260 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE). 



venient to use. Of course we have had the advantage of my 

 mother's hfe-time of experience and we have had an oppor- 

 tunhy to take advantage of her improvements as well as to 

 profit by her mistakes. 



We have done away with all the old wooden utensils and 

 have installed zinc sinks and are daily striving to improve our 

 cheese in every possible way and by so doing have been able 

 to increase the price to us from 8c per pound to 22 wholesale 

 and 25 retail, thus showing that this subject should appeal to 

 the wife of every farmer for the art of making good cheese 

 is a benefit to the family, financially as well as otherwise. 



Experience has shown that any one can make a success of 

 cheese-making if he will give it the energy and attention that it 

 requires. People are just beginning to realize that cheese is 

 fast becoming one of the most important items of food. More 

 cheese is being consumed by the American people today than 

 in years gone by when it was cheaper and poorer in quality. 

 That is as it should be, for good cheese, as a regular diet is 

 palatable, nourishing and healthful and the consumer cannot 

 buy anything for his table that will give greater value for his 

 money; but care should be exercised by the consumer in select- 

 ing his cheese. However, the farmer is independent and can 

 produce his own and therefore know just what he is using. 



The directions for successful cheese making are difficult o 

 state for much depends on the good judgment of the maker, and 

 this judgment can only be acquired by actual experience and 

 practice. The ordinary process employed in making American 

 cheese in a factory, is not suitable for the private dairy. An 

 outfit for making cheese on a small scale, for family use, can 

 be made at home, for you would use only small quantities of 

 milk, but in manufacturing domestic cheese for the market and 

 making it a profitable business, one must have a suitable outfit 

 to save labor; also a curing room that can be kept at an even 

 temperature. Another important factor which I wish to em- 

 phasize is the matter of cows, the source of the milk. From 

 experience we have found that the best results can be derivea 

 from Holsteins, therefore we have kept culling our herd until 

 we have nothing else. Of course thoroughbreds would be pref- 

 erable but good results are obtained from grades. Then, too, 

 the care of the cows is a factor that must not be overlooked. 



