114 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



That this export demand governs the price of cheese in this 

 country is Remonstrated by the fact that in Junej 1862, prime 

 cheese was bringing, in Herkimer county, eight cents per pound, 

 but as soon as specie payments were suspended and gold bore a 

 premium, the price of cheese advanced with even step ; when gold 

 fell, the price of cheese receded, when it rose again, cheese ad- 

 vanced, and all the while just in proportion to the current rate of 

 exchange ; and this shows, satisfactorily enough, that to cancel 

 indebtedness or to pay for goods purchased in England, the cheese 

 was as good as the gold, and answered the same purpose exactly. 

 With a market of so great capacity open to us, it is as certain as 

 anything in this uncertain world, that the manufacture of cheese 

 in this country will increase immensely, and I see no good reason 

 why the farmers of Maine may not come in for a share of the 

 profits as well as to go without it. 



On the other hand it must be admitted that we are not in posses- 

 sion of the requisite skill, and it cannot be diffused through a large 

 number of families at short notice. Should the manufacture be 

 extensively introduced into the families of Maine farmers, several 

 years of study and of practice must elapse before the product, as 

 a whole, would compete successfully in the foreign market; and 

 at the same time it would greatly increase household labors, and 

 add heavily to burdens already heavj' enough. 



These have the look of serious obstacles, and if they be insur- 

 mountable ones, cheese-making must necessarily make very slow 

 progress. But it is believed that the plan alluded to in my report 

 of last year (pages 81-82) is capable of effectually obviating them 

 both. The advantages of association in the conduct of various 

 branches of art and manufactures, are sufficiently understood and 

 appreciated ; but the farmer has hitherto considered himself ex- 

 cluded from a participation in them by reason of the nature of his 

 occupation. To a considerable extent this is undoubtedly true, 

 but it admits of some exceptions, and here is a notable one, not 

 merely in theory but abundantly proved so by facts. In the man- 

 ufacture of cheese, considerable time must iicc(?ssarily elapse 

 after the milk comes in before the curd goes to press. The pro- 

 cess cannot be hastened without setious injury; during much of 

 this time, where only the milk of ten to fifty cows is employed, 

 there is little or nothing to do but to note the progress making, 

 and with the proper facilities it is scarcely more work to make up 



