232 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



tree, Ilardwick Centre, Petersham, Warren. In these seven fac- 

 tories the average quantity of milk to one pound cured cheese was 

 IOyYo pounds, ranging from Q^q\ pounds to lO^y^Q pounds of 

 milk to one pound of cheese. It will be seen, by the comparison 

 of figures, that the New York factories make a pound of cheese 

 from 9^^Q pounds of milk, while in Massachusetts it takes 10y\)^ 

 pounds. In New York the cows yield 308 pounds, while Massa- 

 chusetts cows yield 360 pounds. 



We have, during the last season, visited the West Brookfield 

 Milk Condensing and Cheese Factory, but were not able to learn 

 much about the value of the business. Out of 100 pounds of milk 

 they receive from 22 pounds to 25 pounds condensed milk, which 

 brings thirty-three cents per pound, or $6.50 for the 100 pounds of 

 milk, which is now worth $2.50, leaving a gross profit of $4.09 

 for each 100 pounds of milk. What it cost, to condense, can, &c., 

 we could ascertain nothing. Another kind of fancy condensed 

 milk, called at the factory fresh milk used by the European 

 steamers, is milk condensed to about the consistency of rich 

 cream or honey. This has no sugar, and, put up in eight-quart 

 cans, brings forty cents per quart. They also can make cheese 

 by evaporating the whey — whether of any advantage I could not 

 learn. Another fact we learned at this factory. Whey, as 

 drawn from the factory, will give a handsome percentage of 

 sugar, showing that nearly all the sugar contained in milk passes 

 off in the whey in process of cheese-making, leading us to 

 believe that the whey is worth all that is claimed for it by the 

 farmers connected with the cheese-factories — from four to five 

 dollars per cow. 



In summing up this dry detail of figures, the result is nearly 

 as follows ; — Milk, at fifty cents per can of twc^ity pounds. 

 Butter should be worth ^'^^^^ cents per pound ; cheese, 25-:^^^, 

 in Massachusetts. Cheese in New York should be 22^*^^^^ cents 

 per pound ; while to condense it should bring, supposing the 

 cost of manufacturing, marketing, &c., was the same, the milk 

 would be worth one dollar and thirty-two cents per can, or 

 nearly three times what it is to sell. H. R. Keith. 



This Report having been accepted, Mr. Tidd, of New Brain- 

 tree, also submitted the following upon 



