404 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



it had been previously adopted to a considerable extent in Switzerland, espe- 

 cially in those cantons where the famous Gruyere cheese is made. Miss John- 

 sou, in her work on "The Cottages of the Alps," tells us that in 1859 there 

 were several hundred cheese societies in the canton of Vaud alone. 



With Mr. Williams the plan worked well, and before long he increased his 

 facilities so as to make up the milk of four hundred cows or more. Farmers 

 are usually cautious, and slow in changing long-established customs and prac- 

 tices ; but the advantages of this new notion were so evident and indisputable 

 that gradually similar establishments were set up, and when I was there a year 

 ago it was said there were over ten of these cheese factories within a circle of 

 about ten miles. During a visit the present year (1863 j the number was found 

 to be largely increased, and so recently had many of them been established that 

 it was not easy to ascertain with cortuiuty how many were in actual operation. 

 From various sources, however, a list was obtained of more than thirty of these 

 cheese factories in Oneida county alone, besides five in the adjoining county of 

 Herkimer, and of several in other sections; and they would average nearly five 

 hundred cows to each. 



Some twelve or fifteen years ago the experiment was tried on the Western 

 Reserve, Ohio, of buying up curds made in family dairies, to be scalded, salted, 

 pressed, and cured at several establishments started for that purpose, but after 

 some years of trial they all failed. 



The advantages which it is generally conceded attach to the mode of associa- 

 tion now in successful operation, over that by private families, are superior 

 quality and uniformity of product, by reason of which a higher price is com- 

 manded ; also a saving by buying at wholesale such materials as salt, bandages, 

 boxes, annatto, &c.; and more than all, in relieving the farmer and his family of 

 the labor and care of manufacture and of ripening. The higher price obtained 

 has in all cases been found, so far as my own observation extends, to be equal 

 to the cost of manufacture, and in not a few instances has resulted in a positiv 

 gain of as much more. This is no more than should reasonably be expected. 

 When a high degree of skill and imdividcd attention are bestowed on any branch 

 of industry, we look Avith confidence for beneficial results, and the prospect is 

 in no way damaged if ways and means are found whereby five are enabled to 

 accomplish as much as thirty or fifty used to do by former methods. 



These establishments, in all cases where I have known them, partake to a 

 gx-eater or less degree of a mutual character. Sometimes they are erected and 

 owned by an association of a dozen or more, who intend to bring their milk to 

 it to be manufactured, and who appoint a superintendent and an executive com- 

 mittee to have charge of its entire management. In such cases it is customary 

 to deduct from the proceeds the salary of the superintendent, wages of opera- 

 tors, and all other expenses, together with a certain per-centage, usually fifteen 

 or twenty, supposed to be sufiicient to compensate for interest on capital em- 

 ployed, and for depreciation of buildings and machinery, and then to divide 

 the remainder in proportion to the amount of milk contributed by each. 



The buildings are erected and the apparatus furnished by one or two, who 

 first make an agreement with the neighbonng farmers to supply the milk of a 

 certain number of cows for a certain number of years, and in return receive each 

 their proportionate amount of the proceeds of the sale of the cheese, first de- 

 ducting a fixed sum, usually one cent per pound, for manufacturing, and also 

 their proportionate share of the cost of salt, bandages, boxes, and other smal 

 items of incidental expense. When operated in this method, it is supposed that 

 the milk of not less than four to five hundred cows is needful to make it a pay- 

 ing business on the usual terms, and that profit rapidly increases in proportion 

 as the number of cows is greater. 



In selecting a location for a cheese factory two requisites are sought : First, 

 that it be central and easy of access ; and next, that it be furnished with an 



