The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-12-08
About Geauga County.

Our attention has been drawn to scme In
terestiug articles in the Cleveland Herald,
from the pen of "B. F. A." upon the situa- /,
tion, mean annual temperature, annual
rain fall, soil, dairies, cheese factories, &c
of this County. which has como to be
known, the world over, as tho great Cheese
County. Most Of tho facts stated in these
articles, especially those in relation to the
manufacture of cheese in factories,--are so
familiar to our people, who have had ample
opportunities for observing the process, that
xo shall repeat only few Of them. The
writer says:
"This little county, containing only 400
equare miles, or about one one. hundredth
part Of the area of the whole State made
in the year 1861, {and IL has steadily and
rapidly increased the amount sinCo,) fully
one fifth of oil the cheese manufactured In
the State, see Ohio Agricultural Report for
1862: page So.
"That the farmers Of this section duly ap- |
preciate the superior adaptation Uf their |
soil, climate, situation, &C., for grazing and
dairy purposes, and design to mako this
one of tho many means at their disposal
for improving their financial interests, is |
shown by the fact that, of tho 256, 900 acres,
In round numbers, included within tbeir
county, about l6O 600 arc in pasture aud
mradop to 10000 titled Previous to the
introduction of Cheese. factories, tho West
ern Reserve Cheese had found lie way into
every market, and bad secured o world
wide reputation for excellence In quality
and flavor. See Ohio Agricultural Report
of 1862. Ready sales at remunerative pri.
COS, for all tho cheese tho skill and enorgy
of its farmers could annually produce. slim
u;ated them to careful and scientific ex
animation of the whole process of cheese
making, from The newly drawn milk to tho
finished article ready "cured' for market, to
see iu what way the quality of tho product
might be still further improved; the labor
attendant on its manufacture iessentd; the
time requisite for tho "curing" process
shortened without injury to quality or flavor,
and the annual product increased ,cilh0ut
increasing the labor. This finally resulted
iu the adoption of the cheese factory sys.
ten. This, though Il has been IN operation
but . few years, has nevertheless already
wrought complete revolution. The quaD.
sity made bas been largely increased, and
the labor attendant reduced TO minimum
tho quality and flavor has been 20 far I'm
proved that the factory product sells at an
advance over that of private dairies, more
than sufficient, generally, TO pay the iOhoie
cost of tts manu- }acture. Now the dairying
labors Of tho farmer, whother no b0 the
owner of one COW or many, end with draw
ing the milk and putting it in the large "hr
can," sianding on an eievated platform bs
the roadside, near his milking yard. yet hs
pockets an amount of proceeds fully eqna
70 what he would have done had he WORKED
up and marketed the same himself.
"Tbere are now in succeossful operation
In this county, eighteen cheese factories
which work up into American dairy or cted
dar Cheese, tho milk of about Ia, 900 cows
OF these l.. j. Randall has three, one il
Chardon, ono In Burton and one II
Montville; Budlong g. Stokes have two
ono in Chardon aud ono in ParkmaD; f.
Smith one in Thompson; Mr. Langston on
IN Ham bden; Chase & Armstrong. one II
East Claridon, A. ID. HallJ ono in Clsridor
A. Bartlett, ono In MunsoD; l.. Bar tIott. on
In Chester; 8. Baker and s. Freeman, each
one 10 Newbury; d. l.. Pope, one 10 Troy
Il. Hood, one in Auburn; Z. Richards an
E. stanhope, each, ono 10 Bainbridge; On
Burton Armstrong, ono in Huntsburgh.-
Tho milk is either bought by tho gallon q
worked up and marketed at o certain pt
cent" - -- i.-t b. .'.- ..' .,.
Much 90 has been said and written abo,
the Cheese-Trade Of this County, full ju
tice has never been dono to the subject
The number of cows which furnish milk
our eighteen factories, wo presume Is NJ
overstated at $4,000. The whole number
pounds Of cheese manufactured in Il
County, In the year 1864, was 4,2iO,ll3,
neariy one million more than in any 9th
County in the State, which, at an average
twenty oents per pound. would amount
$848,022 60. When we consider that II
large sum was raised, last year, from q
sale Of the cheese alone, and that there 10
least one other important source Of reven
connected with tho business, II Is evido
shat the Cheese Trade of the County,
the year 1865. must nearly or quite equ
a million Of dollars. These eighteen fact
ries annually fatten some 1900 ho
averaging not less than 200 lbs. each VIII
sold in the Eastern market, making On o
Gregate weight of 10000 lbs, and amour
ing. at an average Of 10 cts. per lb,
$4,000. 5a.i ..u -.sa ... ....l lAl
Cheese 10 tho greatest staple Of Geau
County yet there are q. least three 9th
worthy Of mention, as will be seen from I
following exhibit, based upon the latest
ssssors' returns on Ale in tho Office Of
County Auditor:
1864. No. lbs. Price ID. Total pr
Cheese, 4,240l:3 20 cts. &848. .022
Better, 9-h 6i3,s58 80 ''' I54 007