The Afjriculture of Staffordshire. 
271 
cheese is made, and when the natural supply of food is prreatest. 
Cows receive no artificial food during the summer, except in bad 
seasons, when the best farmers allow cake. In large dairies, 
where there must always be a certain number of cows that calve 
irregularly, the process of cheese-making is continued all the 
year, but superior cheese can only be made on grass. A first-rate 
cow will yield 14/. worth of cheeso, at 6O5. a cwt. of 120 lbs., and 
the year's produce of the cow will be : — 
£. s. <1. 
Cheese 14 0 0 
Whey butter 2 0 0 
Calf 10 0 
Whey for pigs 1 10 0 
18 10 0 
Cheese-making is occasionally continued all the year round ; 
but in general the winter's milk is disposed of by suckling or 
butter-making. An eminent cheese-farmer informs me that his 
average price in the past ten years has been 74^. per 120 lbs. ; his 
highest and lowest prices of the year's make have been 80s. in 
18G6 and 1868, and Qbs. in 1861. His average yield of cheese 
in the same period has been 2 cwts. (120 lbs.) per acre of land 
summer-grazed, and 4 cwts. per cow. The sales are made three 
times a year — in August, November, and April. Cheese loses 
weight rapidly. 
Another farmer, who makes cheese all through the winter, 
gives 4J cwts. per cow as his average. The average yield of wheat 
on these two farms is rather under 4 qrs. per acre. Cows are 
not generally milked for ten or twelve weeks previous to calving. 
The best cheese from regular good pasture is made after the 
middle of May. The common size of cheeses is from four to six 
to the cwt. of 120 lbs. ; the large cheeses of 50 lbs. to 150 lbs. are 
made chiefly on the Cheshire side of the county. The size is to 
a great extent a matter of fancy and custom on the part of masters 
and servants : at the same time cheese on strong soils is liable to 
"heave" (ferment) during the process of drying, and in some 
cases it is considered necessary to remove a portion of cream, 
instead of using " whole " milk. The flavour of cheese is affected 
by artificial food. Over-stocking is a temptation and a mistake, 
which has given occasion to a saying, " If you want more milk, 
sell a cow ! " 
The only stock allowed to pasture with the co^vs are a few 
horses ; they eat close, and are not objectionable. Sheep feed 
with the young stock on the inferior pastures, and should never 
mix with the dairy. One ewe, with her progeny, to three acres 
of grass is considered a sufficient stock of sheep. Ewes Avintered 
on the best system are fed on hay and straw chaff", malt-dust, oats, 
