THE MAKING OF FANCY CHEESE. 
A MAMMOTH FACTORY IN NORTHERN NEW YORK. 
A Change From Cheddar Cheese. 
I recently visited the cheese facto y at Antwerp, 
N. Y., conducted by Mrs S. X. Beaumert. Mrs. B. 
was not disposed to give any facts about her business, 
seeming to fear that such information would lead 
others to enter the business and thus injure her trade. 
One of the former proprietors, Mr. R H. 
Bent gave me the information that follows : 
“ When and by whom was the factory 
built ? ” I asked. 
“In I860, by myself and brother. It was 
originally known as ‘ The Yankee Cheese 
Factory.’ Only Cheddar cheese was made 
till 1890, when the manufacture of fancy 
brands of cheese was begun. Mrs. Beau- 
mert’s husband bought this factory in Octo¬ 
ber, 1892.” 
“ How does the process used vary from 
that used in making the Cheddar ? ” 
“Not much, except as regards the curing. 
All the milk is coagulated with rennet or 
renneteen and the process of making the 
curd ready for the molds and shelves does 
not vary much from the Cheddar process, 
except that the curds for all these brands are 
not salted as are those for the Cheddars, salt 
being applied to all of them each day. Any intel¬ 
ligent maker of Cheddars can, in two weeks, learn to 
make and cui e each of the brands made in this factory.’’ 
“ What brands are now made here ? ” 
“ Limburger, cream or more properly, Muenster, 
Fromage de Brie, Is’gny, Neufchstel and Philadelphia 
square Cream. A full skim, known as Ilarzer Kase 
and one known as Bohemian hand cheese, which 
closely resembles the well-known farm-house Dutch 
cheese, known in the markets as Cottage cheese, are 
also made. When there is a surplus of milk, 
some American Cheddars, together with some 
butter are made.” 
The Extent of the Business. 
“ How many pal rons are there ? ” 
“ About 100, on the average.” 
“ How many cows ? ” 
“Twenty-three hundred, and milk is re¬ 
ceived' and manufactured every day in the 
year.” 
“ How is the factory conducted ? ” 
“ All the milk is bought, the farmers being 
under a five years’ contract to furnish milk— 
amount not stipulated—at certain prices. 
These contracts expire and are renewed April 
1, each year.” 
“ What are the prices paid ? ” 
“For January, $1.38 per 100 pounds; for 
February, $1 33 ; for March, $1.03 ; for April 
and May, 85 cents; for June, 80 cents; for 
July, August and September, 85 cents ; for 
October, $1.13; for November, $1.18; for 
December, $1.30. These prices are for the 
entire product, no skim-milk or whey being 
returned ; these are estimated at three cents 
per 100 pounds for whey and five cents for 
skim milk. These prices give an average of 
$1.0333 per 100 pounds, or about $1 per 100 
pounds for the milk, excluding the by-products.” 
“ Are there any other cheese factories or creameries 
in the town ? ” 
“No creameries, but there are several Cheddar 
cheese factories. Since the beginning of the manu¬ 
facture of these foreign brands of cheese here, three 
Cheddar factories in town have been closed, the milk 
being brought here.” 
“ How many cows is your estimate for the town, and 
how many C! eddar factories are there in the town ? ’’ 
“ I should estimate the entire number of cows repre¬ 
sented at the factories at 4,300, and there are, perhaps, 
300 more in p ivate dairi* s making butter. Tne cows 
in some of these private dairies are Jerseys and grades, 
but the larger pait of them are natives or mixture s of 
all breeds There are five factories.” 
“ Is milk bought on the basis of its fat cc ntents, as 
indicated by the Babcock test ? ” 
Group of Gouda Chbkse Made at the N. Y. Exp. Station. Fig. 254. 
“ No, all the patrons are treated alike and a.l re¬ 
ceive the same price, each nr oath’s amount being due, 
and payable at the office of the factory after 30 days; 
there is always a month’s milk unpaid for. In nearly 
all of the butter dairies the hand separator is used.” 
