The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-20

in the market to sell his products. II
Is his duty to study, understand anG
cater to its exigencies as matter OF
wisdom from a business standpoint. Or
the other hand the consumer should moi
expect too much for his money, any
| increase in the cost of production
should be paid by the patron receiving
the benefit. Supply and demand would
of course, determine the market price OF
standard sanitary milk as soon as il
is produced in qualities. The present
selling price in Hartford is 12c per
quart.
An eminent authority has stated that
quart of milk is equal in relative food
value to IS ounces of beef. Then the
farmer selling his milk on the farm at
2 1-2 cents per quart Ga high average
price, and buying steak at 20 cents per
pound, is paying eight quarts of % IL
cent milk or $3.50 per pound for his
meat on the principle of relative food
values. The ratio in favor of milk as
| an economical food is 8 to 1 GO to 1907.
1t is recognized that the choice Is and
will remain wholly matter Of taste
without regard to chemical analysis,
| experiment or economical considera-
tons. But it is certainly a satisfaction
to the farmer to know that he is Civ
ing the moneys worth, and to the con-
sumner that he is getting it.
The rapid increase and astonishing
development of the dairy interests in the
west and northwest, especially those
engaged in the manufacture Of butter,
has been to create an enormous surplus
which is thrown upon the eastern mar
kets with depressing effect, being al
most ruinous to the local trade. The
eastern farmer with his high priced
farm, high taxes, present cost of labor
and rates of transportation for feed
| stuffs, finds it almost impossible to con-
| tinue in the fierce conflict of competi-
ton of his home market. 1t will be
demonstrated that he must have more
than 1.-THE courage of destiny if he con-
tinues long so unequal contest.
In the last three months of 1891 but
ter was sold in the Hartford market at
4Oc per pound, wholesale price; the cor
responding months of 1898 but 27 cents
was given by wholesale, a reduction of
80 1-2 per cent. in the income of the
eastern farmer in the short period of
eight years.
This reduction, unprecedented and
unparalleled in any other trade or pro-
fession, has driven many to seek other
avenues and sources of profit to exc out
their diminished income, who formerly
ran their farms for the dairy interest
alone.
The eastern farmers who think bot
tom prices have been reached and
further reduction impossible. should re-
L, cto{a IS Io,.1f a1ly
err that butter can be manufactured at
profit in Minnesota at cents per
pound, the cost of transportation be-
ing about 1 cent per pound. With fertile
land, in price from 50 to $40 per acre,
light taxes and feed stuffs ranging in
price from SO to Sc per ton, it looks as
though the west was master of the sit
uation. Yet the lesson of western pre-
eminence has been felt before, notably
in wheat, rye, oats and tobacco, re-
ducing prices in the eastern markets
below the cost of production. Agricul-
tural productiveness in the United
States far exceeds the consuming ca
pacity of our population. This sur
plus of produce must either be disposed
of abroad or it becomes burden
upon the home market. Any excess of
supply over demand leads to
depression in the prices. In order
to prevent the overlooking of our
market and it's attendant evils, the De-
partment of Agriculture has undertake
en- the extension of our export trade In
agricultural commodities. This is a
question of the highest moment to the |
farming community, when we consider
that during the fiscal year our agricul-
tural exports amounted in value to
$3.50, 755 1913, comprising two-thirds of
the total value of all exports. While |
American butter has been exported IN |
quantities it was only re-
Gently our exporters discovered that one |
of the reasons why it did not find a
reader sale in England was because it |
has been the practice to ship 1t In
round tubs such as are commonly used |
for packing the article in the United |
States, whereas the customs of the
British market made a square package
more desirable. In order to compete
in the butter markets of
the United Kingdom, 1t is found as ne
to regard this preference for
square package as 1t is to satisfy Brit
sh taste In respect to color and flavor
Of the article itself. The hope Is ex-
pressed that the efforts of the depart
ment will relieve in great measure the
depressing influence due to the enor-
nous surplus, which begins with the
early spring and ends with the fall of
The leaves, causing a serious decline in
prices and consequent loss to the pro-
1uce:
1t is with the greatest sense Of pleas
ire that we can turn to the brighter
side of dairying and note the prosperity
If our farmers engaged in supplying
heir whole milk product for consump-
ion in the cities and other centers of
They have more than held ]
heir own and prices have been fully up
% the usual standard. With the rapid
y growing cities their business has been
/ growing one, reaching out and in
Guiding much Of the milk that was for
nerly contributory to adjoining cream
,ries and paying better prices they cas-
ly secure the patronage.
The health of the Connecticut herds
It the present time is matter Of sat-
sfaction to all. The farmer alert to his
wn interests in protecting the health |
# his valuable animals is quietly and
,elieve thoroughly eliminating any evil J
ences of suspicious cases as soon as it
ecomes apparent to him that any num- =
er of his herd is affected with any of