w. o. 
The price that cows bring at auction Is 
from $30 to $65. Hay brings $20 per ton. 
We pay $1 per load for manure from stables 
in North Adams. Milk retails for seven 
cents per quart. Potatoes $1.25 per bushel. 
Apples $3 to $4 per barrel. Cabbage $20 
to $25 per ton, very scarce. t. p. s. 
North Adams. Mass. 
Sound horses sell for $150 to $225; milch 1 
cows, $50 to $80: other cows. $30 to $45; 
calves, weaned. $15 to $25. Brood sows, 
200 pounds, $15 to $20. Timothy hay in 
barn, $25 per ton, in stack, $20, which is 
extremely high for this section. Oat straw, 
$8 per ton loose, baled $11. Silage is not 
sold, not much used here. Manure not sold. 
Clover hay very scarce on account of 
drought destroying the seeding the past two 
years. Corn sells on the market at 56 
cents per bushel; oats. 50 cents. Not much 
other grain raised here. (’lover seed $14 
per bushel of 60 pounds: Timothy seed, $7 
per bushel of 45 pounds. Milk not sold 
here. Butter at grocers 28 cents a pound ; 
eggs 30 cents a dozen. A few farmers sell 
butter fat to creameries and shippers at 
35 cents per pound at present. Prices on 
eggs, butter, butter fat and rough feed are 
temporary on account of the extremely cold 
Winter here. ‘ s. c. 
Mercer Co., Ill. 
The prices vary at the auction sales here, 
and they frequently depend on the time and 
interest. I attended a sale a few days ago 
where prices were as follows: Milch 
cows, $55; fat cattle, 6% cents bid; horses, 
$112; sheep, $7.50 a head; hogs, stock, 6% 
cents; hay, $15 ; manure seldom sold; when 
sold 50 cents per load (two-horse) ; milk, 
eight cents a quart in city. Milk at cream¬ 
ery varies. j. m. c. 
Madison, Ind. 
At a sale last week mares and horses 
from $102 to $157; span of mules, $375; 
one colt yearling. $75; brood sows, $26 to 
$30; shotes, $2.55 to $3.65; loose clover 
hay, $18.50. Hog crop will be short on 
account of cholera ; one man lost about 150, 
several around 100, and smaller farmers in 
proportion. Corn now 55 cents: wheat, 
90 cents to $1; cattle, top, $6.50; hogs, 
$5.50 to $5.75. Eggs 30 cents a dozen; 
butter, country, 25 cents. Milk sold in 
town for six cents a quart. This is not a 
dairy country. j. a. f. 
Griggsville, Ill. 
An auction in this locality, except to dis¬ 
pose of some poor cropper's products when 
he fails to make good, is practically an un¬ 
known quantity, and in the above case is 
only a farce, the landlord buying in every¬ 
thing and selling as he sees fit. at an en¬ 
tirely different ratio of prices. Relative 
to regular prices I can quote you approxi¬ 
mately. Silage is not sold here, there be¬ 
ing but few silos in this section. Hav 
averages around $25 per ton; corn fodde'r 
(which is the leaves stripped from the stalk 
and bundled) around $20. Clean, rough, 
farm manure sells for $2 per two horse 
loads. Milk cows bring anywhere from $40 
to $75, according to milking quality. Milk 
sells at 10 cents a quart. Butter, 25 to 40 
cents a pound. Young chickens, 25 cents 
a pound ; live old hens, 45 to 60 cents each. 
Good horses, $150 to $300; mules about 
the same. h. e p 
Estill, S. C. 
65 
THE ECONOMY CHIEF 
The Closest Skimming 
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Actually Buys the 
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SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO., CHICAGO, ILL. 
CIDER PRESSES 
Tbe Original Mt. Gilead Hydraulic Press 
produces more cider from less 
apples than any other and i6 a 
big money Maker. Sizes 
10 to 400 barrels daily. Also 
cider evaporators, apple- 
butter cookers, vinegar 
generators, etc. 
- CATALOGUE FREE. 
THE HYDRAULIC PRESS MFG. CO., 
137 Lincoln Ave., Mt. Gilead, Ohio, __ 
Or Room 119 L 39 Cortlandt Street. New York, N. Y. 
STANDARD EVERYWHERE 
Well Drilling Machines 
Tested, Proved Reliable 
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men earn big incomes 
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THE AMERICAN WELL WORKS 
Central Office and Works: 
AURORA. ILL. 
Chicago Office: First National 
Bank Bnilding 
PREVENTS 
" SORE SHOULDERS, 
GALLS AND SCALDS 
fYour horse cannot work with a sore shoul- 
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Ventiplex Pads remedy all this, because they 
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Ask your dealer for Ventiplax 
and insist on getting it. It la the 
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your dealer cannot supply you, 
| send us his name and we will 
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Patented Sept. 20. 1910. 
Our folder Bent on request. 
We also make the famous 
•’Stay-on" Blanket. 
BURLINGTON BLANKET CO. 
Dept. 53 
Burlington, WIs. 
• »V_V'7V4 
Mm 
Real Spreader b M SendN!,me Bool,F " EE 
QUALITY 
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