280 
and completeness than have hitherto been possible. The following ab- 
stract is founded chiefly on the census publications of the three } past 
decades, compared with official tables of imports, exports, &e. : 
From 1850 to 1860 there was an increase of 47 per cent. in the butter 
product of the United States, and a decrease of 2 per cent. in the cheese 
product; increase of population 354 per cent. From 1860 to 1870 the 
cheese product increased 57 per cent., and the butter product 12 per 
cent.; increase of population 225 percent. For the twenty years, from 
1850 to 1870, the increase of the cheese product was 54 per cent., and 
that of the butter product 64 per cent.; increase of population 66 per - 
cent. The growth of the cheese interest from 1860 to 187 0, consequent 
on the rise ‘ant extension of the cheese-factory system, presents a re- 
markable contrast to the exhibit of the preceding decade. The aver- 
age annual export of cheese (domestic product) during the ten years 
ending June 30, 1870, was 43,641,796 pounds, against an average of 
7,853,383 pounds for the preceding decade. The exports of 1871 and 
1872 averaged nearly 65,000,000 pounds. 
The census of 1870 states the number of cheese-factories in the 
United states at 1,313, and their product of cheese at 109,455,229 pounds, 
’ showing an average of 83,363 pounds per factory; number of cheese- 
factories in New York, 818, averaging 95,362 pounds of cheese. This 
statement of production chiefly covers the favorable season of 1869. 
On referring to_the New York State census of 1865, it is found that the 
reports of 380 factories exhibited an average of 83,278 pounds of cheese, 
and 424 reports showed ap average of 307 cows per factory for the season. 
One hundred and thirty-three factories, “ using the milk of 300 cows and 
upward,” gave full statistics, including the length of the working season, 
the latter averaging a little more than six months; average number of 
cows, 504; average of cured cheese per cow, 283 pounds; average pro- 
duct of cheese per factory, 142,432 pounds. 
From comparison of all attainable data, it would appear that in 1869 
and 1870 the cheese-factories of the United States did not average ov 
300 cows each, and that the average of cheese per cow for the working 
season fell below 300 pounds. There is no reason to believe that this 
average of cows has been increased since that time; indeed, the reports 
of the dairy associations have indicated a tendency in the contrary di- 
rection. New York factory statements, appearing in the reports of the 
American Dairymen’s Association, show that 400 pounds of cheese per 
cow for a season of seven months to seven and a half months fairly 
represent the extreme averages of the State—that is to say, averages 
covering a long season. 
The United States census exhibits of 1859, 1860, and 1870, collated 
with statistics of export and import, show, for each individual, an ay- 
erage yearly consumption of butter ranging from 133 to 144 pounds, the 
latter figures being for the middle period, or that of 1860. The average 
consumption of cheese has ranged from very nearly 3 pounds to 4 pounds, 
the latter being the exhibit of 1850. For 1870 the rate was a little over 
3 pounds per individual. Mr. G. E. Morrow, of Madison, Wisconsin, 
secretary of the Northwestern Dairymen’s Association, states that Mad- 
ison, with a population of about 10,000, averaged, in 1872, a consunip- 
tion of 4 pounds of cheese per individual. 
The following table shows the rates of increase of the butter and 
cheese product, during twenty years, in the States named, with the 
rates of increase of population : 
