60 



The return from Cheshire the past season 1838-9 embraces only 

 the principal dairies, as it was not in my power to obtain a more com- 

 plete return. This gives 270,500 lbs. of cheese ; but there is no 

 reason to suppose there has been any falling off. 



2. Peru. The return I have from Peru of butter and cheese 

 made for sale in that town in the season of 1838, is of cheese 30,000 

 lbs., of butter 13,000 lbs. The town of Peru has a population of 

 650, and its principal husbandry is the raising of wool. 



3. Sandisjield. The quantity of cheese produced in Sandisfield 

 in 1838, for sale is estimated at 300,000 lbs. Sandisfield has a pop- 

 ulation of 1493. From other towns in the county, though returns 

 were promised, I have been unable to obtain any but such as are 

 wholly conjectural. 



A farm in South Adams last year produced more than 16,000 lbs. 

 new milk cheese. 



I hope it will not be deemed inconsistent with the proper gravity 

 of my report, if I here refer particularly to an individual case of 

 dairy farming in this vicinity, which much interested me, and holds 

 out a beautiful and encouraging example of the success of industrj', 

 perseverance, frugality, and good management. 



This farmer has now a dairy of 24 cows ; and they produce a 

 cheese per day, weighing about 100 lbs. Supposing that it requires 

 a gallon of milk to produce one pound of cheese, this would give 400 

 quarts of milk per day, or at the rate of 10 2-3 of a quart to a cow. 

 These cows are all of native stock ; most of them raised by himself. 

 His average product of new milk cheese to a cow in a season, is 

 betv/een 500 and 600 lbs. Last year the actual yield was 598 lbs. 

 to a cow. Of his 24 cows last year, two were heifers of two years old, 

 just come in. Four years since he was the owner of a cow, whose 

 milk in the best season amounted by actual weight to 70 lbs. per day. 

 During the time of her greatest yield, she was fed with four pails of 

 cheese whey, and some rye meal. She was of native stock. This farm- 

 er has a heifer from her, which gives, as he supposes, 60 lbs. of milk 

 per day. He gives an opinion, which from his successful experience 

 certainly deserves attention; that heifers which "come in" with 

 their first calf at two years old, do better than when their coming in 

 is delayed until three years old. Their milking properties are in this 

 way improved. Probably hv is right in this matter ; but the general 