“ What use is made of the by products of this fac¬ 
tory ? ” 
“All are sold to a milk sugar factory, located on 
the premises.” 
“ Of what brand is the most of the cheese made ?” 
Edam Cheese Made at the N. Y. Exp. Station. Fig. 255. 
“ Fromage de Brie. There is another French cheese 
known as Camembert, which is the most expensive 
brand, but it is not made in large quantities. No 
Edams are made.” 
The Secret of the Process. 
“ What is the wonderful secret connected with the 
manufacture of these brands of cheese ? ” 
“ There is no secret worth mentioning ; the whole 
process being simple and easily learned. Certain con¬ 
ditions* mmt be maintained to secure fine goods, the 
first of which is a perfect cellar. All these cheeses 
are cured in cellars. The whole ‘ science of the work’ 
is found in the curing process. I'roper ventilation, a 
certain amount of light, temperature regulated as 
needed, the moisture product properly regulated, the 
use of only pure salt and rennet, and constant atten¬ 
tion are the requisites to success. The quality of the 
milk is also taken into account, and the 
present proprietors say that there is a small 
per cent of fat from other milk injected into 
the Camembert cheese. The greatest dif¬ 
ficulty is experienced in finding a fixed mar¬ 
ket for these goods. Sometimes there is an 
increased demand for one, sometimes for an¬ 
other, and sometimes for all brands. When 
the markets are in that stage, but little but¬ 
ter or Cheddar cheese is made. When a de¬ 
cline in orders comes, the Yankee cheese and 
fresh butter are made.” 
“ How often is cheese shipped ? ” 
“ Every week day in the year; some days 
more, some days less. On some days but one 
brand, and on others all brands are shipped.” 
“Ilow long is the curing process con¬ 
tinued ? ” 
“The French should be cured 30 days, 
while others are shipped 24 hours after mak¬ 
ing ; the latter are the Limburger and Muenster; 
these have an odor that will drive a stranger into 
the next county. The other brands are odorless or 
nearly so.” 
“ How many people are emp’oyed and what are the 
wages paid ? ” 
“ From 20 to 25 men and boys. With one or two ex¬ 
ceptions, where salaries reaching $1,000 per year are 
paid, the others get $18 to $20 per month. All the help 
is boarded and roomed in the building. The average 
labors r comes unskilled, and nearly all are 
Germans picked up as immigrants. As the 
work is not intricate it iB soon learned.” 
“ How are the cheese shaped and where are 
they marketed ? ” 
“ All except the Cheddars are made in 
moulds, varying in size. There is an office in 
New York to which all shipments are made 
and from which the cheese are distributed. 
Cincinnati, Baltimore and Boston are the 
main centers. Some commission business is 
also done at the main office, consignments 
coming from factories, creameries and dairy¬ 
men.” 
“ Are the prices received up to those of the 
same brands of imported cheese ? ” 
“ No, usually they are below, because our 
cheese are not considered of as fine quality.” 
“ What are the relative profits between 
these brands and Cheddars ? ” 
“There is more money in these cheese. I 
am at a loss to know why more of these fac¬ 
tories are not established, as higher prices 
can be paid for milk, while any bright, intel¬ 
ligent, practical cheese-maker can in two 
weeks’ time, easily learn to make these 
cheese. At times, the demand for these 
cheese has been so great and prices so firm 
that some brands have been shipped from 
this factory before much of the whey had been run 
out.” 
“ What are the daily receipts of milk and how is the 
milk divided ? ” 
“ From 35,000 to 50,000 pounds, of which 14,000 
pounds go into the French brands. The cheese vary 
in size. De Isigny weigh about 18 ounces each, and 
are shipped six in a box, The Brie weigh about five 
pounds and go one in a box. Camemback weigh 14 
