The times., 1901-04-21
DAIRY WORK OLD And NEW
Now an Industry Confined to No
One Section of the Country.

Primitive Methods of a Century Ago
Compared with Modern Appii-
unces-Creameries and Factories
| A National Commercial Feature.
| mo branch of agriculture in the United
! States" says Henry r. Avord, Chief OF
| the Dairy Division of the Bureau of AM
/ NAL Industry. Agricultural Department
| has made greater progress than dalryinS
| during the nineteenth century. No oth-
| err" he continues, has received greater
benefit from the art of invention, the
teachings of modern science, and the IN
telligent practice Of skilled operators.
Cooperative and commercial Organiza-
tions have been formed to conduct the
business locally and to guard its general
interests. State laws and appropriations
of money have been made to foster and
promote this industry. Dairying has be
come the speciality of districts of wide
area in different parts of the country 1t
is now regarded as among the most pro-
gressive and highly developed forms OF
farming in the United States.
The greater part of this country has
been found so we'll adapted to dairying
that its extension has more than kept
pace with the opening and settlement of
new territory. A DelltI WAS iOiiSs citSA
tanned that successful dairying in Ameri-
ca must be restricted to narrow geo
graphical limits. constituting dairy
belt lying between the 10th and 18th par
alIeIs of latitude and extending from the
Atlantic Ocean to the Missouri River; the
true dairying districts were thought to
be in separated sections, occupying not
more than one-third of the area of this
balf aXnlOded
has been proved that good butter and
cheese can be made by proper manage
ment in almost all parts of North Ameri-
ca Generally speaking. good butter can
be made wherever good beef can be pro-
duced. Advantages unquestionably exist
in the climate, soil. water, and herbage
of certain sections, but these factors are
largely under control, and what is lack
ing in natural conditions can be supplied
with tact and skill So that, while dairy
ing is intensified. and constitutes the
leading agricultural interest over large
areas where the natural advantages are
greatest, the industry is found well es-
tablished in spots in almost all parts of
the country and develOpingf in uneXpect-
ed places and under what might be con-
sidered as very unfavorable conditions.
COLONIAL DAIRYING.
Dairying was practiced in this country
in colonial times, and butter and cheese
are mentioned among the early exports
from the settlements along the Atlantic
coast; but this production was only
feature of general and pioneer farming.
Dairying as a speciality did not appear in
the United States to any extent until well
along in the nineteenth century. The dairy
history of the country is therefore iden-
tical with it's progress in the present cen
tury This progress, according to the
tfEsfNa ffg4ef
tural Department has been truly remark
able. The wide territorial expansion; the
immense Investment in lands, buildings,
animals. and equipment; the great i'm
provement in dairy cattle; the acquisition
and diffusion of knowledge as to economy
of production. the revolution in methods
and system Of manufacture; the general
advance in quality of products: the won
derful increase in quantity; the Industrial
and commercial Importance of dairying,
all constitute an industry which has be-
come one of the most notable commercial
features of this nation.
DAIRYINC ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
During the early part of the last cen
tury the keeping of cows on American
farms was incident to the general work
The care of milk and the making of but
ter and cheese were in the hands of the
women of the household, and the methods
and utensils were crude. The average
quality of the products was inferior. The
supply of domestic markets was unor-
ganized and irregular. The mich cows
in use belonged to the mixed and inde-
scribable race of native" cattle, with
occasionally a really good dairy animal
singly. almost by accident, or
at the best. as one OF family developed
by some uncOmmOnly discriminating yet
unsCientific breeder. Winter dairying
was practically unknown. 1t was Il com
mon thing for cows to Starve to death
or die of exposure, and IL was considered
,Fi IA hrN~ rh..f-
cattle "on the lift in the spring, a COM
mon expression in past years in some To-
calitieS, indicating the actual necessity
Of human aid TO raise emaciated animals
States the milk was usually set in small
shallow earthen vessels or tin pans for
the cream to rise. Little attention was
paid to cooling the air in which il stood
IN summer or to moderating it in winter
so long as freezing was prevented The
few who scalded fresh milk had no idea
of the true reason for so doing or why |
beneficial effects resulted. The pans Of |
milk owners Oftener stood in pantries |
and cellars or on kitchen shelves than in !
rooms especially constructed or adapted |
TO the purpose.
without tracing the gradual growth |
and development Of the dairy system of |
this country TO its present perfected |
state two inventions may be described /
of the industry. The first /
is the application Of centrifugal force to |
the separation Of cream from milk. This /
Is based upon the fact that the specific !
gravity of skim milk is greater than that /
Of the fatty portion. or cream. The larry /
centrifuge, or cream separator Gig. s., /
enables the creaming or skimming to be |
done Immediately after milking, prefer /
ably while the milk has its natural |
warmth. The cream can be churned al ,
once while sweet. but the better and usu-
al practice is to cool thoroughly and then
slowly cure or ''ripen" il for ChurninE.
The cream can be held at a comparatively
high temperature, avoiding the necessi- /
" of much ice or cold water. The skim /
milk is available for use while still warm,
quite sweet, and in it's best condition for
feeding TO young animals. This mechan-
ical method is more efficient than the old !
gravity system, securing more perfect !
separation and preventing loss of fat in
the skim milk. 1t also largely reduces
the dairy labor. The handling and care OF
milk may thus be wholly removed from
he duties of the household. Separators
are made Of sizes and patterns suited to
farm use. and 10 be operated by hand or
power-a- dog or sheep, a bull or a
horse, water, electricity, or steam.
AN ECONOMICAL MOVEMENT
The foregoing conditions apply when the
separation is done on the farm where the
milk is produced. In creamery practice
he milk is usually aired and cooled on
he patrons farms and hauled once
lay TO the factory; there it is warmed to
acilitate the work, passed through the
separator. and the skim milk may be at
nee hauled back on the farms. A cream
ry uses one or more separatOrs of large
apacitY, operated by power. This prac-
ice involves the double haul and an aD-
,arent waste Of the farmers time and
abOr \ movement toward economy in
his respect Is the establishment OF
skimming stations at convenient points,
quipped with one more power SeDar- I
tors; to these the milk Is taken for SEN