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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 68
Dairy Produce
Dairy Produce.
Average consumption, estimated for the United States by Mr Atkinson (Distribution of Products, p.350), ½ pint of milk, 1½oz. to 2oz. of butter, and a scrap of cheese, at a fraction under 5 cents (2½d) per day per adult.
At dairy farmers' prices for 1886-7 this amounts to 2d a day (milk, 3½d a quart; butter, 9d per lb; cheese, 5½d per lb). Reckoning our population as equal to 500,000 adults—2 children under 10 equal to one adult—we arrive at a consumption of £1,520,590 which, adding exports of dairy produce, £151,194, amounts to a total of £1,671,781.
Mr Atkinson's estimate seems to allow too little milk for children, seeing the amount of milk and milk puddings that they consume; but, on the other hand, the official returns of our dairy produce do not give the amount of butter he assumes. These returns are certainly worth very little, being compiled from the statements of settlers many of whom have really no idea of how much they are producing; but as I prefer to follow the statistics in all cases, I shall accept them, and allow 1d a head a day for milk. This makes a large amount for milk, but the work of distributing is very expensive, and much of it is done by the farmers. The total is only £5 a cow, against £8 10s in Victoria The estimate will then be—
| Butter | £456,411 |
| Cheese | 105,297 |
| Milk | 879,292 |
| £1,440,000 |