Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-10-27
Origin of the American System Of
Associated Dairylng.

As some of the readers of the FARMER
may not be familiar with the origin of the
system of dairyng now SO common, and
which has done SO much to improve the
quality and reputation of the dairy products
of the country, and in relieving the over.bur-
de ned hands of woman of one OF her heaviest
loads, we copy from Arnold's American Dali
rying the following interesting account OF its
origin.
The system of associated dalrying origi.
mated with jesse Williams Of Rome, n. Y,
in 1851. Its origin is regarded by many as
accidental, but | do not SO consider it.
We had arrived at a stage 10 the progress
Of dairy husbandry where closer study Of
the art, especially OF cheese-making, began
to be awakened, and men prominent for their
skill and intelligence began to make their
influence felt in the quality of cheese.
Prominent among these early pioneers in the
improvement Of cheese. making were Harvey
Harrington, who introduced and explained
the use Of acidity, aud the effect Of rigening
milk for improving cheese; A. l.. Fish,
Harry Burrell, Jacob Ellison, Il. d. Brown
Nathan Arnold, all of Herkimer county, and
many others who might be named. These
men, who in advance Of Mr.. Williams, be.
came noted for their skill in cheese making
are still living, and with the harness yet on,
are still laboring in their old age to advance
the progressive movement they did much in
their early days to inaugurate.
In 1874 a cheese factory was built in
Goshen, Conn, by Lewis NJ. Norton, which
is still IN use by his descendant, Ed. Norton.
The milk supplying this factory was cOagu-
lated at the farms, and the curd taken to
the factory to be converted into cheese. 1t
was an easy step from the association OF
curds to the association Of milk.
The necessity OF the plan introduced by
Mr.. Williams was becoming so apparent,
and so strongly felt, that it could not much
longer have escaped recognition had not his
clear head and practical ability put it in sue.
cessful operation. There is evidence Of this
in the fact that the fundamental idea of his
plan had also occurred to others in different
parts OF the country, and that a system
closely analogous had been in operation il
Switzerland for more than century.
This view does not detract anything from
the credit due to Mr.. Williams as the origin
ator OF the American dairy system. Hi
lie leadership in the matter is fully recognized
and acknowledged, and it entities him no
only to the credit Of originally, but to thu
profound thanks Of the whole dairy publi
for his timely Inauguration Of the NEST i'm
portant Improvements ever introduced in tn
dairy interest. The view take Of the par
he played, makes him, like Ericsson, with hi
Monitor, and as inventors generally are,
necessary link in the chain Of progressiv,
events.
The circumstance which gave Iise to asso
ciated dairying was the fact that the prod
ucts Of Mr.. Williams dairy would sell for
higher price than those of his son living nea
him. To secure for his son the same pric
/. no received for his own, he took his son
milk in with his own, who divided with hir
the cost of manufacturing, and then share
with him pro rata, according to the pound
Of milk each had furnished. This prove
: advantageous to both. 1t reduced the COS
q Of manufacturing the milk OF both, and er
G hanced the price of the sous cheese. FroI
this hint, the milk Of one neighbor aftC
: another was taken into the partnership, ii
the dairy house of Mr.. Williams became th
S general mandatory for the milk Of the da
c ries around him. Thus the original idea
a introduced by Mr.. Williams, embraced mi
Cling the milk OF several herds in one man
factory, so that the best skill Of the neig
9 borhood could be applied to the whole.
This idea is now receiving moro g
t tended application. One expert now Oft
10 controls the operations in q number OF fact
ries ranging from two to twenty or NOR
= In this way the rare skill Of superior exper
q is made available to its utmost extent Th
8 extension of skill is tho all important cha
o acteristic of the factory system distinguish
n from private dairies. An occasional eXpe
may be found in family dairying, but it
not possible TO find one in every famil
The great bulk of products manufactured
.. dairies must be made by mediocre or in
!. rior skill. But it is possible to fnd in
# whole neighborhood one or more super
1. hands, and in the territory occupied by
# number of factories it is always easy to e
Nc one expert whose skill can bring the prC
?. ucts Of all the factories he can preside ov
,r up to the highest point Of perfection kno'
d. to the art
10 This new departure in American dairy
10 has done as much, if not more to elevate
as standard OF American dairy products, Il
nt the original idea Of assOciating dairies.
Nv yet, this advantage has been chiefly
a piled to cheese-making, but there is an eq
of necessity for applying it to butter-maki
ii. aud even greater necessity, since the b
he ter interest is, at least, three times as Ia
n. as the cheese interest.
le- The grain trade in England is agitated
re the serious aspect Of the Eastern quest