The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-22

In connection with sheep raising and
wool growing In West Virginia, we have
several times alluded TO the growing de.
nand for home consumption and foreign
export OF American dairy products,
especially cheese. Two years ago All in
teresting report was published in our
columns as TO the extent and profitable
ness OF the cheese making business in
Monroe county, Ohio. AT this time we
have before us the proceedings OF the
eighth annual meeting OF the Wisconsin
Dairymen's Association. It isinteresting
as showing the comparative value OF this
species OF farming as compared with grain
raising. Not only is the direct pecuniary
result 10 the farmer much more salts.
factory, but also the indirect result. In
regard to grain growing, 1t is a matter OF
notoriety that it rapidly exhausts the
soil, even the rich soils Of the West, ill.,
asmuch us it constantly takes from the
ground the vitality Of the soil and gives
back nothing. But 1t is not so with dairy
farming. The farmer who raises COWS and
sells his milk in tho shape OF butter and
cheese is constantly enriching his ground.
All that is raised upon the soil is given
back to it again, and at the end OF series
OF years his farm is even more productive
than at the outset. This has been The ex-
perience in Northern New York, Northern
Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin. Small
farms have been made immensely valua-
bic in this way, and the owners OF them
have derived larger aud more reliable in
comes than those who depended on raising
cereal or root crops.
At this time the demand for American
cheese is immense. A large portion OF
every steamers cargo to England consists
OF cheese. The English are cheese cat
ing nation, 1t serves them in the place OF
meat and butter at many OF their meals.
The future Of the demand is spoken Of as
practically unlimited, for even at the pres
ent prices Of cheese 1t is cheaper food
than meat or butter.
From paper read before the Wisconsin
Association We make the following ex-
tract:
The first reason give in favor OF the
dairy Is that 1t Is much more certain than
any other kind OF farming, 1t being much
more so than any kind OF grain.raising.
Instead OF being dependent upon few
DAYS the dairyman has the whole year in
which 10 make his crop. II is only the
summer drouth that We fear, and when
this comes so as to lessen the crop the
price is always advanced. Another reason
advanced in favor OF the dairy isit does not
exhaust the soil. Instead Of exhaustingt the
soil it Is constantly growing better. This |
regard as an important item In the balance
sheet OF the farmer. Instead OF selling
his farm by the busbel, as does the grain
farmer, the product OF the farm goes back
upon II TO enrich 1t. Another advantage
which the dairy has over tho grain farm
is the difference in the cost OF transporta.
ton. Have any computed the cost OF send
ing the same value In grain and cheese
10 The seahoardP Having had experience,
he gave figures that enlightened them. A
carload OF butter in New York to-day
would bring $1,000, and 1t would cost to
got II their by rail S2SS. A carload OF
good cheese would bring $500, and 1t
would cost to get It carried $40. A car
load OF wheat would sell for 5000, and it
would cost 500 to carry it. A carload OF
corn would bring 1915, costing in transit
tho same amount. Now II we send wheat
enough TO bring US as much money as the
carload OF butter, I'VE shall have 10 send
4 6GG bushels, and the freight upon It
would be 81, no, difference In favor oil
the butter OF 1851. Thus It will be seen
the more condensed and valuable the pro- |
duct, the greater saving In freight"
This extract exempliHes the point we set
out to make, that Of enriching the land.
1t also mentions an other point OF great
Importance, the greater certainty Of
satisfactory pecuniary results. In a hill
country like this region, It's all important
to save the land from washing as much as
possible, and in no way can this be done
save by devoting such land 10 stock
raising, aud experience has proven that
no species OF stock raising Is more con-
duciye TO the qualification Of the land
than sheep raising, and, next to IT, the
keeping OF COWS for dairy purposes.
Switzerland is largely devoted TO the dairy
business, and even that precipidous
country has been made comparatively
fertile by this industry. The best cheese
IN the world Is made in that country.
i