Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-10-26
abtpbtrSstown Register.
sArUnDAY..---..--OCr. 20. lsss


~ has hau Hiuch " say aoout sno pm"
tablcness Of dairy farming which is car
ried on extensively in that part OF Hi
nois where he resides, and the thought
has occurred to us that if that branch OF
husbandry can be made to pay so well
there, how much better it may pay here.
Let US look for moment at some OF
the many advantages we possess, and
see if some of our enterprising farmers,
who are dependent upon grain raising
could not probably engage in this
branch of farming, and thereby improve
their financial condition, their land, and
give to our people wholesome, palata-
Bile article Of food, and that too, at a
cheaper rate than is now paid for meats.
In the first place We will state that
cheese is more wholesome, more nour-
ishing, and better calculated for food
than meat, and in many places in our
country, as we'll as in England, is fast
taking the place of meats. We have
not the space at this time to enter into
discussion of the merits of cheese as an
article of food, but suffice it to say that
in all cheese-producing countries, and
all countries where it can be pro-
cured at reasonable cost it is largely
used by all classes, because it is consld-
cred far better as an article of diet than
either fresh or salt meats. But now
a word as to our advantages for be-
coming dairy district. First, that por-
ton of Jefferson and Berkeley counties
lying contiguous to Shepherdstown,
and which should trade here, is abuDd-
antly supplied with pure, cold running
water, furnished by the many springs
which are to be found upon almost
every farm. This is the first requisite,
and an important one. Second, our lands
abound with the most luxuriant grasses,
for pasture, while our meadows yield
immense crops Of timothy and clover
hay, which is essential in dairy regions
Third, onr winters are neither as long
nor as severe as the winters in the dairy
sections of the northwest, Pennsylva-
Fla, New York or the New England
States. This is a decided and highly
important advantage.
Fourth, our pasture start up earlier
i'll the spring and continues longer in
The fall than it does in any OF the. dali
~ countries, and therefore it would
cost less here to keep the COWS than it
does where dairying is the chief en-
ployment of farmers.
Fifth, We already have in many sec
tions around US as good cows as can be
found anywhere, and by little care
and attention, the breed of COWS can De
greatly improved.
The above are few of the many ad-
yantages possessed by this section and
which are everywhere considered ne
cessary in dairy country. Mr.. Nc
Glincy suggests that some enterprising
man, with little capital, should erect
and operate cheese factory, using the
milk produced by the farmers who
might be induced to furnish it, and he
is strong in his belief that if a factory
should be put up and properly operated
it would pay handsome profit on the
investment, while the farmers would
make more money from their cows than
they now make by raising grain.
A suitable Building, for the manufac-
ture of both butter and cheese, furnish
ed with all the appliances necessary for
conducting the business, can be erected,
for about $500. This would give
capacity for the milk of 800 or 400
COWS. 1t requires about ten pounds of
milk (and the cream is not to be taken
from the milky to make one pound Of
cheese. 1t takes, on an average about
twenty-five pounds of milk to make a
pound of butter. In the dairy districts
the milk is sold by weight instead OF
measure. A gallon of milk weighs
fraction over eight pounds. lE making
both butter and cheese from the same
milk, two prices are thus obtained for
the milk. The milk is delivered at the
factory every morning, where it is al
lowed to stand in large watts, from
twenty -four to thirty-six hours, when it
Is skinned, and the cream is then
churned, and the skinned milk is made
into cheese, after the cheese is made
there is left a large quantity Of whey,
which makes excellent food for hogs.
A good market can be had at home,
in the groceries, for large portion ofthe
product, while ready sale for the sur
plus will be found at all times in Balti-
NOR, Philadelphia or New York. Mr..
McGlincy informs us that frequently
cheese merchants from the larger cities
of our own country and from Canada
and Liverpool, England, visit the cheese
board of trade at Elgir, of which he is
secretary, and make large purchases OF
both butter aud cheese, and so great is
the demand for American made cheese
in England, that Notwithstanding that
there are about 5000 factories in opera
ton in the United States, there is no
surplus cheese in the country, and no
likelihood that there will be So long as
good merchantable article is produced.
The completion of the Shenandoah
Valley Railroad, will give us the advan-
tage of the Eastern markets, low
freights and enable us to compete with
other sections,now engaged in dairying,
especially, the northwest, as We will
then be much nearer the Eastern markets
than they are. We may revert to this
question in the future, and in the mean-
time we advise our readers to study
this question, and learn from those who
are successfully following the business,