The union Democrat., 1870-04-02
Ghe Nninn 9fmutrat.
California Dairying.

In enumerating a few Of the peculari:iss
and advantages attending darying and stock
raising in California, it may be remarked that
one OF the strongest points il favor of both
branches oil the business arises from the fact
that no shelter. and but little or no fodder,
are required for the subsistence of either
sheep or cattle; whereby the trouble and cost
attendant upon keeping them in other coun-
tries are materially reduced. Domestic ami
mails OF oil kinds are, moreover, singularly
exeiaDt from disease. nothing like an epiden,-
ic ever having prevailed among them on this
coast. The period of maternity 10 earlier
here than elsewhere. and the animals are pro-
lific in bearing. Cows calse here when bat
two years old, and often much earlier. They
are, also, naturally gentle, and easily manag-
ed. In milking, the dairyman seems to have
but little trouble with the cows. They
. stand well, and the large number OF TWEEN
~, and even twenty-five COWS, is assigned to
n single mixer, who gets through with them
Mt the rate Of about six minutes to .each ami
NAL.
The season of milking in California usual
ly begins in December, and lasts eight or nine
months. The milk. though apt to be rich, is
not so abundant here. taking the season
through, as Ia countries where the grass is
kept growing throughout the summer and
autumn. In the spring and early summer
the cows yield large quantities, but gradusllv
dry up MS the season advances. The product
averages about l75 pounds of butter and 215
pound of cheese TO each COW. per season. The
Wholesale prices of butter in the San Francis
co market have, until the present spring.
ranged nearly as follows: Beginning at sew
enty cents. during the latter part Of Novem-
her. they have gradually dropped to forty-fve
cents by the end Of February; ruling, through
March. April, and May, at from thirty TO
thirty-fve cents. On the approach of the
dry season, in Jure, they begin again to ad.
vance, going steadily up to seventy or seventy
Eve cents, until the end of November. When
the price falls below forty cents, the large
dairymen pack down most of their butter, re-
serving it for better market. 1t is roughly
estimated that six million pounds Of butter
and five million pounds of cheese were made
in California during the year 1862 there hav
ing been, according to the Commercial Herald,
imported into the State. meantime, from the
East, hy steamer, 25 $3.50 frkins: by railroad,
5,09S frkins and 3, l54 kegs, besides consd-
erable quantity in ether packages. From Or
egon were received Loo packages, about the
canle number of packages of cheese having
arrived from foreign and Eastern ports: by
which it will be seen that the consumption of
those commodities upon this coast is large.
considering it's limited population. A por-
tion of the above, it should be stated, however,
was sent hence to Japan, China, and the Is
lands--all of which derive their chief supply
Of these articles from this port; and in our
comparative proximity to these countries lies
one of the great advantages secured to the
California daryman. as this must always
give him the call Of those markets.-From
"Dairies and Dairying in California;" in
Overland Monthly for April.