SECHETARY'S REPORT. 233 



THE DAIRY. 



Jililk, in whatever form it is used, whether fresh from the cow 

 for consumption, or manufactured into butter or cheese, is a pro- 

 duct of great importance, both from the amount of sustenance 

 derived from it for human support, and the revenue received 

 from it. 



"When we contemplate the amount of capital invested, and the 

 large amount of produce obtained from this one source of hus- 

 bandry, for exportation as well as for home consumption, it may 

 be well to inquire whether, from the practice of those engaged in 

 dairying, results are always such as should be satisfactory. The 

 art of making butter and cheese was known from the earliest age 

 of the world's history, and practised by the rude inhabitants of 

 that early period, but, probably, differing considerably from the 

 present mode ; and even in our own time, at the present day, 

 there is a diversity of practice in cheese-making, as the variety 

 in market, and price obtained, fully shows. But, possibly, all 

 regard their own way best, and those who do not receive so high 

 a price as others, attribute the failure to some other cause rather 

 than the true one, — the inferior quality of the cheese. To have 

 uniformity in appearance and in quality, a like practice must 

 be pursued. 



In looking at market prices, we see a variation of 'perhaps two 

 cents per pound, when, in reality, the difference, from the lowest 

 to the highest, is more than twice that, and this difference arises 

 from the mode of manufacture, as the milk, when drawn from 

 the cow, is nearly the same, and susceptible of producing the 

 same kind of cheese, with the like management. In some dairies, 

 while there will be some good cheese, there will be some of 

 inferior quality, and this lack of uniformity lessens the price of 

 the whole. 



The subject of the dairy, and cheese manufacture, has, of 

 late, been so fully and well treated by the able Secretary of this 

 Board, and others, and published in their reports, and agricul- 

 tural journals, that it would be superfluous in me to say any- 

 thing upon this subject, were I not impelled to do so by this 

 Board. 



I shall, without going into the various methods of making the 



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