186 
Report on the Cheese Factory System ; 
a neighbourhood bind themselves under contract to deliver milk 
at the factory for a series of years as an inducement for the 
investment of capital in the factory, &c. In this case the manu- 
facturer, or proprietor of the factory, has no interest or claim 
upon the cheese which belongs to patrons. They appoint a 
salesman, and control the product precisely as in the first 
instance. 
It will be seen that under this system of checks every one 
delivering milk is upon an equality, as each man if he choose 
can weigh his milk at home and compare it with the weight at 
the factory as entered on his pass-books. I'he company is 
responsible for milk delivered, the account being payable in 
cheese. In other words, the institution is a kind of bank where 
milk is deposited instead of money. 
With these remarks I pass at once to your questions. 
1. Number of Coios {(iveraqe). — The number varies from 300 
to 2000. Our experience shows that a factory with less than 
300 cows does not pay expenses including interest on capital 
invested, unless an extra rate is charged for manufacturing. 
Extremely large factories — say 1500 to 2000 cows — do not 
give the best returns to farmers. There is usually more waste : 
the milk comes from a long distance, is liable to be in bad con- 
dition, and the work at the factory is often hurried (perhaps 
sometimes from necessity) and slighted. I do not say that this 
is always so, but such is the general working of these large 
establishments. 
The best results are obtained, both as to quantity and quality 
of product, where the factory uses the milk of from 500 to 800 
cows, or, at least, not above lOOO. Taking the average of fac- 
tories, I think the number of cows will not exceed 500. 
2. Size of Buildiriqs. — Improvements are constantly being 
made in buildings. The first buildings erected were rude and 
cheap ; now they are more substantial, but still without any 
attempt at architectural beauty. In this respect we here made 
a mistake. The plans should go into the bands of competent 
architects, and the exterior should be of a design pleasing to 
the eye. Buildings with some pretensions to architectural dis- 
play cost but little more, but can be turned to good account in 
case they are abandoned for cheese-making. 
In some of our factories the manufacturing department and 
" dry -house," or curing-rooms, are under one roof; in others, 
these departments are in separate buildings. Our system of 
marketing cheese is somewhat different from that in England. 
The cheese is not held in curing so long. We try to send our 
cheese to market at 30 to 60 days' old. There are few curing- 
rooms erected here with the design of holding cheese for the 
