COMPETITION.
It cropped out in this discussion that in some parts of Wisconsin and Illinois there are too many factories. Competition leads factorymen to often receive milk that should be discarded. To offend a man by enforcing strict cleanliness, non-skimming, and stripping was to drive him to a neighboring factory and his custom is lost. It is hard to make owners of cows honest when dishonest or selfish factorymen encourage them in selfish and fraudulent ways. Mr. Harris said at some of the best Canadian factories patrons were refused the privilege of taking home the whey in their milk cans. He would have no objection to their taking the whey if all would cleanse their cans properly. But this could not be depended upon.
WATER IN MILK.
He detects water in milk by means of a little German instrument called Horren’s Milk Tester, patented in Hanover. They cost fifty cents each by the 100. They are for sale by Cornish & Curtis, Ft. Atkinson, Wis., and by some others of the dairy supply concerns. This little instrument is invaluable to the factoryman.
PRIDE IN BUSINESS.
Another thing about the Canadians is they take such pride in their business that they are not given to adulterating their butter and cheese. They make a cheese that sells as the best cheddar in the English markets. The best Wisconsin cheese that Mr. Harris saw at the Milwaukee dairy fair was several points below the best Canadian article. The difference lies in the want of skill in the maker, and the greed of the patrons which often leads them to skim and to withhold the strippings.
SKIMMING.
There were those present who claimed that more money can be realized by making both butter and cheese than from cheese alone, though its quality makes it bring a higher price. So long as this is the case such will continue to make skim cheese. They say a man must be governed by the market he is to supply. If one makes for a home market where skim cheese is liked it is all right to make butter from the same milk. It was replied that as our dairymen in general must look abroad for their market, that good, straight, full cream cheese is bound to win in the long run. When the foreign market for the Wisconsin product is destroyed it will take years of honest effort to rebuild the old reputation.
THE CHEDDAR.
The cheddar cheese of Canada is made by drawing off the whey while it is sweet, the curd being allowed to sour afterward. It takes too long to make this cheese to suit the Western cheese-maker. But you can not make the best cheese in a hurry. There is more nutriment in the cheddar than in the common cheese of the States.