Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-07-22
cHEEss.MAklne lN missouri.

An Interesting Article On "AIisssura :
Cheese-AKaking states Pleasing Wo<ds
from Levi Chubbuck, Secretary OF the
State Dairy Association.
EDITOR RURAL WORLD: - Hoard's
Dairyman prints the following para
graph in a recent issue: Quite a mum
Der OF creameries in Missouri are
changing over to cheese-making plants.
The movement will be watched with
considerable interest by many who
have been somewhat skeptical as to
the adaptability of that state for first
class cheeSe-making.
To anyone who is at all familiar with
the past and present of dairying in the
United States, the fact that there are
those who are somewhat skeptical as
to the adaptability of that state (Mo.)
to frst-class cheese-making," is, to say
the least, little amusing.
Only few years back, as we meas
ure time. and within the memory of
men no older than ex-Gov. Hoard, New
York state was the center of dairy pro-
duction in the United States. New
York butter and cheese had a reputa-
ton for excellence that was not only
national, hxt which extended beyond
the seas, and which excited the envy
and emulation of dairymen in every
section. But the New Workers, in the
fullness of their pride, said to the rest
of the country, the Empire state is the
only one in the Union that
possesses "adaptability" for ''first-
class cheese land butterl making"
There was no skepticiSm about it. 1t
was fact that could not be disputed.
No other part of the country had any
possible chance of ever becoming COM
petitors with New York in dairy prod
ucts. But, regardless of the ultima
tum, the pioneer pushed westward,
taking old brindle along. as means of
family sustenance, while the lands
were being cleared and made .''adapta-
bic" to advanced agriculture. As her
progeny increased to herds, the farm
ers of the west began to make more
butter and cheese than the local mar
kets could take up. Then, attempting
the solution of the problem of what to
do with the surplus, they invaded the
markets of the east. There were at
first many defects; the goods were de-
fcent in quality from lack of skill;
had peculiarities of flavor and texture
that were not liked by the consumer,
and it also suffered more or less in
transit. Then the 'I-told-you-soS"
had their innings.
With characteristic persistency the
westerners continued to send goods
east, and at the same time acquired
skill-improving conditions and teach
| ing the people to like their butter and
| cheese until we, at no distant day, find
| the dairymen of the Western Reserve
strong competitors with those of New
| York state. WELL" the wise ones
said, 'that is as far west as the dairy
section can be extended" But agri-
culture was steadily pushing west
ward, and soon the woods of Indiana,
and the prairies of Illinois, were con-
verted into farms with cows by the
tens of thousands, and in a few more
| years we find the butter-making CEN
ter fixed at Elgin, Ill.
To-day Elgin goods are the standard
for butter, and thousands of large pur-
chasers of butter think they must get
their supplies ''direct from Elgin" in
order to get frst-class goods-although
a large part of the goods sold on the
Elgin board of trade floor are produced,
perhaps, hundreds of miles from Elgin.
Speaking specifically of cheese pro-
| duction, the country has seen the same
maneuver and advancing of center of
| production westward, until now Wiscon-
sin is the second cheese-producing state
in the Union, New York standing first.
What has given Wisconsin its position
as cheese state-peculiar adaptabili-
| ty to frst-class cheese-making? By no
| means; it is the result of intelligent eff
| fort of such men as w. d. Hoard, Hiram
Smith, Stephen Faville, Geo. w. Burch-
ence and a few, very few, Others These
men, believing that dalrying would be
good thing for the state, and that in
telligent farmers could adapt and mod
ify conditions so that the business
could be made successful, went to work
to develop interest and skill, and to
spread dairy information.
Sixteen years ago the men named,
with three others, formed the State
Dairymen's association, and this organ
ization, together with the state agri-
cultural college, the farmers institutes,
supported by the state, and by no
means least, by the influence of
Hoard's Dairyman, have largely made
the state what it is as a dairy state.
The dairy and food commissioner, in
MS 1hSG SpOEGs COuuEuS Ivy uAdS uOS1Ss e
What is it that makes people ''skep-
teal as to the adaptability of that
state (MissourD to first-class cheese
makiDg?" If they will kindly specify
what occasions this lack of faith, it
may check this movement" toward
failure, if the Dairyman is correct, or
be the me ans of dispelling some IL
lusions. In conclusion, for the pres
emit, 1 will make this assertion:
That what Missouri lacks is
not ''adaptability = to first
class cheese-making, but lack of
frst-class dairy farmers and first-class
cheese-makers. When our state agri-
cultural college is made ready to teach
dairyinG in a comprehensive manner,
to the young men and women, the state
board of agriculture is enabled to con-
vey an adequate degree of dairy in
struction to the farmers in farmers in
stitutes and other educational means
are used, the world will be made to
know that Missouri is adapted for both
butter and cheese-malzIng.
LEVI CHUBBUCK
Secretary State Dairy Association