404 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



From the Report of the Committee on Cheese. 



The committee on cheese report that there were but two 

 entries of cheese, both of which were worthy of high praise. 

 The manufacture of cheese is not a pi:pminent article among 

 the dairy products of Hampden ; the rapidly increasing demand 

 for the milk and butter, for the supply of our home market at 

 more remunerating prices, has manifestly reduced the aggre- 

 gate of cheese from former years; the samples on exhibition 

 gave satisfactory evidence that the modus operandi of making 

 an article every way worthy of the premiums offered by the 

 society, had not been laid upon the shelf; it may be considered 

 a question of some importance whether the great number of pre- 

 miums offered upon butter and cheese has the effect desired and 

 aimed at by the society. No one, offering a good article of 

 either, would sacrifice their credit, as the manufacturer, or 

 willingly consent to be placed in the sixth degree of excellence. 

 It is not our duty to suggest a better way ; we only commend 

 the subject for consideration. 



H. E. MosELY, Chairman. 



FEANKLIN'. 

 From the Report of the Committee on Butter. 



Butter, from long and common use may justly be considered one 

 of the necessaries of life ; and any improvement in its richness 

 or purity, adds to the health and comfort of our great family. 



Twenty specimens of the article have been submitted to your 

 committee for inspection, most of which bear evidence of com- 

 mendable skill and taste in manufacture. 



In deciding upon the relative claims of the various competi- 

 tors for the society's premiums, your committee have felt a 

 degree of diffidence in making tlie selections, on account of 

 the equality of many of the samples. Then, in deciding upon 

 the qualities of such an article that one calls prime, another 

 might, with as much propriety, call second, so our decision 

 must necessarily be somewhat arbitrary. 



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