Connecticut western news., 1875-07-23

EDITOR NEWS. The glorious Fourth has come and gone; we have celebrated it in our noisiest and most patriotic style, ard nothing remains to be done but to settle down again to the prosy realities of life. Ashtabula county broke out in half doz- en celebrations of greater or less interest and burned powder, rang bells, made speeches and drank whiskey, as the aver age American crowd infalliblY does, and is now pluming itself upon having done its whole duty ungrudgingly.
 It is pity our venerable forefathers could not have made the anniversary occur in September, when the weather is more endurable, but as it is the American people really earn it by the sweat of their brows. ,
 I told you in my last letter that our coun- ty is devoted to dairying and promised to say something of cheese manufacture and it's ex tent. Ten years ago, although there was doubtless very nearly as much cheese made as now, the work was all done at home, and cheese making was as necessary an accomplishment (f it may be called one) for the farmers wife as was the art of making bread; but within the past few years factories have sprung up in almost every neighborhood, and to use the com mon phrase of the people, we send our milk
 Before every farm house is the rough milkstand upon which the large cans are placed to await the never-failing milk wag- on's arrival, and behind the house is the empty cheese room and the unused press, generally very gladly relinquisAed. think I am safe in saying there are thirty large factories in successful operation in this county-some of them owned by one indi- vidual, but generally built and controlled by stock company of wealthy farmers. One in the eastern part of this village uses the milk of HOO COWS daily, and employs a force of tidy, deft-handed assistants who do honor to their trade.
 In June, cheese to the number of 300 was shipped from this factory to Europe, and their agent tells me the April cheese paid to the patrons II 37-10O cents per lb. net, which is considered fair price. An other factory in Richmond is using 12, ,OOO pounds of milk daily. l might give pages of statistics to show tho extent of the man. ufacture, but as they make letter rather heavy for after-tea digestion, may be for given for neglecting them.
 So many of the farmers patronize the la- bor-saving factories that butter always brings good price and iss often unpleas- antly scarce; to. meet this emergency, a large creamery has been opened at Ando- yer, in the southeastern part of the county, which promises to prove as profitable as the factories. Of course there are pains taking farmers wives with small dairies who choose to make butter rather than sell the milk; but these never go begging for customers and must be spoken for at least a year in adYauce. 3. must not omit to mention the great cheese that is to be made at Orwell factory next May in time for the Philadelphia Centennial. The hoop is II feet high, and it is intended to weigh 2O,- 900 pounds.
 A wealthy English farmer in Morgan, sent gigantic cheese to Queen Victoria some fifteen years ago, which created quite Q sensation. Her letter and the silver testi. monial accompanying it are treasured sa- credly by his family,
 Crops are uncommonly backward with us, with the exception of grass, which is just ready to cut. We have had plenty of rain, and the grass was never heavier than now. Fruit will be scarce I see you have but just become acquainted with the Colo rado potato bug; we have endured them for three seasons with no great diminution or increase, and can assure you that 'eter- nal vigilance is the price of peace.' and of potatoes as well. BAD.
 Jefferson, Ohio, July 18th, 1875.