Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1914-08-07
Cheese Making
In North Dakota

Ill NOIlu UdkOCd
Prospects Point to Increasing In.
terest in Industry, Says Com
missioner Flint.
here seems t. Lc a revival of
interest in cheese making in ehis
sls te, and Da.ry Commissioner
Flint is receiving quite a number
OF injuries regarding the indus-
try. 1t is to be hoped it is re-
vival and that after a lethargy of
nearly 20 years the state will re-
gain an important industry which
it had in the earlier days and
which passed out of existence for
almost two decades.
Had Twenty-one Factories.
Nineteen years ago, Commis-
sioner of Agriculture and Labor
Laughlin reported that at the be-
ginning of the year 1895 there
were seven cheese factories,
manufacturing 1902 pounds of
cheese. MIR. Laughlin further
stated that there were ll3,155
pounds of cheese made in pri-
vate diaries and families or a to-
tai of 5l0.439 pounds in the
state.
First Factory at Lisbon.
The first cheese factory in the
state was established at Lisbon
and was the banner factory of
North Dakota, having received
$4,000 pounds of milk, and
manufactured $4,000 pounds of
cheese during the season. w. E.
Iinckom, the manager, bought
milk at 70 to 75c per hundred,
and found a ready market for his
products at 10 and lie per
pound. Prices of both milk and
cheese are from Is to 33 per cent
higher now, and it would appear
that the industry should prove a
profitable one to both the dairy
man and the manufacturer.
All Creameries Disappeared.
But all these creameries disap-
peared and the question naturally
arises as to the cause of the dis
appearance. Various causes are
attributed, chief among which are
these:
Milk for cheese-making must
be sweet, hence must be deliver
ed daily III the summer time and
at least every other day in the
winter. In sparsely settled
country, where, in many cases
long drives are necessary, the
task was too great, especially
during the harvest and threshing
seasons.
In those days it was so easy to
raise wheat, and the dairy called
for SO much diligence that dairy
ing naturally became irksome
and dwindled until the factory
was required to quit business.
lhe creamery also became
popular and in many places sup
planted the cheese factory.
Revival Coming.
Now comes what seems to be
the revival, for Mr.. Flint says he
has received more inquiries re-
garding the establishing of cream
cries in the past six months than
he has received during the past
six years. Two cheese factories
have been established during the
present season with the prospects
of others soon. :.
Conditions Favo abl..
Eighteen years ago, when the
state afforded II cheese factories
a speaker before the annual con-
vention of the State Dairymen's
association said. The state of
North Dakota today uses more
cheese than is made within her
borders. He further stated: Il
believe the quality of milk pro-
duced here is equal to that pro-
duced anywhere is the country.
That good butter and cheese can
be made in the Dakotas has been
conclusively proven. and that it
can be produced more cheaply
here than in any of the eastern
states is fact that cannot be
controverted. We have cheap
lands, rich soil. good climate.
good water. abundant pasturage
and natural meadow lands, pro-
ducing an abundance of hay of
superior quality. and famous for
its fattening qualities. as we'll as
for its value for feeding dairy
stock"
Probably New Era.
In view of the foregoing. it
would appear that North Dakota
8 ripe for the encouragement of
a new industry. The dairy de-
partment is lending all the en-
couragement possible and Com
missioner Flint has arranged to
meet with parties at various
places, who have such projects in