Dairy Industry. 61 



"rusty" in these subjects. The short courses are intended for such 

 men, providing they want to learn thoroughly the practical side of 

 their work and as much as possible of the theory. 



Prospective students are always advised to gain some experience in 

 a cheese or butter factory or a milk shipping station before coming 

 here. But sometimes this is impracticable and a student is admitted 

 without previous experience. That such a one may succeed in a 

 responsible position is shown by the following description of " A 

 Model Cheese Factory," which was visited last summer by the instruc- 

 tor in cheese-making. The operator of the factory never made cheese 

 before he entered the Short Dairy-Course in January, 1905. 



A MODEL CHEESE FACTORY. 



This factory is located in Schoharie county. The plant is new and 

 excellent drainage has been provided. The floor is made of cement 

 and the equipment throughout is of the best, including a continuously- 

 pressing steel press and a galvanized iron whey vat. Payments to 

 patrons for milk are based upon the most up-to-date method. They 

 depend upon the fat contained in the milk and not upon weight of 

 milk alone, as is the conmion practice. The average test of milk is 

 4.7 per cent, fat, and it requires less than nine pounds of this milk to 

 make one pound of cured cheese. The factory man gets $1.20 per 

 hundred pounds for manufacturing and furnishing, and the milk 

 nets the patrons an average of $1.18 per hundred pounds when cheese 

 sells for 11^ cents per pound, as they are selling at the time this report 

 is made out. 



The patrons have learned to value clean whey as a stock food. 

 Accordingly the whey vat, which is placed on the floor above the 

 working room, receives the same care as the vat in which cheese are 

 made. The whey is delivered to the patrons in nearly as good con- 

 dition as is the milk when received. A careful feeder estimates its 

 value at 12 cents per 100 pounds when fed to swine. It is distributed 

 to the patrons through an automatic weighing machine, which appor- 

 tions it according to the amount of milk the different persons deliver. 



The cheese are made by the most improved methods known in the 

 American cheese-making districts. They are uniform in quality, 

 firm and solid in texture, and they develop a high and delicious flavor 

 when allowed to age. 



3. Inspections. — During the season 108 visits were made at the 

 factories of previous Dairy-Course students in different parts of the 

 state. This part of the work is considered an important supplement 

 to the Short Dairy-Course. It is carried on primarily to ascertain if 



