Vermont Dairymen's Association. 45 



One of the most serious obstacles in the way of the adoption 

 of the central curing room plan, where it might otherwise be 

 practicable, is the lack of a spirit of co-operation among the 

 factories, and some co-operation is necessary to make the plan a 

 success. 



The cost of operating the Government curing room at 

 Brockville for the season of 1904 will be interesting in this con- 

 nection. The total operating expenses were $2,,5 18.97. This 

 includes $204.87 paid for extra heavy cheese boxes in excess 

 of what was charged to the factories. There was another item 

 of $49.12 for insurance on tlte cheese. Then there is the haul- 

 ing of the cheese which amounted to $1,010.25. These items 

 must be paid in some way,, no matter where the cheese are cured, 

 and when they are eliminated, as they should be in this calcu- 

 lation, it brings the operating expenses down to $1,254.73. De- 

 duct from this amount the revenue of $834.37 from shrinkage 

 saved and it leaves a net deficit of $420.26 on operating account. 

 Against this deficit there is the extra price for which the cool 

 cured cheese were sold. Exact figures cannot be given for this 

 increased value, but a fair estimate places it at $1,500. From 

 this showing it is apparent that there has been a clear gain to 

 the 9 factories that sent cheese to the Brockville curing room 

 during the past season of at least $1,000. This is on 9,740 

 cheese weighing 790,773 lbs. 



improve;me;nt of che;e:se factory curing rooms. 



A large number of cheese factory curing rooms have been 

 improved and others partially improved during the past two or 

 three years, and the indications are that it is principally along 

 this line that the cool curing of cheese is to be carried out. 

 This plan does not disturb the existing order of things, and on 

 the whole it would appear to be the one most worthy of recom- 

 mendation. The necessary improvements can be effected with 

 the minimum of expenses, and no extra labor is involved,, either 

 in handling the cheese or taking care of them. The results will 

 hardly be as uniform as they are at a central curing room, and 

 the average cheesemaker will have to learn a good deal about the 

 control of temperature and moisture, the prevention of mould, 

 etc., but these things will come in time. One thing I fear is that 

 too many factories will be only partially improyed, that the 

 temperature and moisture will not be fully under control, and 

 consequently the cheese from such places will bring discredit on 

 the cool curing movement. The first requisite for a man who 

 starts out to improve a cheese curing room is a clear conception 

 of what he is tryinig to do. He must understand that there are 

 tzvo conditions which he must control if he would ensure sue- 



