AMERICAN DAIRYING; ITS RISE, PROGRESS, AND NATIONAL IMPORTANCE. BY X. A. WILLARD, A. M., OF HERKIMER COUNTY, N. Y. THE dairy has become an important branch of national industry. It is rapidly spreading over new fields, and is engaging the attention of farmers in the western, northwestern, and middle States, wherever the lands are adapted to grazing and there are springs and streams of living water. The dairy districts, though comparatively limited, embrace a larger area than has been commonly supposed. It is true, there are extensive plains at the south and southwest where the business of dairying cannot be carried on, but broad belts and isolated patches of land are scattered over our vast domain, well adapted to grazing, and such lands, when taken in the aggregate, cover a wide extent of territory. There are two causes that have been operating the past few years to stimulate the development of this branch of industry, and have caused it to a sume proportions that give it a distinctive feature of nationality. The first is a large and increasing foreign demand for dairy products; the second is the American system of "associated dairies," now brought to such wonderful perfection that the business can be readily introduced into new sections with all the ease and certainty of success in producing the qualities attained in old dairy districts. The foreign demand for cheese, it is believed, will be permanent, and exportations from year to year must largely increase, since the finest American grades are acknowledged to be equal to the best manufactured abroad, while the cost of production is so much less as to render competition with European dairies an easy matter on our part. This fact alone gives confidence to those about entering upon the business of dairy farming-that it will be remunerative and enduring. In addition, as the texture and flavor of cheese have been improved, a large home demand has sprung up, which requires large quantities to meet its wants. It is believed by many that the home demand, for years to come, will more than keep pace with increased production; and home sales for the last two years would seem to prove that this view is not without foundation. With a constantly increasing home trade and a reliable market abroad, no branch of farming to-day offers prospects of better or more permanent remuneration than the dairy. COMMENCEMENT of cheese dairying as a spECIALTY-ITS HISTORY, ETC. The history of American cheese dairying has never been written, and perhaps a brief glance at its rise and progress will not be out of place. Cheese making began in Herkimer county, New York, more than fifty years ago. For upwards of twenty years its progress was slow, and the business was deemed hazardous by the majority of farmers, who believed that over-production was to be the result of those making a venture upon this specialty. The fact, however, gradually became apparent that the cheese makers were rapidly bet tering their condition, and outstripping in wealth those who were engaged in grain raising and a mixed husbandry. About the year 1830 dairying became pretty general in the towns of Herki mer county north of the Mohawk, and some years later spread through the southern district of the county, gradually extending into Oneida and adjoining counties. Up to this period, and for several years later, little or no cheese was shipped to Europe. It was not considered fit for market till fall or winter. It was packed in rough casks and peddled in the home market at from five to eight cents per pound. All the operations of the dairy were rude and undeveloped; the herds were milked in the open yard; the curds were worked in tubs and pressed in log presses. Everything was done by guess, and there was no order, no system, and no science in conducting operations. In 1840 the value of the dairy products of New York-butter, cheese, and milk-was estimated by the United States census returns at $10,496,021, and in all the States at $33,787,008. Some idea of the comparative increase will be found when it is known that the value of the butter products of New York alone, in 1865, was more than $60,000,000. From 1840 to 1850 cheese began to be shipped abroad, the first shipments being inaugurated under the auspices of Herkimer county dealers. In 1848-49 the exports of American cheese to Great Britain were 15,386,836 pounds. Much of the cheese manufactured this year was of poor quality, and British shippers claimed to have sustained heavy losses. There was a more moderate demand the following year, and prices fell off a penny a pound, vary. ing, from fair to strictly prime, from 6 to 64 cents for Ohio, and 6 to 6 for New York State. The exports in 1849-'50 were 12,000,000 pounds, and continued to vary, without important increase, for several years. From September, 1855, to September, 1859, the exports of cheese to Great Britain and Ireland were only 2,599 tons, and in the following year, for the same corresponding period, they were increased to 7,542 tons. During the early part of the year 1860, Samuel Perry, of New York city, a native of Herkimer, and one of the earliest operators in the cheese trade, endeav ored to control the market, purchasing the great bulk of cheese manufactured in the country. He was possessed of great wealth, and had for years enjoyed the confidence of dairymen, and being liberal and straightforward in his dealings, he was enabled to secure the dairies by contract, making his purchases at from 9 to 10 cents per pound. Then commenced the exportation of American cheese on a scale hitherto unknown in the history of the trade; and to him belongs the credit of opening up a foreign market for this "class of goods." The exporta tion of cheese from New York to Europe during 1860 was 23,252,000 pounds. which was increased on the following year to 40,041,000 pounds. About this time (1860) the associated dairy system began to attract attention. Several factories were in operation in Oneida county, and were turning out a superior article of cheese. The system had been first inaugurated by Jesse Williams, a farmer living near Rome, in that county, and was suggested from mere accidental circumstances. Mr. Williams was an experienced and skillful cheese maker, and at a time when the bulk of American cheese was poor. dairy, therefore, enjoyed a high reputation, and was eagerly sought for by deal ers. His In the spring of 1851, one of his sons, having married, entered upon farming on his own account, and the father contracted the cheese made on both farms at seven cents per pound, a figure considerably higher than was being offered for other dairies in that vicinity. When the contract was made known to the son, he expressed great doubt as to whether he should be able to manufacture the character of cheese that would be acceptable under the contract. He had never taken charge of the manufacture of cheese while at home, and never having given the subject that close attention which it necessarily requires, he felt that his 1851 1832 1-53 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 success in coming up to the required standard would be a mere matter of chance. His father therefore proposed coming daily upon the farm and giving the cheese making a portion of his immediate supervision. But this would be very inconvenient, and while devising means to meet the difficulties and secure the benefits of the contract, which was more than ordinarily good, the idea was suggested that the son should deliver the milk from his herd daily at the father's milkhouse. From this thought sprung the idea of uniting the milk from several neighboring dairies and manufacturing it at one place. Buildings were speedily erected and fitted up with apparatus, which, proving a success, thus gave birth to the associated system of dairying now widely extended throughout the northern States. The system of associated dairies, during the last eight years, has been carried into the New England States and into the Canadas. It is largely adopted in Ohio, and has obtained a foothold in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, and other States. It is known abroad as the "American system of dairying," aud its peculiarities are so well adapted to the genius of our people as to give it a distinctive character of nationality. PROGRESS OF THE FACTORY SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND CAPITAL INVESTED IN THE BUSINESS. The number of cheese factories in the State of New York at the commencement of the season 1866, is more than 500. The following table will show the number of factories erected in the State each year since 1850: The 500 factories will probably average 400 cows each, making a total of 200,000 cows, which, at the low cash value of $40 each, give an aggregate of $8,000,000. The lands employed in associated dairying in New York cannot be less than a million of acres, which, at an average of $40 an acre, would amount to $40,000,000. We give the following table, collected from official sources, showing the amount of capital invested in factory buildings, the number of hands employed at the factories, average number of cows delivering milk, pounds of milk, and pounds 28 of cheese made during the season of 1864, at 425 factories. The summary is made by counties, and is as follows: From the foregoing statistics it would not be practicable to deduce general results to show the relative products and profits of manufacturing in the several counties, since some of the factories were in operation only part of the season. A better estimate can be made from the following statistics, gathered from the New York State census returns, showing the operations of 133 factories selected from the whole number, and working through the season of 1864. The tables were made up and published in the Tribune soon after the returns were com pleted, and for convenient reference the factories are numbered from 1 to 133, inclusive. |