Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-01-19
DAIRY INDUSTRY IN
JOSEPHINE COUNTY
Farmers Finding Its Profita ble-
ness. are Giving Their Atten-
tion to Cows.

Josephine county has two distinc.
tions that has made it of interest to
men posted on the dairy interest.
One is the very large and profitable
market for butter, cream and cheese
and the steady increase that obtains
in this trade and the certainty of its
more rapid increase in the next few
Such is the growing interest in dairy
ing during the past two years that it
is certain that Josephine county With
in the next five years will become
quite as noted tor its butter as it is
now for gold mines, frnit, hops and
hay.
The credit for the first creamery in
Josephine county belongs to the Hi.
nois Valley for one is now being built
on the farm of Geo. S. Matheson near
Sucker creek bridge six miles from
Kerby and four miles from Holland.
The ground and building is the prop
erty of Mr.. Matheson, while the ma
chinery is being put in by Carl John
son. 1t is expected to have the
creamery in operation by the first of
March. Mr.. johnson is an expert
butter maker from Sweden, a country
that is famous for its fine butter,
and he will devote his entire time
to the work in their creamery. He
has been resident of the Illinois
Valley for the past two years and he
has proven himself to be man Of
strict integrity and patrons Of their
creamery will be certain of fair and
liberal treatment. Mr. Matheson is
one of the big farmers aud stock
raisers of Sucker Greek Valley and
he has been engaged in small way
in the dairy business for several
years and finding it profitable he now
to go into it on large scale
In order to insure a large number
of choice cows in the herds of his
vicinity Mr.. Matheson recently went
to Smith River and the other dairy
districts of Del NoIte county aud
bought 80 head of fine three year-old
he eifers. These he sold at cost to his
who are to be partons of
their creamery. 1t is expected to
have fully 200 head of COWS the
creamery list by the first of April
Grants Pass will be the principal
market for the butter and it is the
e exIectation of MessTs. Matheson &
johnson to supply the trade with
butter that will be the equal of the
best creamery butter that is to be
had.
Illinois Valley is extremely well
adapted to dairying as it has a large
years. The other is the fine natdTal
advantages as to feed, water and
climate that give such advantages as
will make the dairy industry safe
and profitable undertaking. Yet with
all these favorable conditions for the
cheap production Of cream and butter
and the high price that is readily OBJ
tanned there i each year vast guam
titles of butter, cream aud milk ship
ped into Josephine county. The
Grants Pass market is largly supplied
from the creameries and dairies Of
jackson county, though much comes
from the Willamette Valley and each
su MINER vast quantities of ice cream
is shipped to this city from Portland
for the reason that the cream for its
is so difficult to obtain
and at prices that are very high
though ice is had here at Portland
prices.
But this steady drain of money
that goes out Of Josephine county for
dairy products is certain to be
at no distant time to at least
supply ing the home demand with the
products and the retention of the
thousands Of dollars that are lost each
year to the wealth Of the county. The
continued low rice Of beef stock and
the likelihood that the meat trust
will be able to hold the prices down
for an indefinite time is causing many
Of the stockmen TO turn their atten.
tion to substituting milk COWS for
beef animals. The hay farmers, who
have coined money in the years past,
are finding over. production forcing
prices below the point that makes IL
profitable to haul their hay TO market
and they are beginning 10 realize that
ii is more profitable TO feed their hay
TO dairy COVE The disastrous times
that have fallen on the hop growers,
and the little Likelihood Of better
prices now that the dealers have got
hop gambling down to a system that
gives them big profits and the growers
a bare living, has taken the interest
in that industry all out OF the average
Rogue River farmer. The hop
grower is thus forced to take up an
industry that will pay off his debts
and give him and his family all the
comforts Of a modern farm home.
area Of land that is productive and
the numerous streams render il
possible to irrigate much Of it. As it
is from 20 10 80 miles to the nearest
railroad point, which is al Grants
Pass, it Is quite impossible TO mar
ket such bulky farm products as hay,
grain, or potatoes, bot ton Of bat.
ter will represent the same value a.
so to 100 tons Of such products and
thus cuts down the transportation to a
rate that makes il profitable 10 haul
the creamery products the long dis
tsnce to market. Many Of the farm