The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-11-02
Outlook for the Cow.

drinking and milk using is largely
thing that has been adopted by certain
communities, but where once adopted
1t stays. There are still in the world
vast areas where the people do not
think OF using cows milk as food,
and the reason is that milk has not
Deen placed before them in form that
appeals to them as buyers. Especially
is this true in tropical countries where
lew cows here and there supply the
wants OF large communities. They
supply the wants of the large COM
munities because but few of the people
In those communities use milk in any
form. We heard some time ago OF an
American who tried to get some butter
In town of Venezuela. He tried to
md a grocer that had it for sale, but
was finally told that in all probability
ne could get some at the drug store.
He went there and found that they had
very small supply that was kept as
permanent stock to be used for medical
purposes. Whether it was used for
outward or inward application deos not
appear. When the American asked for
a couple of pounds the native druggist
nearly fell over in establishment, and
wondered what on earth the American
could do with two pounds of butter,
which, by the way, was about his whole
stock in trade. The butter, however,
was found to be rancid and decidedly
unit for the internal use intended by
the American. This but illustrates
tnat there are vast populations that
nave got yet to be educated into the
milk and butter using habit.
In our large American cities the use
or milk is every year increasing. More
and more it is becoming an article of
universal diet Even buttermilk is
coming into great demand in all of the
city restaurants and even multitudes
OF saloons keep supply of good, cold,
fresh buttermilk constantly on hand.
These are signs that the cow is to be
a strong factor in the economics Of the
ruture. Two great considerations
come up in the spreading of this milk
drinking habit. First the quality of the
milk and second its cheapness. Both
sweet milk and buttermilk win their
way on their quality and if t. Il
wants his trade to increase he must
give the best milk that G. be had.
We know of course that ID does not
cut very great figure \ the solid
contents Of milk, but we cannot but
think that feed does have ~ much to
do with the flavor and pala ability of
milk. Perhaps this point will be dis
puted, but we doubt if one that has
been an habitual drinker of milk will
be satisfied to take it from any cow ana
from any food. We know that with
domestic animals used for food, the
food on which they have been grown
and fattened transmits it's flavor to the
flesh. Thus the waterfowl that feeds
on fish is so fishy that it is very dis
tasteful to many. The beeves, mutt
tons and swine are notably affected to
such an extent that it makes a great
difference on the market Can it be
doubted, therefore, that the feed does
have very great effect on the quality
of the milk? The cows that are fed on
pasture grass alone will not produce
milk that the city people will relish
as they will milk produced from grass
and millfeeds. Especially is this true
in the early part of the summer when
after heavy rains there is a decided
grass flavor to the milk.
So far as cost is concerned the only
way it can be put on the market at a
lower rate than present is to eliminate
the waste and the selling of milk to
people that never pay. So far as the
restaurants are concerned this is not
of much consequence, provided that
milk does not go up as it has in Wash
ington, Baltimore and some other cit
les, where it sells at ten cents per
quart In Chicago it still sells for five
and six cents per quart and should be
kept at this point if possible. 1t
should be kept at this point to keep up
a steady demand that will prevent the
supply increasing faster than the de-
mand and thus in the not distant fu-
ture causing collapse. Restaurants
sell their milk by the glass at about 20
cents per quart. Recently on the
streets Of Chicago we noticed man
that had stand for the sale of ice-cold
buttermilk. He sold it at two cents
per glass, which would be about eight
cents per quart or more. His glasses
were of size that would require about
five for quart, so we may say that he
got ten cents quart for his milk. He
seemed to have brisk trade. But one
day he disappeared from his corner,
and the neOple that had begun tn drink