90 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



States." One cause of decline is believed to be a decrease in the con- 

 sumption of cheese in England dne to the shipment of frozen meats 

 from Australia and South America to England, which are sold at a 

 lower price than formerly. Another very important cause is believed 

 to be the manufacture and sale of filled cheese. This matter is dis- 

 cussed in considerable detail, and the measures which have been taken 

 in the different States against filled cheese are noted. 



As to the importation of cheese into the United States, it is shown 

 that, in 1885, 0,247,560 lbs. of cheese, valued at $904,587, was imported, 

 while in 1895 this had increased to 10,440,803 lbs., valued at $1,471,091. 



"It will be seen that our imports have iucreased 67 per cent in the 11 years enu- 

 merated above, while our exports during the same period have diminished in just 

 about the same proportion. At an average price of Hi cts. for the cheese sent abroad 

 the past year, the value of our exports is only as much again as the money paid out 

 for imports. Nearly a million aud a half of dollars was paid to foreign countries for 

 cheese delicacies, a portion of which might be made at home if our dairymen aud 

 cheese makers would only do their work in the right aud proper way. . . . 



"It will be seen at a glance that the importations from Switzerland and Italy 

 comprise more than three-fourths of the whole amount, and that of the remainder 

 the Netherlands contribute about 36 per cent and France about, one-third. The 

 cheese from France is principally Roquefort, Camembert, and Hne. Of these last 

 two varieties we make a certain amount, but they do not compare favorably in qual- 

 ity with the foreign .noods The stock imported from the Netherlands is composed 

 chiefly of Edams, although there are also a few Goudas. Some attempt has been 

 made to produce Edams in Wisconsin, but it has not proved to be a success. So far 

 as can be learned, there ought io be no serious obstacle to producing a line quality 

 of Edam cheese in this country. 



"American sweitzer is made not only in New York, but in Ohio, Indiana, 

 Michigan, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and on the Pacific (oast. Tin; product of Wis- 

 consin is decidedly preferred to that of the other States by dealers in New York 

 City. At the same time ii is far from being equal to the imported Swiss cheese, as 

 is shown by the prices at which it sells. The foreign article was sold by importers 

 in the early winter of L896 at 1 i » to 20 its., while the same parties jobbed American 

 sweitzer at 12 to 13 cts. There could be no such difference as this if there was any- 

 thing like a parity in the quality of the two. Nearly 5,000,000 lbs. of imported 

 Swiss cheese is used in this country . 



"[A liberal estimate] would place the entire make of Swiss cheese in this country 

 at 2,500,000 lbs., which is about one-half of the amount imported. It shows that 

 there is a wide margin here for the improvement and extension of manufacture of 

 this class of goods also. 



"The importations from Italy consist of 7 varieties, viz : Romano, Keggiauo, Par- 

 mesan, Gorgonzola, Caccio Cavallo, Formaggio di lira, and ( lanestrato. Of these, the 

 Romano is most largely imported, while Parmesan and Reggiano come next. Of the 

 other 4 varieties only small quantities of such are brought over, three of them 

 belonging to a class which may properly be called noncivilized cheese. The Romano 

 variety is made from the milk of buffaloes, [which] contains hardly any butter fat, 

 and there would seem to be no great hindrance to the production of Romano cheese 

 in this country out of skimmed milk, providing the correct method of manufacture 

 was followed and the requisite time given for curing, lint it is not probable that 

 Parmesan cheese could be produced hen- successfully. . . . Reggiano, whicb is 

 made of full cream, is a mild and wholly civilized cheese, luit requires long age to 

 perfect it." 



