The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-02-10
MOUNTAIN AGRICULTURE
Conducted by Spence Farm Demonstration and Special
Investigator


Agriculture. These conclusions
were reached as the result OF close
observation Of three small expert
mental cheese factories, two Of
which are cooperative, which the
North Carolina College Of Agricul-
ture and the department, in coop
Grafton. have assisted the farmers
in the mountain section of that
State 10 establish.
These three factories, which have
lust passed a successful season. are
in little valleys remote from rail-
roads. as is true Of most OF the
mountain valleys Of the section. The
people in these valleys are interest
ed almost exclusively in livestock,
but because il has not been proilta-
BILE 20 haul their milk a long distance
to market, they have found their
profits largely from raising and
selling animals and have realized
very little from the raw milk.
The experiment was undertaken
in the belief that if the bulk of the
otherwise unstable milk could be
turned into cheese, the owners
could accumulate quantities OF
cheese and from time to time haul
il profltably from these valleys to
market or shipping points. Milk is
heavy and hard TO handle in COM
parison with its value on the mar
ket, and spoils quickly unless low
temperatures are maintained, while
cheese is light, easily handled, and,
in proportion to weight and bulk,
brings a much higher price.
A preliminary study Of these
three valleys and many others in
the Southern mountains showed
that this mountain country possess
es certain unusual natural condi-
tions which are especially favora-
BILE TO cheesemaking. In making
good cheese, good milk is required, I,
and TO produce and keep good milk
a cool climate is important, and an
abundance Of cold water from |
streams or spring is absolutely es-
sential. The streams from melting
ice in this region and from the
mountain springs are unusually
cold and pure. In addition, the cool
climate and heavy rainfall insure
good pastures throughout the sum-
mer.
The factories were started by /
State and Government men who
helped the farmers in the localities
TO organize and then advised them
in the building of the factories,
which in these three cases were
small and constructed as cheaply as
possible. As factories were small,
and trained cheesemakers from the
labor districts demand higher wag-
es than such factories can pay, the
State and Government agents Sc
lected bright young men in each
community and trained them in
cheesemaking. The State agent
then visited each factory frequently
throughout the summer and assist
ed the local manager. The expert
ment has proved that this prelimi-
nary training and later supervisor
are absolutely necessary to the sue
cess Of such an enterprise, because
cheesemaking is highly developed
art. requiring skill and experience.
If the industry proves popular IN
the South, the dairy specialists ex-
pect TO extend their experiment 10
other mountainous districts in Ken
lucky and the Southern States,
where natural conditions are sim
ilarly promising for cheese produc-
ton. In this connection, they point
out that in 1880 this country export
ed annually about i6O,OOO,OOO pounds
of cheese. At present practically
no cheese is exported. About Co.
100000 pounds are imported. Much
of the imported cheese is OF special
foreign varieties. and the depart
ment is conducting experiments to
determine whether it will be posi-
BILE for this country to produce, on
large scale, Roquefort, Swiss,
Camembert and similar cheese for