BERLIN.

35

supply  was  extended  by  the  Farmers’  Association  as  far  as  the  provinces  of  West
Prussia  and  Posen,  while  successful  experiments  were  made  by  the  dealers  in
the  importation  of  milk  from  Denmark.  The  dispute  benefited  no  one,  and  the
originators  and  shareholders  of  the  "  Milchcentrale  ”  lost  heavily.
Now,  as  before,  the  milk  supply  of  the  city  is  in  the  main  furnished  by
several  dairy  companies  and  over  1,200  private  dealers.  The  largest  dairy
company  has  a  daily  output  of  105,000  quarts  of  milk,  which  is  distributed  by
a  small  army  of  girls  dressed  in  blue.  The  ruling  prices  per  quart  in  October,
1905,  were  2^d.  and  2jd.,  the  higher  figure  being  charged  when  the  milk  is
delivered  in  the  dwellings.  There  is  a  growing  consumption  of  milk  by  the
working  classes.  Not  only  is  its  more  liberal  use  encouraged  by  the  various
societies  which  are  combating  consumption  and  infant  mortality,  but  workmen
more  readily  take  to  it  than  formerly,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  see
masons  carrying  bottles  of  milk  to  their  work.  The  milk  trade  is  carefully
regulated  by  the  police.  Formerly  three  kinds  of  milk  might  be  sold,  “  full
milk  ”  containing  at  least  2*7  per  cent,  fat,  “  half  milk  ”  with  at  least  0  5
per  cent,  fat,  and  skimmed  milk.  Since  1902,  however,  the  intermediate
quality  has  been  prohibited,  and  only  “full  milk”  with  2*7  per  cent,  fat  and
skimmed  milk  with  a  less  percentage  of  fat  are  now  recognised.
The  coal  used  by  the  working  classes  cost  in  October,  1905,  1.9.  2\d.  per
cwt.,  and  that  was  also  the  price  of  coke.  They  buy  as  a  rule,  however,  in
smaller  quantities,  and  poorer  households  fetch  their  coal  in  pails,  which  hold
about  16  lb.,  costing  3d.,  a  price  which  works  out  at  Is.  9d.  per  cwt.  Coke
similarly  bought  cost  1  \d.  per  pail  of  about  9  lb.  Briquettes  costing  8  a  penny
are,  however,  more  used  than  coal  or  coke.  To  economise  fuel  the  large  square
cooking  range  is  often  discarded  and  a  small  portable  iron  stove  is  used
instead  ;  it  stands  beside  the  range,  into  which  its  flue  passes.  In  this  way  a
penny  a  day  can  be  saved,  which  is  a  consideration  in  households  of  restricted
means.
Paraffin  oil  is  the  almost  universal  illuminant  in  middle-class  quite  as  much
as  in  working-class  households.  The  American  quality  at  1  Id.  per  gallon  is
mostly  used.
Predominant  Prices  paid  by  the  Working  Classes  in  October,  1905,  and
March,  1907.

Predominant  Price.

Commodity.

October,  1905.

March,  1907.

Coffee
Sugar  :—
Loaf  •  •  •  •  •
White  Granulated
Bacon  :—
Fat
Streaky  ...
Eggs
Cheese  :—
Tilsit
Limburg  ...
Swiss
Butter
Margarine  ...
Potatoes
Flour  :—
Wheaten  ...
Rye
Bread  :—
Black
Grey
Milk...
Coal  ...  ...  .«
Coke  ...
Paraffin  Oil...

...  per  lb.
...  No.  per  Is.
...  per  lb.
...  per  7  lb.
per  4  lb.
...  per  quart
...  per  cwt.
...  per  gallon.

lid.
2#
2#.,  2|d.
8§d.  to  10#
91d.  to  Is.
17
8§d.
5Id.  to  6#.
lid.
Is.  Id.  to  Is.  2#.
8|d.
2d.,  2fd.
Is.  3\d.
11  id.
4%d.
5#.
2#,  2&d.
Is.  2|d.
Is.  2|d.
lid.

lid.
2#.  to  2|d.
2#
8|d.
9#
lid.
8%d.
6d.  to  6#
Is.  Id.
Is.  24d.
8#.
2fd.
Is.  3\d.
11#
6d.  to  6gd.
6d.  to  7d.
2§d.
Is.  5d.  to  Is  6#.
Is.  4d.
lid.