262 ADAPTABILIXr OF MAINE TO DAIRYING. 



of the dairy are earlier and more readily turned into cash. Sixtb, 

 That the product of the farm is concentrated into small compass 

 and hence the cost of transportation is reduced to a niiuiraum. 

 Lastly, That an increased and permanent foreign demand renders 

 prices stable, so that the dairyman can always count upon the 

 income from his dairy farm. 



The location of Maine is i so favorable for the carrying on of 

 dairying, that we doubt if any more desirable locality can be found 

 in which to prosecute this important branch of farming, when we 

 consider its climate, its soil, its grasses, its accessibility and its 

 markets. 



There are now about sixty cheese factories operating in this 

 State the present season,' and they will average some five or more 

 tons of cheese apiece ; returns give over twelve tons each on an 

 average. This will amount in the aggregate to some 300 tons of 

 cheese. Suppose the private make amounts to one-half this, or. 

 150 tons — and we think this a very liberal estimate — the sum total 

 would be 450 tons. The population of Maine as given by the last 

 census is 626,400. This would be only about one and a half pounds 

 of cheese to each person. Nine factories in Waldo county, last 

 year (1876) made 91 tons of cheese, on an average often tons per 

 factory. On this basis there would be made in the State some 600 

 tons of cheese at the factories, and raising the private make to 200 

 tons the total would be 800 tons or 1,600,000 pounds, which would 

 give almost three pounds to each inhabitant of the State. This 

 will show whether we are likely very soon to supply even the 

 home market for cheese. We are largely dependent upon Western 

 manufacturers for our cheese, even with our 60 factories and our 

 numerous private dairies. In butter, the supply, such as it is, is 

 nearer the demand in quantity, but not so near in quality, as is the 

 case with the cheese. 



The last census gives the number of milch cows in Maine at 

 133,556. Now suppose one-eighth of these wholly engaged in 

 cheese making, there would be left 116,862 for milk supply and for 

 butter making. Suppose again that each of these cows produces 

 100 pounds of butter per annum, and they ought to produce very 

 much more, there would be 11,686,200 pounds of butter made or 

 5,843 tons. The census gives the amount of butter made in Maine 

 at 11,636,482 pounds, and of cheese 1,152,590. The census also 

 gives the number of gallons of milk sold at 1,374,091, enough to 

 make 13,800,000 pounds of cheese or 6,870,455 pounds of butter. 



