RURAL LIFE IN LITCHFIELD COUNTY 



Winchester to New Haven, thus getting to the coast- 

 wise ships part of Winchester's output of cheese. 



It would hardly be fitting to close this discussion on 

 dairy products without some reference to the enor- 

 mous industry of condensed milk which had its ori- 

 gin in Litchfield County, although the data to draw 

 from, in spite of inquiry and research, are meager. The 

 first condensed milk was prepared in a very small way 

 in a building still standing near the railway station in 

 Winsted. The Borden Condensed Milk Company was 

 organized in 1 863 and continued doing business in Win- 

 sted until 1866. Afterward A. M. Gale established a 

 condensary at what is now known as Burrville, in the 

 town of Torrington. The old accounts note that he 

 came to this particular place because of the abundance 

 of pure cold water. Mr. Gale put up milk under the 

 first patent for condensing milk and employing sugar in 

 the process. The business was soon after removed to 

 Dutchess County, N. Y. 



C8°3 



