Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-02-15
MILK INDUSTRY.
a BUSINESS THAT HAS GROWN
TO GREAT PROPORTIONS.
Best Kind of Cows for the Purpose
The Legal Standard In Diffcr-
cnt Statcs-Fnshlonab
Color In England.

| ly depends. The dairy industry OF
| the United States has attained enor-
nous proportions III recent years,
and has made moro rapid progress
than any other branch of agriculture.
In 1850 the number of mich COWS III
this country was estimated Mt 4,S31,-
O43; i'll 1890 it had risen to 16,5l2,-
600, or.had more than treblcd. In
addition TO this there has been largo
gain in the milk product, owing to
the Introduction of improved breeds
and better care and feed.
The present business depression has
caused u big drop i'll the price OF but
ter and cheese, two of the most profit
able farm industries, and even milk
has not held its own. Whether the
selling price of the latter is not al-
ready too low for profit is an open
question. 1t could DO n great deal
denrer and yet afford the buyer full
value for his money, for milk supplies
all the elements of nutrition. 1t is
moro wholesome than many meats,
particularly in summer, and, II more
largely substituted for them, higher
standard of health would doubtless be
the result.
At present rates it would seem that
tho middle-mnn takes too large pro-
portion of the price considering the
work, skill and capital involved. Farm
ers have themselves largely to blame for
this. Few of them realize what the
milk really costs thcm.
Every dairy farmer should keep n
milking record by doing SO lie could
see mt glance what COWS to keep and
which to part with as opportunity
offered, and could also test the vari-
GUS foods and regulate the dietary.
The first thing to be considered Is
how to improve the quality of our
COWS so as to get the best returns for
the money. A good mich COW costs
no more to keep than q poor one.
Both require the same amount of feed
and care, but the rewards are very
different, rs little figuring will show.
Hence, good cows are of primo i'm
portance in starting dairy.
But by good COW the writer does
not mean n Jersey: unless butter is the
product desired. For milk, the Hol
stein or shorthern is to be preferred,
the former being the better. The milk
produced is OF very good quality,
and the best for drinking purposes.
For this the milk of the Jersey is eli
tirely unsuitable.
Milk which is very rich in fat is
neither profitable for the farmer nor
desirable for the consumer. 1t is too
rich to be digested by children or in.
vnlids, who form the great bulk of
our milk drinkers, and the yield is
| too limited to benefit the farmer.
On the other hand, poor milk is n
contemplate fraud, which will starve
the system of the consumer. That
there is n golden mean has been recog.
nized by the adoption of legal milk
standard, which, while varying some
what in the different State, generally
averages twelve per cent.
In New England the law calls for
little higher standard. New Hamp-
shire requires not less than thirteen
per cent. of solids in whole milk sold
for consumption. In Vermont there
is standard of 22l per cent, except
in May or June, when twelve per cent.
is the necessary limit In NIassachu-
sets the law demands at least thirteen
per cent. Of solids, except in May and
June, when it is twelve per cent
Rhode Island standard is twelve per
cent. solids, although some effort is
being made to raise it to thirteen
Connecticut Inns no recent law on the
subject, the ono in forcc reading
''The usual test for quality and the
certificate OF analysis of the Director
of the Connecticut Agricultural Elk.
pertinent Station shall be deemed
prima facio proof of ndultoration.
Whatever the standard of his State
may call for, it will pay the milk pro.
Queer to supply an even higher grade
than the legal one. Flo will thus gain
n reputation for superior article and
mako his customers eager to econo.
mize in some other quarter. It will
also pay him to learn the require.
ments of his market, and, il the de-
mand runs to bottled milk, or any
other vagary, to supply it, if possible.
we would not, however, advocate the
taking of q COW from door to door, so
rs to milk her in the presence of each
customer. This is the very newest
departure in the London milk bust.
ness. 1t is one That is not lacking in
boldncss and originality, and it dc.
serves more success than it is likely,
we fear, to meet with. The practice
is common in Egypt, where house.
holders appreciate the advantage Of
being able to judge for themselves
whether the animal from which they
draw their supply looks healthy OF the
reverse. But whether it will answer
i'll London is more than doubtful.
There is no article of food about
which city people are so ignorant o,
SO fnnciful as their milk. In England
the demand is for milk which mus
look thick and yellow in order to be
genuine. It is all in vain to assure
most people in English towns thai
pure milk is not of rich, yellow hue
aud that, as n matter of fact, it ought
to be white. They know better THAI