ii'i 



DAIRY BUSINESS IN NEW TORE. 



cheese per cow. That this cau be secured, we have 

 the evidence of what has already been done, and our 

 best dairymen unite in saying it can be done, with 

 well selected cows, and with proper care in their keep. 



It is believed that for dairy purposes a very large 

 portion of our State is superior to any portion of 

 the United States. The celebrity of " Goshen but- 

 ter " is known the world over, and yet it is satisfacto- 

 rily proved in our Trans., vol. 7, IH-IT, p. 570, that a 

 very large portion of the butter that has this celeb- 

 rity is made in other counties of our State. 



In the geological survey of our State, Professor 

 Mather, in his report, p. 313, in speaking of the 

 Catskill division, says, "This country is admirably 

 adapted for grazing, both for cattle and sheep, and 

 thejine, sweet grass and cold springs offer as great 

 facilities for making excellent butter as the world 

 affords. A large proportion of the butter sold un- 

 der the name of ' Goshen butter' which is celebrated 

 for its superior qualities, is made in the mountainous 

 regions of Delaware, Sullivan, Ulster, and Greene 

 counties.' And he might have added, butter of like 

 superior quality is made in Broome, Chenango, Che- 

 mung, Tioga, Cortland, Oneida, Lewis, Jefferson, Os- 

 wego, St. Lawrence, etc. 



The lion. Mr. Eames, (of the Assembly,) to whom 

 Mr. Johnson remarked that the society had awarded 

 its premiums, said that he had been engaged in the 

 cheese business for sixteen years, and had followed it 

 up with all such experiments as he deemed would 

 lead to the best practice during that period. There 

 was a vast amount of information to be gained of 

 profit to the dairyman in the selection and keeping 

 of cows and the manufacture of cheese. Buyers 

 had been blameable for abuses in manufacture. 

 Strange as it may seem, it is true. The price for the 

 season is generally fixed, and ranges through the 

 whole course of dairies uniform; whereas there is a 

 vast difference in the manufacture of the article, in 

 the nicety of work, the cleanliness in all cases ob- 

 served, the salt, the amount and quality, the pack- 

 ages, the place of keeping; all this may operate very 

 materially as to the quality. Buyers go in to buy a 

 farmer's dairy of butter. The question is asked — 

 What did you pay my neighbor ? and when the an- 

 swer is given, the reply is, that mine is worth as much 

 as his, and so the price is fixed. Thus a good dairy 

 often sells a poor one. He knew it was so in cheese. 

 Year after year prices are paid similar to that re- 

 ceived for a good article for an article not fit to use, 

 and which would be so decided by a competent judge. 

 That prejudices tlie manufacturer of good cheese. 

 It is often expressed in a dairy district that one gets 

 the same price with the other, and hence it is a plea 

 often used in respect to the preparation of the cheese, 

 and in the curing and packing of it, thus influencing 

 the character of the dairy, and leading to neglect 

 in the manufacture. 



In reference to cows, one dairyman in his neigh- 

 borhood, in Jefterson county, increased his product 

 in cheese one half above his neighbors. Some 

 thought it owing more to the feed he gave than to 

 the quality of his cows, but it was in the selection of 

 his stock with iare and much good judgment as to 

 the feed, thai he was able to keep his stock in good 

 condition during the winter as well as summer. 



Much loss is experienced by dairymen not raising 

 their own cows — as it is the general belief that it 

 costs less to buy than to raise; and so it may be at 

 first, but not eo in the end. The dairies hud been 

 kept in bad state from this cause, but imported stock 

 had come in. Very valuable stock had been import- 

 ed by Brodie and Hungerford, of Adams, which 

 was of great ecvice. 



Mr. JouNsoN — Uew does the Ayrshire stock suc- 

 ceed? 



Mr. Eames — It is spreading and does well. 



Mr. JonNS(3N — The Ayrshire stock is remarkable 

 fine for milking; is it not? 



Mr. EAMts — Yes; and there are also Purhams. 

 He had raised a mixture of Ayrshire and Durham, 

 which promises well. 



Mr. Jou.NSON — How much cheese do you average 

 to a cow? 



Mr. Eames — Not far from 300 lbs. The pasture 

 last year, notwithstanding the drouth, was better than 

 in the previous jear, as the grasshoppers did not af- 

 fect the herbage. There had been a drouth foi 

 about three years. The grasshoppers bad almost 

 made a famine. Their dairies had been revived by 

 the September rains. In relation lo the land foi 

 pasturage, about three acres were sufficient, two o 

 pasture and one of grass, especially if the animab 

 were kept off it, as stock will tread down half as 

 much as they eat. He thought it a great fault wit! 

 dairymen that there was such a wastage of manures 



There was rising moderately a discrimination ii 

 the purchase of cheese, the good bringing more thai 

 the poor. 



Mr. Eames said, cheese to be kept well must bi 

 thoroughly scalded, and worked dry; without this, sal 

 would not keep it any length of time. When ther 

 is whey left in the curd it creates a bad taste 

 There may be too much whey, and cheese which un 

 dergoes this change is unhealthy. 



The dairy business is increasing and extending 

 The Black river valley, the southern tier of counties 

 all hilly regions, are favorable. It is extending ii 

 St. Lawrence, and in Lewis and Jefferson. The lam 

 has not increased much in value, for there is a limi 

 in the price of dairy land. 



There has been a great improvement in the build 

 ings for the dairy. Milking barns have been intro 

 duced, where the cows are tied up night and mornin; 

 for milking, where the work can be done in all weath 

 ers. Ten cows are easier milked in the barn tha] 

 eight outside, and the milk is cleaner. The work cai 

 be done there, when, in the winter mornings, in tb 

 old way, it could not be done. The Welch inak 

 excellent laborers in the dairy, for they have general! 

 followed the business at home and are faithful. 



The good milking qualities of the cow descenc 

 and when there is a good milker the calf may genei 

 ally be relied on to become such. The cross of thi 

 Durham and the native is better than the pure Dui 

 ham. The cross of the Ayrshire and Duiham i 

 equal for milk. The Durham is better for bee; 

 VVhen near the large market of a city it is mucl 

 more profitable to sell the milk than to make buttei 

 About ten pounds of milk to one of cheese, the mill 

 weighing about nine pounds to the gallon. 



