The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-01-07
Cheese and Soil.

Every now and then statement is
circulated that there are only certain
limited localities in which it is possible
to make the finest grades of cheese.
Great Importance is attached to some
mysterious quality of soil, or some pc
culiarity of the water, or to some specific
variety of grass, or to a multitude of va
rieties, or perhaps it is assumed to be a
question of blowing and reseeding, or
not blowing at all, old pastures being
the essential point. Such opinions are
not uncommon. In Central New York
the Frankfort and Utica States were at
one time supposed to be unequaled for
fine cheese in the United States, but it
has turned out that just as good cheese
can now be made elsewhere.
1t is not many years since there was q
current opinion among dairymen in the
States, and among Canadians them
selves, that Canada could never compete
with the United States in cheese. There
was something, it was thought, in the
soil, especially around Ingersoll, where
cheese factories were first introduced,
which made the cheese hard and insipid
and lacking in richness. But all this is
now changed. In three competitive
trials Canada has beaten the States, and
to-day the cheese of Western Ontario, of
which Ingersoll is the center, stands I'M
surpassed in the markets of England and
Scotland. In Great Britain similar no.
tons prevail for which no better reasons
have ever been assigned, and which APP
pear to be equally groundless. The as
sertion that first-class Cheddar cheese
can only be made in one or two counties
of England and Scotland is not sustained
by facts,
The fact is, fancy cheese is confined to
no spot in this or any other country.
The quality of cheese does not necessa-
rily depend on soil or climate. 1t is de-
termined by the adaptation of manu-
facture to the varying conditions of milk.
Soil, to limited extent, affects the quail
ity of milk. 1t affects both its cheesy
matter and its favoring oils; but, by
adapting the manufacture to suit varia-
tions, fancy cheese can be turned out
anywhere that healthy milk can be pro-
duced. The same may be said of butter.
The dairyman who complains that he
cannot make good cheese in this place or
that, because the soil, or the water, or
the grass will not admit of his doing so,
may safely be set down as not under
standing his business. He makes cheese
by stereotyped -empirically, and
without regard to or knowledge of the
fundamental principles in the process.
Of course, he cannot vary to suit changed
conditions, and he makes failure.
A distinguished butter and cheese
maker in Illinois remarked, few years
ago; that it was very unsafe to employ
Eastern men to make butter or cheese in
Illinois They invariably brought with
them their Eastern customs, which were
not adapted to Illinois milk. Their own
citizens were much more successful, be-
ing accustomed to the peculiarities of
the location. But Western man would
be as much at fault in the East as an
Eastern man in the West. Both work
with very little or no reference to the
agencies or laws which control their re-
suits. These are, in truth, but little I'M
derstood anywhere. They need more
investigation to develop them. When
this is done, and the laws which govern
the operations become better known,
dairy products will take an immense
stride in quality, and their manufacture
be matter of as much certainty us any
other manufactured product. Professor
l.. b. AraoId.