The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-02-28
THE COST OF MILK
HAS Been INCREASED
Figures Given In the Census Bureau
Report.
FLOUR AND sRIsT MILL REPORTS.
Cream Has Particularly Gone Up as
the Result Of the Curtailment Of the
Supply to the Factory and the In
cressing Market in the Larger Cities
Smaller Creameries Absorbed.

Washington Especially That the
cost of milk, and particularly cream,
has advanced enormously since 1900
Rs the result of the curtailment OF
supply TO the factory and the in
creasing market in the large cities
s indicated in a census bulletin just
issued relative TO the manufacture
Of butter. cheese, condensed milk,
Hour and grist mill products and
starch for 1905. A substantial in
crease in the manufacture of all these
products is shown since 1900, eX-
sept starch, which declined markedly.
Cost of cream increased 2479 and
milk 81 per cent The statistics
given include only such establish
ments as were engaged primarily in
hose Industries, plants engaged pri-
marily in selling milk or in separat-
ing cream from milk not being re-
garded as engaged in manufacturing.
According to the statement there
we're S,926 establishments engaged
in the butter, cheese and condensed
milk industry in 1905; aggregate
capital, $47, 500; employing 49,
657 wagearners. who received SS,-
412,937 in wages. The cost of ma
terials was $142,92O,277, and the
products were valued at $16S, S,1S2,-
7S9. With the exception of estab-
lishments, all of these items show In
creases since 1900, that in value of
products amounting to $37, ,399, ,44O,
representing an increase of 2S.6 per
cent, or over one-forth.
Consolidation.
The decrease in the number of es-
tablshments was principally due to
the consolidation or absorption of
smaller creameries into larger plants.
The hand separator, which enables
the farmer to separate his own
cream, was a prominent factor in this
tendency to Capitalization, enabling
easier hauling and making it possi-
BILE for a single creamery to obtain
its supply from a wide territory. As
a result the larger plants, in which
butter was manufactured at less
expense, gradually crowded out or
absorbed smaller plants.
The total cost of materials in
creased over 81 per cent. There was
a decrease of 21,70TS11 pounds
or IA per cent. in the quantity of
milk used in making butter, and an
increase in the quantity of cream OF
3S4,512,513 pounds, or 1888 per
cent.
Condensed milk manufactured be-
tween the censuses of 1900 and 1905
increased in quantity 65 per cent,
and in cost 69,5 per cent. The guam
tity of butter produced increased over
&c per cent. and cheese over IL per
cent. Great Britain and Canada are
the chief foreign markets for these
products. Importation of cheese has
shown a steady growth, both in guam
tity and value.
Flour And Grain Statistics.
The statistics for -four and grist
mill products include only the re-
turns of establishments engaged in
merchant milling. At the census oi
1905 there were 1O,051 of the mer-
chant -four and grist mills in the
United States; total capital, $263,'
117,434; employed 39,110 wage
earners, paid $19,S22,196 in wages
consumed S619,971, ,161 worth of ma
terials, and manufactured product;
to the value of $713, ,033,395 These
figures represent an increase of Owe
6 per cent. in number of establish
ments, 40 per cent in capital ant
AZ per cent. in value of products.
At the census of 1906 the grair
reported as used by the merchan
-four and grist mills of the countr!
amounted to 54,945, ,729 bushels ant
cost $5S5, 5,065,067. Wheat forme
over 65 per cent of the total quantit
and rs per cent. of the total cost o
grain