Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-07-16
The Dairy Business in Minnesota,

The below expressed views from the Man.
torville Erpress are just the thing, and the ad-
vice is valuable and timely. We must quit
importing aohat zoe can raise at home, and will
never cease in our efforts to develope the Ne
sources, and add to the wealth of Minnesota.
to urge this on our farmers and artisans
But to the article:
We have frequently taken occasion to urge
upon the residents of our young State the ne
cessity of an effort to diversity their industry,
and to diversity it in such manner that, while
they should produce, as far as possible all ar
ticles required for home consumption, their
surplus products should be in form that
would bear transportation.
We have been somewhat surprised that so
few of our farmers have not as yet turned their
attention to the making of cheese, and shall
devote a brief space to the consideration of
the facilities for the business, and the profits
that would attend it in Minnesota First, we
would remark that our country is admirably
adapted to the business. We have soil well
suited to the production of either native or
tame grasses in their greatest perfection. We
have travelled extensively in the Western
States, and for extent, general distribution,
and value of natural meadows, we have never
seen, in any other prairie country, any ap-
proach to what we find here. Root crops are
also produced easily, and in the greatest abun-
dance, which is no small consideration in this
business. With tame pasture for fall and
spring feed, our 70 ldering season would be
shortened at least two months, which would
render it of quite moderate length, and with
roots and wild or tame hay, cattle can be win
tered here with as little expense as in any
northern State. Good springs and streams of
pure water are also indispensable to the sue
cess of the dairy business, and no where are
they more abundant than here. In short, the
country is adapted to the business, and we are
satisfied that with the use of necessary tame
pastures in the fall and spring, and of roots in
the winter, as much butter and cheese may
be made from a COW here as in New York or
Ohio
Let us look, then, at the costs and profits
of cheese making. We will suppose that
man has his farm and the necessary fences
and buildings. A young man and his wife
can attend to twenty cows. These at $50
each will cost $500. A press and other fur
niture will cost, say 500. Twenty good
COWS will produce, to average 300 lbs. of
cheese each, in the season. For this we have
at present, and will have for years to come, a
home market at not less than ten cents per h.
| This would amount to 5000 lbs of cheese, or
six hundred dollars. This does not include
the items of incidental profits, such as milk
and whey for feeding pigs, which are no tri-
| fling matters. And besides attending to the
dairy, the farmer has plenty of time for raising
all necessary grain and other provisions for
his own family. .... -.
We ask, then, what business will pay bet
ter for the capital and labor invested The
entire amount invested in stock is returned
the first year, and the farmer obtains there
after as the reward of bis own labor, each
year, the snug little sum of $500. Need far
mers remain poor? Certainly not, if their
labors are well directed We have spoken Of
making cheese in preference to butter, from
the fact that the latter is made more or less
by every family now, and a surplus would
nave to seek an eastern market, while the for
mer, for many years, will find sale at home
and in neighboring States, at even better than
| eastern prices