THE FACTORY SYSTEM. 311 



From the reports of last year, it appears that on an average a 

 little over ten pounds of milk were required for one pound of 

 cured cheese ; and from what experiments I have examined, not 

 far from twenty-two pounds are required for one pound of but- 

 ter. These experiments on butter must have been under favor- 

 able circumstances, as it usually requires more milk for a pound 

 of butter. With these figures and the prices of butter and 

 cheese the past season, there would seem to be a preponderance 

 in favor of butter. But there are more difficulties attending 

 the manufacture of butter the entire season. We have as yet 

 only one butter and cheese factory in Massachusetts, and that is 

 in Westborough. I have no definite reports, but from what 

 information I have, am led to the belief that the butter part 

 has been a success ; and the failure of cheese a part of the 

 season was more a want of skill in the manufacturer than from 

 any other cause. Mr. Willard, of New York, in speaking of 

 butter and cheese factories, says some have proved highly suc- 

 cessful, while others have failed ; but that their failure was more 

 a want of skill in their management than from any other cause. 



Under the common dairy system, or mode of cheese making, 

 it was more a matter of luck than otherwise, there not being an 

 exact system by which it is managed in its various processes. 

 Under the factory system it is reduced more to a science, the 

 whole operation being carried on by exact rule, to be varied, 

 however, according to circumstances, such as the weather, it 

 requiring a little more salt when the weather is very warm ; 

 and sometimes hurried through its different processes quicker 

 than at other times, owing to the condition of the milk. This 

 must of course be regulated according to the judgement of the 

 operator. 



By examination I find there is a great difference in the 

 product of different dairies, per cow ; varying from forty to fifty- 

 two or three dollars per cow, for seven months of the year. 

 Some dairies averaged as high as seventy dollars per cow for 

 the entire year ; milk being sold when cheese was not made. 

 There are reports from New York dairies that run much higher. 

 But from our own reports we arc led to the belief that farmers 

 suffer great loss by not being more careful in their selection of 

 cows. If the income from one cow is thirty or forty dollars 

 per year, while another on precisely the same keeping reaches 



