The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-01-13
A Great Dairy State.


shipped in from California and the
middle West. The change which has
taken place is due to the favorable con-
ditions existing in this state for the
development of the dairy industry
Especially Is this the case in the Yak
ina, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Calispel
and Colville valleys, and all the coun-
try west of the Cascades from British
Columbia on the north to the Colum-
bia river on the south. The length OF
the season in which COWS may live on
pasture the luxuriant growth of clover,
alfalfa and all root crops; the numer-
Gus streams Of water flowing down
from the mountains all combine to
make Western Washington the natur-
al home Of the dairy COW and causes
her to furnish her products at lower
COST than of any OF the states of the
middle West, where the winters are
long and severe and the cows must be
stabbed for at least five months in the
year.
Creamery bntter manufactured in
this state will compare favorably with
the butter manufactured in the older
sections. The rivalry existing between
creameries has been productive of
much good in raising the quality of
butter to its present high standard.
The state of Washington covers a
large area; $50 miles from east to
west, and 200 miles from north to
south, so that the farmers or ranchers
in some sections are so scattered that
it is impossible for them to find suffic-
lent cows within given radius to
justify them in building a creamery
as She cost of handling milk would be
SO great that it would not pay. These
farmers are now making dairy butter,
some of which finds ready sale, but the
most OF it sells from 10 to Is cents,
when creamery butter sells for from
70 to 80 cents per pound. The object
of these churns in cities is to pay for
cream delivered from these farmers,
giving them the market price for
cream less the cost of freight and in
that way every farmer could find an
outlet for his product at a better price,
and it would develop the country and
in time they could build creameries.
This will have tendency to increase
the sale of hand separators.
The increase in the production Of
butter during the last year has been
beyond expectations Notwithstanding
the serious blow received from the
high price of beef cattle. The wheat
belt or what is better known as the
Big Bend and Palouse sections, gave
the dairy industry q black eye which
will result disadyantageously to those
sections. Farmers will not manufac-
ture butter when they can receive 70
cents per bushel for wheat. The high
price of beef cattle caused many ta-m
ers to sell their Improbable cows for
beef, which will be productive OF good
results in the end but will cause
this year. Notwithstanding
these conditions, the butter product
has increased in this state during the
past year over one-half million pounds,
The amount of Washington butter
produced during 1897 was 2,O94, ,47
pounds, amount of butter produced
during 1898, 2,66O,709 pounds; total
increase, 566,252 pounds; amount of
cheese produced during 1897, 7O9,364
pounds; amount of cheese produced
during 1898, 57S,60S pounds; decrease,
I30,756 pounds. The amount OF dairy
butter manufactured thr )ughout the
state has not yet been taken into con-
IN my estimates.
The value of dairy products manu-
factured by the creameries in the state
In 1897 was $490, ,327; in 1898, $780,
600, an increase of nearly 100000
during the year.
There are about $4,000 dairy COWS in
the state at valuation of $40 per
head would amount to. $2,600,O00.
The figures given above are not exact
ly correct for the reason that a num-
ber of the creameries have failed to
send in their report as required by the
state dairy law. In these cases /
have been obliged to estimate the out
put of their creameries. The estimate
for the three cities are also not exact
because a few wholesale dealers failed
to furnish the information desired,
and I was obliged in these cases to
estimate the amount which they
handled from information from other
sources.
From the facts furnished in this ar
ticle there is every reason for encour-
agement to the creamery men OF this
state.
The markets of Alaska, Japan,
China aud all territory acquired in
the war with Spain, will furnish an
outlet for large increase III butter,
aud cheese manufacture III this state.
E,ary staampr leaving Puget Sound