The Washington times., 1911-07-11
MILK FAMINE NEAR,
SAY DEALERS, DUE
TO LACK OF RAIN
Pastures Burned in Nearby
Localities, and Supply
: Is Short.

Washington is facing a milk famine
that threatens to become serious. Re.
cause Of drought in Maryland and Vir.
Eiria, and. in fast, in all the neighbor'
ing States. pastures havo literally dried
up and there is no green food for To
COWS. which have fallen off 81 per cent
in milk production in the last three
weeks.
Washington dairymen said this morn
ing that unless plenty OF rain falls in
the next two weeks the shortage in the
supply will force raise IN price. Many
prominent dealsrs say they are unable
to supply their customers. and the milk
they do sell entails a loss Of about two
cents per quart.
From New York comes the report
that hardly enough Of the lacteal fluid
is produced TO supply home consump-
Iion. A. b. Walters, manager Of the
Fairfax Dairy. said this morning that
for the first time since he has been in
business he was unable to get Il ship
ment of cream from Cooperstown, N
u, a community that is noted for the
large production of milk and cream.
Getting Short.
The milk supply is getting alarming
ly short" Mr.. Walters said this morn
ing. and unless the farmers are able to
feed their herds green food a famine is
likely. l see no way to prevent a boost
in price. for the simple reason that at
= the present time the dairymen are SELL
ing their products al a big loss.
Shipments are falling of every day
and the farmers are clamorinG for
substantial increase PEI gallon. They
say the COWS are away behind in the
usual supply. and that the cost of feed
has risen with the drought y the past
few weeks.
The situation looks serious" Mr..
Walters continued. Rain is about the
only thing that will clear up the stu
alton
The dairymen who have their own
herds and do not have to depend on
shipments from the country are not
complaining TO a. great extent. The
Walker-Gordon Company said this
caring for their pastures and planting
enough green stuff to feed their ami
mails after the pasture became short
their supply of milk was up to the
usual standard.
At the White Cross Milk Company it
was learned that while = famine might
be possibility it was believed tnat
for a while, at least. Washington would
nave a SuInclent, II not an ample, sup
ply. That prices will not go up ma
terially within a few weeks was the
opinion OF the manager for the COM
pany.
Says They Lose.
T. A. Willis, of the Home Ice Com
pany, which handles milk and cream in
the manufacture of ice cream, said this
morning that milk dealers are losing
daily on the sale of their products.
Milk is wholesanng at ~ cents a
quart and retailing at CENTS" said
Mr.. Willis. Therefore, Il loss Of
cents a quart is the lot Of the milk
men. The condition is a serious one
and affects the people of the city gen.
orally. Now that the dealers are los
ing money to such an extent they will
have TO devise some way to make up
for the loss, and it Is probable there
will be an increase in the price in
the winter instead Of at the present
Officials Of the Sharon Dairy, 324 B
street southwest, said today that their
drivers have been compelled to cut
down the milk orders of some patrons
from several quarts to a pint day,
owing to the famine.
While the general price OF milk re-
tailed in the city today was cents
per quart. some dealers are already
charging 8 cents.