The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-07-27
CHEESE BY THE CAR LOAD.
wisconsin Makes Quarter OF the United
States Supply.

Monroe wis Correspondence Chi
cago Chronicle.
This city is one of the great cen
tiers of the Wisconsin cheese making
industry. Wisconsin produces
nearly one.fourth of the cheese con
sumed in the United States, aud of
the foreign makes Green county pro
duces three-fourth of Wisconsin,
output. In other words, this county
manufactures fully one-fifth of the
foreign brands of cheese used in the
United States.
The manufacture of cheese in
Green county easily takes precedence
over all other industries. The indus
try was begun in a small way about
thirty years ago. and for fifteen years
its growth was slow, but during tie
last decade it has grown so rapidly
that it has made the county rich be
yond her neighbors. What mining
was to Denver or Leadville cheese
making is to Green county. and what
baked beans are to the good people of
Boston, Swiss and Limberger are to
the inhabitants of this section.
The traveller journeying to Monroe
the county seat, is quite likely to be
RECALLED with highly colored stories
Of the ordoriferous character OF. the
atmosphere hereabouts and the un-
due prominence given to the local
product upon the menus of local
hotels and restaurants. If his know
ledge Of the town is limited to the
vicinity Of the depots he may think
the yarns of the festive brakeman
not very much overdrawn, for here
are the warehouses and storage Gel
lvfs where hundreds Of tons of
cheese are held awaiting shipment.
But outside of the railroad yarns
there is but little in the pretty little
city to indicate its chief business in
terest.
Just now the cheese season is faily
inaugurated. The different factories
begin operations at different times
from the first to the latter part of
May, but within the past week the
last Of them has opened and they will
not cease operation, day, night or
Sunday, until November or 10.
A general idea of the Importance
of the cheese industry in Green
county may be obtained from the
reports Of the Wisconsin dairy and
food commissioner. According TO
these reports there are in the county
about 10000 milch cows. an average
of two for every inhabitant, and a
greater number than can be found in
any similar area, or in any single
county in the United States. The
annual production of cheese is about
100000 pounds, the value of which
would exceed 81 10000 Aside from
this, there is the butter production,
both dairy and creamery, which
would swell the total yearly value of
dairy products of the county to 81,
100000. This far county only
twenty-four miles square. and con-
tanning in the neighborhood of 90
900 inhabitants, is surely prosper
Gus showing. There are over 200
cheese factories in the county.
From November to May the fac
tories are closed. During this inter
val the supply Of milk is utilized in
butter. either at some cream.
cry or in the dairy OF the thrifty far
mer's wife. AS these months are the
breeding season, the supply of milk
is very small compared to the sum-
mer yield.
The cheese makers, or "cheesers,"
the men who have charge of the fac
tory and make the cheese, are almost
to q man native Swiss. The life of
"cheeser" during the season is
anything but a sinecure. He gen.
orally sees the first break of dawn
while preparing for his morning
work, and it is seldom that he finish
90 his evening task before midnight.
He may snatch an hour or two for a
siesta in the early afternoon, but of
this he is not certain. This routine
is unbending for six months. The
"cheeser" knows no Sunday, no
holiday. Only at the end of the sea-
son can he hope to enjoy the usual
pleasures of his neighbors. Then he
stones for his days and nights
Of toll by q season Of revel.
ry. The county seat is the Mecca
to which he turns, and here, in the
early days Of winter is held the an
nusl eheesemakers' ball,a social fun
ction Of moreithan local fame. Time
was when this annual event was
marked by trouble of lurid eolors
and divers forms. Following the
pretentious annual" there are
cheesemakers' balls galore in every
town and village for the term
of month or more. Before Janu-
airy the "cheeser" has established
himself for the winter. He may
hire out to q farmer for winter work.
He may stay in town and dissipate
his simmer earnings in winter revel
ry, Or, as q considerable number do,
he may return to his old home, and
come back in the spring with a bux-
ON helpmste, who will relieve the
loneliness of his isolated summer
home.
To the farmers of Green county
the cheese industry is bringing
wealth much more rapidly than they
could hope to obtain it by ordinary
agricultural pursuits. But it entails
also o devotion to duty that may ap-
near almost slavish. The dairy far
mer must rise at daybreak, and be-
fore the usual duties of the agricul-
turist are begun the milking must be
attended to. On the average farm
each "hand'' is supposed to milk ten
cows night and morning. Sunday
brings no respite, nor may any rural
sport or pleasure party be permitted
to interfere with the Sunday evening
milking. OF q crowd of 1000 far