220 [Senate 



CHEESE DAIRY. 



Extract from the report of E. Comstock, Chairman of the award- 

 ing Committee, made to the annual meeting of the State iVgriculturai 

 Society . 



But two applications for this premium have been made to the So- 

 ciety, one by Mr. Alonzo L. Fish, of Litchfield, Herkimer county, 

 and the other by Mr. Abraham Hall, of Floyd, Oneida county, both 

 of which the Committee consider valuable and interesting, and either 

 of which, so far as the quantity manufactured is concerned, are justly 

 entitled to the premium offered by the Society. 



Mr. Fish has furnished a paper minutely detailing all the particu- 

 lars of his management from which the Committee have made the fol- 

 lowing brief abstract. 



Number of cows kept is twenty-five. 



The cows are fed while giving milk, in the foddering season, with 

 four quarts of wheat bran per day, or in place of the bran, one peck 

 of roots. In summer, they run in pasture, always receiving the whey 

 and slops of the dairy, (as no hogs are kept) and about the first of 

 August commence feeding stalks (from corn sown broadcast) in the 

 morning as much as they will eat. The cows are not allowed any 

 shade trees in the field, but temporary sheds are erected, which are 

 considered much better for the cows, and far more economical, as no 

 obstructions are presented to plowing and cultivation. 



The quantity of cheese made in 1844, between May 1st and Sept. 



17th, is 5661 lbs. per cow, or 14,163 lbs. 



Made from cows which come in before 1st May, 650 " 



Making in all 14,813 " 



or an average of 592 lbs. per cow, before the 17th of September. 

 Mr. Fish estimates that the quantity made after September l7th, will 

 make up the average to 700 lbs. from each cow. In the dairy are 

 three 3 years old heifers. 



The annual average in this dairy for the last three years, is 590 lbs. 

 per cow ; which, at $6 per hundred, (the value placed upon it by 

 Mr. Fish,) gives an average product of $41 .40 per cow. 



No statement of the price received this year is given, but the Com- 

 mittee consider 5i cents about as much as could be realized for the 

 best dairies. The account would then show an average product of 

 $37.50, the preceding year. 



The Committee regret that an exact account of the expenses of 

 cultivating the farm is not given. As an approximation to correct- 

 ness, the following items may be interesting : 



Expenses. 



To 200 bushels of shorts, 9d., $18.00 



« 20 do, oat meal, 20<^., 4.00 



One man 8 months, to make cheese, at $11, 88.00 



One " 8 " on farm,at 111, 88.00 



