Arizona republican., 1919-01-01

feed shortage and scarcity of labor, occasioned by the increasing cotton acreage. The decrease occurred dur ing the period from october, 1917, and May, 191S There will not be a cor responding drop in the production, however, since the majority of the dis carded animals were culls or non producers.
 In fact, the present outlook for the industry is very optimistic, experts aver With a price for dairy products never before eQualed, and the prospect of continued relatively high prices, with likely heavy demand for dairy cattle from this country for European nations whose cattle losses exceeded 5000, GOO head during the war. the pro- ject of enlarged activity and greater interest in dairying never was better. This renewed interest has begun to show markedly in many sections of the state, particularly in the Salt River valley, where cotton has offered sucn strong competition.
 A further conception of the scope of the industry may be gained from the manner in which the available supply is distributed. The disposal Of milk in the state is apportioned in the following percentages: 2214 per cent for retail consumption per cent is utilized by the ice cream stores and soda fountains. D per cent is con densed, and the remainder, or AT. per cent, is made into butter and cheese.
 The price of milk ranges from II cents per quart to 20 cents per quart delivered at the door of the consumer The lower price is received in many oi the smaller towns, among which are Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Pima and safford. The higher prices prevail mainly in the mining districts of Je- rome, Oatman, Clifton and Morenci where the cost of production, owing to the impossibility of growing feed locally, plus the high cost of distribu- tion. leaves but a small margin oI profit on what appears, at first glance a very high price for retail milk.
 Tucson's delivery price to consum- CTS is IS cents per quart, an increase 0l 3 cents since November l of this year Phoenix retailers distribute milk at l; cents a quart for A grade and F ]. cents for B grade.
 In spite of the higher feed costs ant scarcity of labor, the price of retai milk to the consumer in Arizona f lower than many states. The stan dards as laid down by city ordinances and the state dairy law insures wholesome product that in general i
 above the quality of milk offered 10
 consumption in other states. Only one grade of butter is manu
 factured at each of the creameries
 There is q possibility, however, ti1a upon the recommendation of Stat
 Commissioner Barr. there will ulti mately be a system installed for 1 graduation of the milk and the crear i as it is. received at the plants whic
 will allow payment for a product upo
 the basis of quality, and also permit 1 latitude in the retail prices betwee ] the grades turned out by the cream 1 cries
 Fun cream half skim and sl1ir milk cheese are made by the variou i factories in Maricopa county. Tn | percentage of skim milk cheese ha increased during the past two year: ] The greater percentage of butter an l cheese is consumed locally. a1thoug
 some butter reaches New Mexico an 1 Texas points. Cheese, in addition t
 sales in that territory. is distribute
 to some extent in California, and tn
 total sales supplemented by a occasional shipment to the easter ! United States.
 1 Approximately SO per cent of the te
 tai number of dairy cows in the stat
 are found in Maricopa county. Thi
 county is also practically the sol | producer of the manufactured pro ] duCfS.