Year: 1872




Some contend that the quality and fine Ha-
vor of cheese depend altogether upon its man
uiacture and curing, provided the milk is in
good, sound condition when it comes into the
hands of the cheese maker. This is not
strictly true, or at least is not in accordance
with our experience and observation. We
do notquestion the fact that fine cheese can
be made in widely.separated localities, and
that skill in making and curing will turn out
fair article from the milk of cows fed on
ordinary forage, but that the delicate flavor
found only in the finest goods can be obtain
ed from milk produced on the coarse heritage
of low, wet grounds, is very much to be
doubted. We fud some very sensible re-
marks on this question by an English writer
in recent number of the Country Gentle
man. In England, he says, "under no cir
cumstances would an old established dairy
farm, famed for fine favored cheese, suffer
the peculiar rich and mellow taste impaired
by the particular herbage grown in the dairy
field, or fields, to be tainted by the product
of inferior grass, or, on the other hand, permit
the cheese of other parties to be benefited at
the expense of this sweet aud most pleasant
flavor. In parts of England where arabic
land prevails, and where the land in perma-
nent grass has never produced any cheese Of
a quality beyond mediocrity, it is possible
factories may arise, for doubtless the man
agement in making is superior by far to
where only secOnd-class cheese is manuiac-
tured." GOOD second-class cheese can not
be made from clover pasture, or any OF the
temporary grass land under the usual style Of
manufacture there, for it will not keep to get
old enough to alit the best customers, and
cheese which requires eating while compara-
lively new has to be consumed by the work.
ing classes, who will not and can not pay
high prices"


The writer, after cOmPlimeDti''g the Amer
lean system of manufacture, and giving due
credit to the excellent quality of our
cheese, again goes on to say that sit is an
utter impossiblity to impart the favor given
by the old natural grasses growing in centu'
ry-old dairy fields, to cheese made from elo
yer. or any artificial or temporary pastures.
This is 50 well known in England that the
dairy cows on the best dairy farms arr al.
ways, when in milk, confined the old dairy
land, and on most Of these farms there are
fields, which only ieuce divides, which
would spoil the uniformity OF the cheese, by
giving the cows access thereto"


at makes a difference in butter making
too, for though not quite so quickly shown


yet there is land which will not do to Craze
with milch cows, from which a genuine good
article is required; and though Of coursC
both butter and cheese must be manufactured
in cleanly and proper manner, yet much
depends on the food the COWS eat, as the best
managers can not get rid ofimpurities which


have been brought into the milk from rank
, sour or unsuitable forage"


There is a good deal of sound sense in tn
above remarks, and American dairymen
t while striving to secure fine favor, shoul'


bear in mind that this desirable quality il
, their goods is not wholly due to skill in tn
cheese vats and at the factory, but that it mus


come in measure from the sweet and supe
rior herbage of the fields where the cows ar


fed. Whatever may be said oOncernin
, skill in manipulating milk and the manufaC
ture of dairy products the fact stands boldl


out that all the extra fancy factory cheese c
r America comes from districts where the COW
d are fed on the fine, sweet herbage of old W
l. land pastures and where good water is abur
u dant. And we have seen cheesemonger
: who could unerringly point to where the COW


had fed on fine old pasturage, simply by tes


ing the cheese in the storehouse after it ha
!. been shipped for market.


o American dairymen, we are convince'


can greatly improve the character of the
i cheese by Graduating weeds In pastures an
" by paying more attention to the quality
= herbage upon which the herds are fed. "


caunot say but that fine cheese may be mac
" from the milk of COWS fed on recently r
e seeded grounds, provided the herbage grow


be from great variety of grasses similar
l. those found 10 old pastures; but on the OF
Y er hand we doubt very much whether d
u best cheese can be produced from recent


re-seeded fields Of red clover. Such chee
!, will lack in keeping quality, will soon gre
O. rank in favor, and must always fail to stal


the test for fine, when preseDted to the exaI
Id inatiOn of competent judges American dI
of rymen have much yet to learn in regard