TEN DAIRY FARMS IN BLUEGRASS REGION OF KENTUCKY. 5 
the other hand, the production of tobacco, hemp, hay, beef cattle, 
and sheep, characteristic of the more general profitable types, had a 
marked increase during the same period. In 1890 the census enumer- 
ators found 5,357 pounds of cheese produced in Madison County and 
2,025 pounds in Mason County. In the census years of 1900 and 
1910, practically none was reported for these counties. In Jefferson 
County, bordering on the bluegrass region, 10,120 pounds was 
reported in 1890 and 13,817 pounds in 1900. None, however, was 
reported in the census of 1910. Three counties bordering Jefferson 
produced about 15,000 pounds during the period covered by the 
census of 1890 and 1900, but none was reported for these counties 
in 1910. Between 1900 and 1910, however, there was a large increase 
in the production of market milk for the Louisville market in these 
counties. The cheese production that still persists in Kentucky is 
confined largely to the low mountains and hills bordering the blue- 
grass region, known as ‘The Rim,” where there is some bluegrass 
land, though rather unfavorable for general farming and low in price. 
In this region spring water is abundant and the climate is somewhat. 
cooler than in the more level bluegrass country. On the hilly, 
cheaper land along the Ohio River a small quantity of cheese was still 
being produced in 1910. 
These facts relative to dairying in Kentucky emphasize the truth 
that farm enterprises once started in a locality will develop only to 
the extent that they find a favorable environment and are found 
to be profitable by practical farmers. The production of butter and 
cheese would no doubt be profitable in the bluegrass region and pos- 
sibly at the present time would be a thriving industry if other enter- 
prises such as tobacco, hemp, wheat, beef cattle, swine, and sheep had 
not proved to be more generally profitable. The fact, however, that © 
the production of butter and cheese has not yet developed into a 
profitable and extensive business here is not conclusive evidence that 
it would not be profitable on many farms favorably situated for these 
enterprises. Even on many general diversified farms in this region 
profits could be increased by keeping better dairy cows and producing 
butter and even some cheese as a side line. Many farms in the 
bluegrass region have excellent springs which may be used to advan- 
tage in connection with such enterprises. 
An important factor in retarding the development of the dairy 
industry even under favorable conditions is the general reluctance of 
bluegrass farmers to engage init. While negro laborers as a rule are 
experts in growing and handling tobacco, they are not familiar with 
the processes of dairying and share the common objection to it. In 
some sections, however, where dairying has become profitable and 
where it has been practiced a long time, this dislike is being gradually 
overcome. 
