Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1885-05-07
BAIRYING IN THE WEST.
Tho Advantages Over Other Parts Of the
Cnuntrv

Chicago Times, men who had achieved
considerable success in central New
York in keeping cows and in making
butter and cheese were invited to at
tend the meetings of dairymeu's as
sociations in the west, for the purpose
of imparting information. No doubt
they accomplished considerable good
in the matter of aifording instruction
in the establishment of butter and
cheese factories and in the sale of
dairy products. In one respect their
speaking had Il bad effect. Their cs-
innate of the capabilities of the west
to produce milk, butter, and cheese
that would compare in excellence with
those produced in York staten was
exceedingly discouraging. Some of
them thought that only inferior articles
would ever be produced on prairie
farms. They declared tnat il required
a somewhat hllly country to furnish
the grasses that produce the best milk,
and they stated that spring water was
essential to successful dairying. A
few took a rather more hopeful view
OF the matter. They expressed the
belief that grasses suitable for the pro-
duction of good milk would sometime
be raised on the prairies. They thought,
however, that one generation Of men
would be required to prepare farms
for the occupation of dairying. After
the native prairie sod was reduced,
drains were cut, and the land kept in
cultivated crops for thirty or forty
years, they thought that, good past
urcs OF tame grass might be establish
ed and good milk produced. 1t was
well enough to make in the meantime
some butter and cheese for the supply
OF local markets, where the patrons
were not very particular, and some of
these inferior dairy products might
llhd sale in the east at prices much
below those realized by eastern dairy
men. Many who listened to the re-
marks of these "wisc men from the
east abandoned the idea OF becoming
dairymcn, and others diligently labor
ed to improve their farms so that their
boys, in a distant future, might make
good butter and cheese. None or at
least very few, thought that they
could successfully compete with York
state dairymcn in the production OF
butter and cheese designed for first.
class customers in the great cities OF
the country.
1t took but few years to demon.
strato the fact that the great prairie,
OF the northwest were capable of pro
ducing rs much and as excellent graS,
as any territory in the country. II
fact, it was shown that the nativ,
grass OF the praricS furnished
good food for mllch cows, anC
that The pasture grasses that are il
favor in other places could be intro
duccd on prairie sod with very little
difficulty. With good grass and Al
abundance of grains, and with tn,
same breeds OF cows that were kent il
the dairy regions of the eastern states
there was no trouble in obtaining gO5t
milk. Skillful hands converted thi
milk into butter and cheese of excel
lent quality. At several national an,
international fairs butter and chccs,
made in Illinois, Wisconsin. and Iowa
were awarded the highest prizes. !
reputation was gained at home and il
foreign countries. The proprictors 0
western crcamcrics and cheese fac
tories were proud to put their name
on all the packages they sent out
They established boards OF trade il
all the large towns which were dair,
crntcrs, and caused the wholcSal,
dealers in butter and cheese to atten,
them in order to obtain goods to sci
again. They saved the margin Ion!
allowed commission merchants. abol
lshed the credit system in dlsposing o
Hairy products, and adopted sounc
business rules.
The prospect for dairying in tn
states and territories composing tn
northwest are now excellent. Thi
portion of the country cniOys ad
yantagcs for dairying not posscsse,
elsewhere. II is an excellent countr
ior producing grass, which is the foot
chiefly relied ON for making milk. Til
fertility OF the soil has not been ex
haustcd by the continuous production
OF grain, hops, and tobacco, as is th
case in many parts Of the east. Cor
aud all the smaller grains are chiell
raised. No commercial fertilizers ar
required in order to produce larg
crops. 1t is easier and cheaper to col
lrct herds OF dairy cows in the yves
than in the east. The production @
. beef is one of the leading institution,
Parties purchasing or raising animal
to tattcn prefer steers, and cows ca
readily be obtained for dairy purpose,
The facilities for marketing westor
DAIRY products are now almost over,
thing that could be desired. There
an extensive local market. Butter an
cheese are in constant demand to SUI
ply mining towns in the distant wcs
and lumbcr-camps in the north. ScN
cral times during the past few ycal
the complaint has been made by eas
crn dairymen that butter and chee,
j were carried from Iowa to Bosto
. cheaper than from Vermont. Tran
5 pOrtatiOn companies now cOntraC
to deliver western dairy prot
D ucts in Liverpool and Glasgow
= rates that were not anticipated fe
i. years ago.
In many places capital is necessal
c TO develop the dairy interest in Il
C west. The farmers have no money
/. put in butter and cheese factorie
Il They generally commenced poo
They have spent years in mpr0vlr
: their places. All the money the
,. could obtain from the sale of croI
v has been exhausted in making fence
4. erecting buildings. breaking the so
and purchasing machinery. Tn,
p. might exchange some of the stock tn,
rs now have for dairy cows, but they ha'
0, not the money to erect buildings su
able for butter and cheese factori
,r and to purchase suitable machine
ID and implements for them. Mo
c knowledge of the proper sholteril
and care of milch cows is also wal
ii ed, and more instruction is needed
IN the art of milking, the care of milk, t
cs raising OF cream, and the manufactu
of butter and cheese. Western far
n, ers have been advised to convert tn
IL grass and grain into meat and wool
order to save in the matter of ira,
portation. There is a greater saw
IN the matter of transportation in CO
" verting grass and grain into but
: and cheese than into meat and W,
i Another thing necessary to perm
d nenoy of snccess in dairying is rcta
.. ing deserved reputation for exc
ID lence in the articles produced and |
II on the market. The adulteration