58 Report op the Chemist op the 



(2) Expressing the decrease of cheese yield noticed in July and 

 August in the form of dollars and cents, there was a falling off 

 amounting to about |600 from June to July or an average of 

 a day and a further decrease in August amounting to nearly 



(3) Expressed in the form of yield of butter, there was a de- 

 crease of 2,760 pounds in July as compared with June and a 

 further decrease of 1,810 pounds in August. 



Having observed the facts, we are confronted with several 

 questions, which inevitably suggest themselves, such as, — 



'^ To what causes were the observed variations due? " 



" Were they entirely normal? " 



" Could such variations be modified so that the losses observed 

 could be lessened? " 



If we look to one or more of several causes to explain the 

 variations observed in the composition and yield of milk, we 

 shall be impressed with the belief that in this case the chief 

 cause of the changes noticed was the lack of nutritious food; 

 and this deficient food supply was caused by the influence of 

 severe drought upon the pastures. It must be kept in mind that 

 those who produce milk for cheese-making depend exclusively 

 during the larger part of the season upon the pastures as the 

 source of food supply, very rarely supplementing this by grain 

 rations or green fodder. In the summer of 1895, the Mohawk 

 Valley, where Mr. Merry's factory is located, experienced one 

 of the most severe and prolonged drouths known in years. Com- 

 mencing in July, rains were very infrequent and insuflScient until 

 some time in September. In July and August when the drouth 

 was most severe, we observe the greatest changes both in com- 

 position and in yield of milk. In September there was an in- 

 crease in yield of milk and a change in composition in the direc- 

 tion of more normal milk. This was in part due to improved 

 pastures, as a result of rains, and also in part due to the fact that 

 farmers were quite generally feeding green corn fodder. 



Of course, we may ask if the changes in composition and yield 

 of milk were not due to advance of lactation and to the discom- 



