Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1914-12-23


hearings in each state to collect statis-
tics on which recommendation for the |
of dairy interests and the |
of the New Engan cow
might be made. Hearings similar to |
those to be held in this state have oc-
cured all over New England through |
out the fall.
The milk situation in New England |
has changed greatly during this past
fifteen years. In New England there
are 210 cities and towns of over 5000
population with total population of
over fifteen million persons Fifteen
years ago most Of the cities and towns
received their supply Of milk from the
immediate vicinity. Now throughout
New England the railroads handle six
ty cars of milk a day or over half a
million quarts of milk, some of it COM
ing from distance Of over 200 miles.
Transportation charges, icing together
with more modern demands for pas
teur cation and more Clearly ethods in
the handling and production of the COM
modify. required by the state boards of
health. have created problem in man
agement and accounts which many of
the farmers and consumers do not un-
derStand.
Fifteen years ago actually no milk
was bottled or pasteuriZed. Now prac-
tcal]y none of it escapes either process.
The ordinary Individual does not believe
that it costs the farmer money to daily
remove the piles of manure which be,
fore the present day regulations went
into effect could stand for, seasons. or
to ice the milk, or to pasteurize it or to
provide modern equipment of various
description. Perfect pasteuriZation
means heating the milk and holding it
at 143 degrees for Is minutes to half an
hour.
Under the old methods it was a COM
paratlvely easy matter for the farmer
to keep his cows and milk them and then
sell the milk with little or no reward
for what it was costing him for feed
One hardly needs to be told now, how
ever, that IN these days when food stuff
are mounting higher and higher in price
1t is vital that the farmer know exactly
what 1t is costing him to produce his
milk per quart, that he may adjust his
expenses TO work proftably and eco
nomically. This is an age of scientific
management when every item Of ex-
pense must be placed where it belongs
or the balance sheet will come out
awry.
To bring out the facts that those in
charge Of the hearings desire to know,
as well as to bring these facts home
to the persons interested the questions
asked will be framed along the follow
ing lines.
What price is received for milk
whether as butter fat or whole milk,
per can or hundred pound basis, for
certain months of the year?
What does it cost the farmer to
produce milk as he figures it? What
does it cost to keep cow per year?
Is the milk weighed and is there
cow testing assoc alton in the vicinity.
Are other lines of farming carried
on in connection with the dairying
operation?
By determining the original cost of a
barn, the length of time it will last,
cost of repairs each year and,
striking off ten per cent for depreca-
ton the cost of housing the cow per
year can be determined and the same
analysis of feed costs will show the
feed cost of cows. The cost of labor.
interest on money invested in cows
and barn, taxes, depreciation. etc,
should be taken into consideration.
In the same way the costs Of trans
portation and distribution Will be ana
lyzed and the results finally published
in pamphlet form and distributed for
the information of those concerned
A representative each from the Ver-
mont department of agriculture, COL
lege of agriculture state grange, state
dairyman'S association and from the
committee of agriculture of the Boston
chamber of com merce will conduct the
hearings, all of which will commence
at IL a. M. and continue throughout
the day. 1t is necessary, if the hear
lngs are to be Of real benefit to the
producers of milk in Vermont, that
every farmer urge his neighbor to
attend the hearings and contribute his
store of knowledge to the common
fund. that the plan may succeed and
that thereby. the rapid decrease in
the dairy business which has been
noticeable throughout New England
for the past few years may be stopped
After all, there is no more important
industry than agriculture, and this fact
is more and more being impressed
upon the minds of the thinking public.
Of this industry dsirying is the largest
single branch, and no pains should be
spared to accomplish results which will
bring New England back to her own in
dairy farming. Railroads will grant
convention rates of two cents per mile
from points nearest each meeting.
E. S. Brigham.
Commissioner Of Agriculture.
Criticism.