Litchfield enquirer., 1872-03-21
MILK MEETtNc.

MILK MEETING.
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 On Friday quite a number of farmers from this vicinity, Messrs. T. s. Gold and T. l.. Hart, of Cornwall, M. D. F. Smith, of Goshen, and others, met at Farmers Hall, Washington, to discuss the question of starting the Milk business on the She- paug railroad. The gentlemen from Cornwall and Goshen were present on in- vitatlon, to explain to the farmers on the line of the shepaug road the mode of do- ing this business, it's profits as compared with the usual dairy business, and other matters connected with the proposed en- 1 terprise.
 The meeting was opened by MT. J. Deming Perkins, President of the She paug R. R. Co.,, who stated that the estab- hshment of a milk train on the Shepaug railroad had been contemplated from the outset, and that this accommodation had been one of the strongest inducements held out to people on the line of the road to induce them to assist in building the same. He stated that the Bethel exten- sion was being rapidly pushed and would be completed by the first of June, when the running of a milk train would be prac- l ticable. He introduced MT. T. s. Gold. Secretary of the State Board of Apricul- ture, as gentleman who could give val uable practical information on the sub- ject. ---.-- ..r, '1 -.-.. PREPARATION OF MILK FOR THE MA RKEr
 Mir. Gold stated that he had been sell ing milk in New York for the past four years. The first requisite, he said, was great care in keeping the pails and other utensils clean and sweet; the use of wood en pails he thought inadmissible. The next requisite was conveniences for cool ing, for which the best was cool running spring. The milk after being strained should be put in the cans in the water and left uncovered till the animal heat is out. The temperature of the water should be from 45 Q to 500, though with an abund- ance of flowing water it would do as high as 600 which he considered the highest admissible temperature. Whether it is best to stir the milk while cooling is debatable question depending on the cool ness and size of the spring. If the water is cool and plenty it is not necessary, oth- erwise it may be. The cans should be put into the water at once where they re- main till they are taken to the station. Before starting he puts Q lump of ice about the size of ones fist in each can. Careful cooling is particularly necessary early in spring when COWS are first turned out to grass, and when the milk is apt to be strong" As regards the delicate subject of putting water in the cans it is sufficient to say that this should never be done with any expectation of getting pay for water as we'll as milk. In very hot weather quart to the can may help to cool the milk without materially iniuring the quality. Any over use of water is at once detected by the New York milkman and disclosed by the lactometer. This instrument always indicates the presence of water, but will not detect frauds by skimming milk. ....
 The best can is the ''iron clad," which costs about $6. Cans are very roughly handled, particularly by the employees of the N. Y & N. H. railroad at the New York station. .ae.-
 PROFITS OF THE MILK BUSINESS.
 MT. Gold considered the sale of milk more profitable than the making of butter and cheese. It was possible with good cows to realize $1OO, gross yearly income, from each COW. His own sales would not reach that figure, as he raised some calves, made some butter, &c. He lives about three miles from the station and has 8 dairy of from 40 to 50 cows he formerly made butter and cheese, but has not found it as profitable as selling milk. It would cost him about 10 cts. can to have it sent to the depot, and that was kind of work much more easily procured than that necessary in dairy. The labor of wash ing utensils is somewhat greater than that required in dairy. The business con- duces specially to better farming and more careful husbandry. The effects of a judicious outlay in these particulars are so soon and so unmistakably felt, that the farmer is always encouraged to improved methods of husbandry. The prices of milk for the past year have ranged about as follows March and April, cts. quart; May, to 2 cts; June, 2s; July, 3; August and Sept, 4; Oct. and Nov, 5; Dec, $; Jan. and Feb, A. The price for January and February, this year, should have been 5 or cents bat the New York milkmen made 8 combination and reduced the price to four cents per quart. Milk producers have been much discouraged, the past season and middlemen have been over-charging consumers and under paying producers more than ever t5. sa.
 MODES OF ATTACHING SALES. = s-3
 Mr. Gold stated that there are three modes of sale practiced.l.t --sa ssalq
 1. By contract with some New York milkman. He receives the cans at the station, and returns them. If the scon-a tract is for sales at the market price, he is always contriving, of course, to take advantage of the producer in the many ways open to him. If the contract is for fixed price which happens to be higher than the market price, he endeavors in every way to make the producer break his contract. The ways of the New York milkman are very peculiar. "lo ao1 cad 2. Sales by agents. The Housatonic milk producers tried th $ and were at first