PRACTICAL PAPERS—THE CHEESE PRODUCT. 
209 
showed an excess of 250,000 boxes over the previous year. 
This gives us, since the first of last May an increased con¬ 
sumption of 210,000 or 220,000 boxes, of which Great Britain 
took about 150,000 boxes. Looking at the total shipments 
since May 1st, and taking into accouiit the stocks in London 
and Liverpool and the quantity in transit for those markets on 
the first day of January for the last three years, I arrive at the 
conclusion that the consumption of American cheese in Great 
Britain has for this season been 140,000 boxes, or 20 percent, 
in excess of what it was last season to same date, and nearly 
100,000 boxes, or 17 1-3 per cent, more than what it was in 
the corresponding period of the year before that, namely 1867 
—68. Now comes the inquiry—What effect has this increased 
make and consumption had upon the price of cheese? The 
quotations in New York city for choice dairies on January 1st, 
for the past three years, are as follows : 1868, 15c. currency, 
with gold at 134 1-3 ; 1869, 19 l-2c., with gold at 133 1-3, and 
1870, 17 l-2o., with gold at 120 1-3. So that equalizing the 
gold basis, the price this year is equal to that of last year, and 
is four cents per pound, in currency, higher than it was Janu¬ 
ary 1st, 1868. If these figures have any value, they are ample 
warrant for ray opening statement as to the increased make, 
consumption and price of American cheese. 
Last year was an exceptional one. The make of cheese be¬ 
ing everywhere short, prices of course ruled high; but Still 
not so high, by an average of 23. 6d. per cwt.—or l-2c. per 
pound in gold—as they have been this season, with a heavy 
production in all cheese-making countries of the world. In 
fact, the high range of prices is a striking proof of the extent 
of the consumption, ns, with only an, ordinary one of cheese in 
England and this country, the market must have completely 
broken down and a very low average value prevailed. It be¬ 
comes, then, a matter of general interest for us to ascertain, if 
possible, the cause of this increased consumption. The mod¬ 
erate price of bread in the old country, leaving the working 
classes a much larger surplus of their wages to spend in other 
articles of food, has, no doubt, had a great deal to do with it; 
