84 ILLINOIS STATE DAIKYMEN's ASSOCIATION. 



the city during tte year. Of course, much more is received upon various 

 roads, but the writer has not the figures at command. 



Throughout the country from whence the above supplies are drawn are 

 located numerous cheese factories, which receive and work up a still greater 

 amount of lacteal fluid. Twenty-five years ago this trade was unknown to 

 the West. With the present ratio, what will it become in another quarter 

 of a century? 



In conclusion, we present a few figures and detached statements, such 

 as were readily attainable, in reference to the milk business of the Fox river 

 valley. 



The Illinois Condensing Factory, located in Elgin and managed by Lee 

 Borden, Esq., last year used 1,045,705 gallons of milk, giving employment 

 to seventy-two persons, and paying out a great deal of money to the farmers. 

 The works are on a grand scale, and a source of regular profit. Fourteen 

 thousand cans are made in the building each day and filled with condensed 

 milk and sold. 



Many factorymen are diffident about furnishing data, or it would have 

 been a pleasure to have presented a valuable table of the dairy products of 

 the above named four counties for the year 1877. It represents a vast 

 capital, untiring industry and skill. The dairymen as a class are becoming 

 wealthy, and richly deserve the rewards they receive, as you will scarcely 

 find in the country an equal number of as capable, intelligent and keen 

 business men as in the dairy district of Illinois. 



The transactions of the Elgin Board of Trade, which operates solely 

 in dairy products, during the past year were as follows : 



Pounds of cheese sold, 6,673,386; pounds of butter sold, 1,174,385. 



Cheese ranged from seven to thirteen cents per pound, and butter from 

 twenty-two to thirty-six cents. 



The average sales of each meeting were $29,975. 83^. 



In connection with the above we give the following figures, as to totals 

 in pounds, of the dairy product of the United States, which, when fairly 

 considered, are enormous, and, we may add, constantly upon the increase : 

 The annual product of cheese in the United States for the year of 1877 

 was 300,000,000 pounds, or about 1,000,000 pounds for each working day 

 of the year. Of this product 110,000,000 pounds was marketed abroad. 

 The butter made during the same period is estimated at 800,000,000 pounds. 



