The Mankato free press., 1905-09-01
GREATEST IN THE UNION.
Mime sots Viii Soon Be Unsurpassed
As Dairy State.

As Dairy State.
minnesota eventually will become the
greatest dairy state in the Union in
quantity as she is now the greatest in
quality
This is the prediction of Dairy and
Food Commissioner Z. X. Slater in a
special article on 'Minnesota's dairy re-
sources prepared for the state immigra
tion bureau.
Minnesota has demonstrated to the
world that in dairy products she takes
her stand i'm the foremost rank among
the great dairying DISTRICTS writes Mr.
Slater, "and she may feel justly proud
of the success she has obtained. Some
idea of the magnitude of our dairying
interests may be obtained from study
biennial report of the state dairy and
food commission.
| "These figures are concerned only with
those of our dairy products manufactur
ed at our creameries and cheese fac
tories. There are undoubtedly as large
a number of cows furnishing milk for
private dairics as are contributing milk
| to the creameries and cheese factories,
and this fact must be borne in mind in
| studying the following figures in order
to fully appreciate the magnitude of
the industry.
"a total of 449,740 cows contributed
to our creameries and cheese factories
in 1908 a total of 92.948, ,495 pounds
of milk from which were manufactured
72,266,34S pounds of butter and 3,99S,646
pounds of cheese. A total of $l4,385,-
090.54 was paid farmers of the state for
milk furnished these factories. There
tare 40 creameres and 80 cheese fac
tories. OF these the farmers of the state
own and control COG and 254 are owned
| by individual parties.
| "While the volume of the dairy bust
ness in Minnesota is sufficient to at
tract the attention of her sister states,
her reputation as leading butter state
of the Union has been accomplished by
the superior quality of her creamery
butter. She begun her series of sue
cesses in 1884 when she won the grand
sweepstakes at the New Orleans cotton
Exposition. Again in 1893 she won first
premium i'm the worlds fair at Chicago,
and in 1896 gold and silver medals at
the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) national
creamery buttermakers' contest. In 1897
the victory of 1896 was repeated at the
Owatonna tAIinn.) meeting of the Ma
tional Creamery Buttermakers' associa-
tion, gold medal and a silver cup being
the trophies. In 1898 the national prize
again went to Minnesota at the Tope-
ka (Kan.) meeting. In the same year
four first premiums were won at the
Omaha exposition.
| Mr.. Slater enumerates series of
other medals won at national and in
ternational meetings, including the grand
sweepstakes prize at the Paris exposi-
tion in 1900 and the triumph at the ST.
Louis exposition a year ago.
'In spite of the wonderful growth of
Minnesota's dairy interests" continues
Mr.. Slater, "the prospects for the future
are Indicative of greater success. Mime
sofa is an ideal dairy state peculiarly
adapted to diversified farming and stock
raising. Dairying thus far has been more
confined to the thickly settled prairie
regions of the state where the gen
eral adoption of the industry has been
brought about by necessity, extensive
grain raising having depleted the fertil-
| ity of the soil.
During the past five years the busi-
ness has been developed most rapidly i'm
| the Red river valley, and this section is
destined to become great dairying dis
trict. In northeastern Minnesota condi-
tions are perhaps better adapted to
dairying than any other branch of farm
ing In fact, the country is especially
adapted to dairy farming both from the
standpoint of market for dairy pro-
ducts and from the natural conditions
of the country. The great advantage is
that in the production of feed north
eastern Minnesota is ahead of any other
section of the state
1T is the universal opinion of author
tiles who have given the matter atten-
tion that Minnesota has only entered
upon her career. as great dairying
state in the Union in quantity, as she
is now recognized as the greatest in
quality"