Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-03-11
#iseellaueous.
ASSOCIATED DAIRYING IN MAINE.
Operations of our Cheese Factories I'm 1874

Operations of our Cheese Factories I'm 1874
By GEO. L. BRACKETT, OF BELFAST.
[Abstract of paper and tabulated report read
before the Maine Board of Agriculture at Water
vile session Feb. 1875
Associated dairying, so far as relates to
making cheese by the factory system, is
now fairly established in Maine. During
last years milk season there were forty
factories running and so far as can learn
not single failure, and but very few but
were entirely satisfactory to the patrons.
Considering all the facts-the newness OF
the enterprise, our inexperience. and all
the unavoidable drawbacks and obstacles,
this universal success is certainly most
wonderful, and must be considered as
marking new era in progressive agricul-
ture in our State
The following brief summary of opera
tions of the factories in the State last year
is made up from the full tabulated report.
Returns were received from SO of the
| 40 factories. Allowing the average pro-
duet for the factories not reporting and
we have 1,028, 107 lbs. or 514 tons Of
cheese as the product of our factories last
year. The average price obtained was
Sl64.2l6 as the cash value of cheese made
by the factories of Maine in 1874. The
largest amount any one factory made was
40tons. Average cost of factories 81 .911.
Longest time any factory operated 166
days or five and one-half months; shortest
45 days. Average amount of milk re-
quired to make pound of cheese frac-
tion less than 10 lbs.
Of tho ahOvo Waldo cnuntv hos uiuo foo.
tories which manufactured 81 tons Of
cheese. Their factories average 10 cows
each; returned S21 per COW for the short
season cheesemaking cost 2 1-2 cts. per
ID. paid $50 per month and board for
cheesemakers cheese boxes cost IA cts.
each; cheese brought Is cts. per ID. paid
y cts. per gallon for milk. when bought;
value whey at 2 cts. per gallon; used
mostly domestic rennets, at 13 cts. per ID.
and average value OF mich cows during
milk season was $52.
| According to present indications there
will be about 60 factories in operation in
Maine in summer of 1875. This addition
with the more cows furnishing milk and
the longer season they will operate, will
make the product Of next season at least
1900 tons of cheese in Maine.
These returns suggest many ideas and
thoughts, only few of which can be re-
terred TO. Perhaps the greatest need of
our factories at present is more cows.
They are not half stocked. The average
is only | "A to each while their capacity
with but a slight outlay is sufficient to
manufacture the milk of 250 to 400 cows.
New York factories average over 250.
Then comes the question Of obtaining more
cows, and as we shall grow to need more
and more each year cannot too strongly
impress upon our farmers the necessity OF
saving and raising every heifer calf for
the next three years.
Our factory buildings cost more than is
absolutely necessary. The average is
about $500. Still fine building well
built, finished and blinded is an ornament
to the town where located. In all cases
possible one story should be finished for q
hall and used during the winter and spring
for agricultural meetings and be made
the headquarters OF the local farmers club,
grange, or society. The most convenient
and common size seems to be 60x30 feet,
three Stories or two stories and basement
the latter is preferable when it can be
obtained.
The cheese box question is to be of i'm
portance as our products increase and
cheese are to be sent any distance to mar
ket. They can be made at home and
furnished at a shilling apiece. At least
25,000 boxes will be required next season.
The value of whey has been largely
overlooked. Experiments made last sea
son prove it to be but little if any inferior
to sour milk for feeding to hogs. Its val
ue is reckoned at two cents per gallon. 1t
probably can be made to pay the ex-
penses of collecting the milk for the fac
tory.
The cheese maker question is of the
greatest Importance. We are every year
paying out large sums to men from the
West to operate our factories when it can
lust as we'll be done by our own citizens
and the money kept at home. We have
neglected to see that sufficient number of
young men have been taught how to make
cheese in our factories during the past two
seasons. Our Western cheese makers
cost us over S15 per month. Let us stop
this drain.
The methods of operating factories, the
needs OF the dairy, &C.. &C., are questions
which we can only touch upon in short
paper. Factory cheese making is yet in
its infancy in Maine and we yet only un-
derstand the outlines of the business. as
it were.
The paper concludes by re-iterating that
associated dairying is peculiarly adapted
to Maine, and as pleasant business; as a
practical method Of converting raw farm
products into concentrated form for
market; as an enterprise which adds to
the real value of any town or neighbor-
hood; as an investment which makes
fair direct return in dollars and cents, and
above all as a turning point in our system
of agriculture which must add to and
gradually Increase the fertility OF our
farms it is worthy our most candid con.
sideraton. | earnestly recommend the
farmers of our State TO examine the SUBJ
ject and when circumstances are favora.
BILE introduce associated dairying by fac
tory cheese making, for it seems to me
that in the general introduction Of this
branch OF farming we are making new
departure in the agricultural prosperity of
Maine
D,,vn DnaE N h o0f CeOaE al