252 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



and Norm ancles cows, which give 2,500 quarts of milk per year, the cow 

 of the Salers is rated as a moderate milker ; but t-his inferiority does 

 not apply to the whole race, for in Auvergne, as in Normandy, and in the 

 north, we find cows which give 3,000 quarts. 



The average of the dairies of Auvergne is at 1,500 quarts, or there- 

 about^ per head. This is less than with the two before-mentioned races, 

 but the difference is equally great in the consumption of food. Indeed, 

 in Cantal the annual food of a cow consists of grass in pasture for eight 

 months of the year, and 18 or 20 pounds of hay for the rest of the time, 

 while in Normandy and the north the cows are always gorged to reple- 

 tion with a variety of food, and at a cost of three times that of the cows 

 of Caatal, so that for the same amount of food the cow of Salers gives 

 a greater return of milk. The milk of the cow of Salers is very rich 

 and well adapted to making cheese. 



CANTAL CHEESE. 



Cheese-making is general and well managed in the mountains of Au- 

 vergne. This cheese is known throughout France as " Oautal cheese." 

 Its manufacture is so simple that I have ventured to insert it. 



The milk is curdled by pressure in large vats, without skimming. 

 The curd is then strained through a straining bag of white bolting cloth, 

 kneaded, salted, and pressed. The whey, still containing some particles 

 of butter and cheese, is mixed with milk, which causes the cream to rise. 

 From this butter is churned. The cheesy particles remaining after the 

 churning are utilized for making a common cheese, consumed in the 

 locality. The whey remaining after the last process, not being consid- 

 ered too rich, is given to the hogs. A Salers cow produces from 8 to 

 12 quarts of milk per day, while an occasional one is found giving 25 

 quarts. About 11,000,000 pounds of cheese are annually made in this 

 region, an average of about 410 pounds per cow. The best dairies turn 

 out 440 pounds per head, inferior ones 220 pounds. In. the spring it 

 requires 1,000 to 1,100 quarts of milk for 100 kilograms (220 pounds, of 

 cheese, but as the season advances the richness of the milk in cheese 

 increases. In the fall it again requires 600 quarts of milk for 100 kilo- 

 grams (220 pounds) of cheese. An average for the year would be about 

 t he latter figure. This same milk produces besides from 15 J to 18 pounds 

 of butter. This cheese is sold to the merchants at about 10 cents per 

 pound. This price corresponds to about 6J cents per quart for milk. 

 In Normandy and the north the milk of which the butter is made gives 

 only a return of about 4 cents per quart. 



This difference of price probably indicates the difference in the qual- 

 ity of the milk of the two breeds. This cheese is mostly consumed in 

 Limousin and the south of France, and, though not sought for by the 

 epicures, is palatable and nourishing. It is claimed that the " race de 

 Salers is less important in a dairy point of view than in furnishing 

 working cattle and food. 



THE SALERS CROSS-BREEDS. 



The cross-breeding has been tried with the English races of Durham, 

 Devon, the Scotch breed of West Highland, and the Swiss races. The 

 animals of the cross-breed of the Durham at the late exhibition at Paris 

 indicated a slightly greater precocity, but the general verdict of those 

 who have carefully examined the subject is that the crossing has not 

 ameliorated the race, ard that this can only be effected by a careful 

 selection of breeding tiu;mals taken from the admirable race itself. 



