The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-02
DAIRYTNG IN Porto RICO.
4 Field There for Good American Butter.
Says an Oniciai Report.

dtions and needs of the dairy markets Of
the world, authorized by special act Of
Congress, has just been issued by the
dairy division Of tho Bureau of Animal
Industry. II deals principally with Porto
Rico, although there are notes on Cuba
and 81. Thomas. II is the work Of Ray
mOnd c. Pearson, NJ. A., assistant chief of
the dairy division.
Mr.. Pcarou spent some time in Porto
Rico studying car conditions, and while
there 'ew saiprnrg,s Of high grade lutter
and cbeesr wer. forwarded 20 him for the
purpose Of furnishing him with informn-
lion which experience hal shown Wuli
not 6e Obtained in any other vav. The
result Of these shipments is expected 10
be OF grea. assistance to Amerio All shippers
| Of dairy products in the future.
Dairying in Porto Rico is still in print
tive condition. ssys Mr. Pearson, but this
is due rather to neglect than to any in
! superabe difficulties. Highly bred and
profitable herds of IN Itch COWS are scat
tered throughout the cotton belt Of the
Southern States. and fire butter and cheese
ore produced there. which Mr.. Pearson
considers ample proof thai Porto Rico can
/ produce high grade of dairy products,
| The lack OF cattle foods in Porto Rico
| il due TO he Spa nish Gust ON ~ discourag-
ing the growing oi most grains in order
! TO make a market for Spanish hone products.
This restriction has disappeared with Span
ish rule so that Porto Rico may raise room
as great a variety Of fodder and grain
crops as is found in dairy districts else
where.
Cattle food that sells here for $3.50 a
hundred brings s. 10 in San Juan, although
since July last the duty form' rly charged
on feeding stufs from the United states.
has been abolished Porto RiCan cattle
will not eat hay. as they are not used 10 II.
| Maoj lilo and Guint gTass8re &c - nCeo en-.
! Cattle are raised in Porto Rico for three
I purposes, work. meat and milk. In 1899
there was a o, n ! of more than 5000 horned
| cattle on he island, the largest numbers
| being found in localities where they are
needed for seed work. Us ploughing and
! hauling cane. They are extensively used
over the military roads for transport alton
! of freight, horses and mules teing used
| little. save for riding. driving or carrying
packs.
Little is known Of the origin Of Porto
| Rican cattle. Some aut horities say they
are desc, nded from old Spanish stock,
| others that they came from African stock
! imported in he slave trading days. Andres
| Crasas. u merchant Of San Juan. says that
forty yerrs ago a Durham bull that cost
81 800 in gold was brought from England TO
| Porto Rico and that he end bis progeny
have made decided imp ession on the
native stock.
In size Porto Rican cattle resemble our
L 81 H..
varieties weighing between SEQ and l,CC0
pounds. TIE prices Of COWS range from
$50 To SEQ. and a milch COW giving five TO
eight quarts Of milk day for about five
months can lie bought for $50.
The met hods employed ON Porto Rloan
dairy farm would surprise an American
dairvman The operation Of milking Is
very crude " is usually done in the morn
ing.
The hind legs Of COW are tied toge,h
with rope to prevent kicking. Its calf ID
then allowed 70 draw a little milk from
each teat, simply TO start the flow. The
calf is then brushed aside and the mixer
goes to work. taking three-quarters Of
the supply and leaving the rest for the calf
The milk produced is of good quality.
rs poor appearance is the result of the
system of milking and handling.
Porto Rican milk sells for six cents a
uuart There are laws 20 protect tie milk
from adulteration. but on analysis shows
that il IL sometime watefed to such an
extent that the fs' content falls below 2
per cent
Porto Rico butter is n very different
article from tfat which Amentars are
usodto II is produo cd in re cr,idest fash
ion in a vice-nouj u fruit Jar and the
G,,fsil cd r,rpI,,,t - hon yily snlffI
Frequently the cream Csed for making
butter is simply the scum of loiled milk,
and is hut little richer in fat than ordinary
milk. Az neither ice nor cold water is used
TO reduce the temporal ure. the soft, fat
globules are not thoroughly ~ parated from
the casein end water.
A sample bought in San Juen showed less
than 90 per cent. of fat end was acid nnd
rancid Early every morning small boys
go through the streets OF san Jufn calling
loudly: "NdntcQuiId del pals" lbutter of
the country. Each boy. carries about
sixty pats Of butter, each one weighing
two-t birds Of an ounce.
They soil for a cent apiece. The boys get
their meals and 10 cents day as COM
pensatiOn.
Mr. Pearson visited place whore this
butter was made, and the proprietor adj
m,;cd that she mad" the butter by beating
the cream with stick IN tin pa and
adding To II some canned Spanish butter.
| Inc lICt that TINS b'rIcf Was sIpoh"i WHEN
used gave a strong and unpleasant favor
Ia the mGp;equill1. bu; brought no protest
from regular customers,
Pressed cheese. mashed cheese 8nd
leaf cheese are made in Porto Rico, hut
II is poor stuff. ard Mr. Pearson says a
good oppor, unity awaits the person who
will make in Porto Rico good quality of
cheese from milk economically produced
or the 900 pounds Of butter used daily
in Porto Rico practically all is imported
The boot OF il comes from Denmark, al
though all of II is more or lcss on flavor,
Little French butter goes Ia Porto Rio
but great quantities go there from Spain
and Italy
The Spanish and tho Italian butter are
generally shor, weight, low in fat con.
tents and preserved with horic acid
Thov coat from IS 10 80 cents a tia, con-
tanning from twelve - fftcon pounds
aud are rotailed at - and 10 cents. In
SON" parts Of The leland even higher prices
, obtain.
Brilliant Labels on ,lc imported bu,tcy
give a falls" notion of the ql1 ltitv and
quality Of tho stun A. an illus, rat M Mr.
Pearson says that Spanish brad labelled
The Flower Of AF'rrias, Selected Butter.
was found to contain a pre'orNa'iNa and
nearly 90 pcr cont. of water.
Suc' r,gr r'rG." e hi''icr raye be- y
sNnt from hero Il Pert Rio" that the NJ
'i~as rcgarc tho i|ca 'ta' nnv g~CG butte,
is prcGmceS. in this G ,ntrv 30 absurd