were very uncertain, there being no established market under these circumstances.

The total product of all kinds of cheese made in the county prior to 1870, was hardly 10,000 pounds per year.

In 1870 the first factories were established by N. Gerber, two for the production of Limburger cheese and one for Swiss. They were operated on the plan of selling milk by the farmers to factorymen at an agreed price. This plan proved to be popular, and the scheme was successful.

These factories were located in a section of the country especially in need of change of tillage. The people of this section were accustomed to the care of cows. Their farms were hilly, and subject to wasteful washings away of the soil, and were in a great measure unsuited for the growing of corn. Cheese factories were therefore welcomed as the one thing needed to save the farms, and their occupants from utter impoverishment.

The year following witnessed a boom in establishing factories, principally for the production of Limburger in the rougher parts of the country. In other parts, as at Brooklyn, Dayton, New Glarus and Postville, American cheese factories were established. Shortly after-after the usual backsets incident to all new business, and caused mostly by ignorance and mismanagement-these took firm hold.

Very soon they superseded the old fashioned dairies for the good reason that the product was far superior in quality and of a uniformity not attainable under the old way. These factories were mostly co-operative. A number of farmers organized a company, built a factory, hired a cheese-maker and elected the officers by whom the business was managed, and, in most cases, managed well.

The makers of Swiss cheese were the last to generally adopt the factory plan of operation. Principally for two reasons: 1st. Many had made the variety for years on their farms, were doing fairly well, and were satisfied with the results. 2d. Owing to the peculiar process of making this cheese, which has not varied for centuries, viz., using copper kettles instead of vats for heating the milk and curd in, it was thought to be unprofitable to work up the milk of

more than one hundred cows at one place. These supposed obstacles were overcome by the experience that cheese of a superior quality and of more uniformity was made by the factories than in the old way; and the use of copper kettles of unusual size has permitted the making of cheese weighing from 100 to 200 lbs. each, and two to four each day, of a flavor and appearance that good judges assert that it is impossible to distinguish it from the best imported.

It is found that this section is wonderfully well adapted for the successful production of this cheese. Some fine specimens from this county were exhibited by S. Birkenwald at the dairy fair in Milwaukee last November, and attracted much favorable attention and comment, and were awarded first premium. The manufacture of this variety, however, will never become general in any great portion of the country, because, while under proper circumstances it can be profitably made, selling usually from 2 to 5 cts. per lb. higher than American cheese, and has unequalled keeping qualities. Though a native of a republican country it is a very aristocrat among cheeses, demanding not only minute care in making, but also continued waiting upon until sold and eaten, and resenting more than any other kind any lack of attention with deterioration. When properly made it is chief among cheeses, fit for kings to eat; if not properly made the loss to those who handle it is great and certain.

The following table will give an idea of the growth and present important condition of this industry. In this county on Nov. 1st, 1883, there were fifteen American Cheese factories with 4,500 cows.

Pounds.

Amount of cheese made in 1882

1,450,000

Sixteen Swiss Cheese factories, 1,400 cows, produced in 1882. Forty-two Limburger Cheese factories, 7,000 cows, produced in 1882

400,000

2,400,000

4,250,000

Total

Almost all of this amount of cheese is produced in the socalled "cheese country." This comprises about one-half of Green county, or eight townships, and includes the country lying northwest of a line drawn from the northeast to the southwest corner of the county. Nine-tenths of the fac

This section

tories are located in this section of the county. was the roughest, wildest portion of the county, full of hills, but containing excellent pastures, and springs and brooks of clear, cool water without number on the whole a tract of country unsurpassed for dairy purposes.

The benefits resulting from so large a proportion of the people of this county engaging in the cheese business are manifold.

Formerly lands that, because of their rough character, could hardly be sold at all, now are promptly bought at good prices, if within reach of a cheese factory. Farms that a few years ago were sold at $20 per acre can hardly be bought for double that amount.

The benefits resulting from the change from tillage to pasture on the hilly farms subject to wash-outs, cannot be estimated in dollars and cents. It is enough to say, that a continuance of the grain farming of twenty-five years ago until to-day, would have resulted in ruin to hundreds of farmers, and thousands of acres of land would now be worthless. There is employment that pays for the sons and daughters of dairy farmers, thereby encouraging them to remain at home. The young beginner who buys land on credit has more reason to hope to be able to pay for his home in a reasonable time; and he will, if he be not afraid of steady, intelligent. hard work.

Perhaps it is owing to the general good character of the people of this county, more than to the occupation so many of them are engaged in, that there is so little litigation. Certain it is, that of late years, there has been less business for the courts than in any county of like population in Wisconsin. The city of Monroe, with over 3,500 population, and the county seat, has but two lawyers in regular practice, and one of these is district attorney, and the other is city clerk, and both have abundant time to spare from their law practice to perform the duties of their offices. It would. doubtless be giving the dairy business too much credit to say that this satisfactory condition of things owed its existence altogether to it; but there can be no question that the continued application required to run a dairy farm has a ten

dency to cause people to mind their own affairs, and consequently to be at peace with their neighbors.

On the whole, cheese factories have proved to be the most effective agent in promoting individual and general prosperity that our farmers ever employed, and there is no reason why many other sections of our state, which may be similarly circumstanced, may not go and do likewise.

LABOR IN ITS RELATION TO PROGRESSIVE AGRICULTURE.

By J. C. STICKNEY, Wauwatosa.

The heading sounds large, and is large. But be not disturbed; you are not to have a learned and exhaustive handling thereof. Only a few simple thoughts that seem to have some bearing upon the success or failure of our business plans.

That the average annual income of our farms as compared with the capital invested in them, is miserably small, you will freely admit. There are, perhaps, a few that pay six per cent. on their cash value; but there are vastly more that pay less than three per cent.

If it became my duty to tell you that your farms were incapable of doing better, I should place myself at a safe distance; for I think you would resent the assertion — and you would be right.

Probably no farm in the state gave crops the past season that it is not possible to double; many might be quadrupled.

It is well understood that increased yield means a much larger per cent. of net gain, and could this become the rule, it would mean a degree of thrift and prosperity that would very soon quiet discontent and grumbling, and stop the reaching out towards frontier life, as the only way to secure elbow room, and a competency for ourselves and our children.

Some mathematical genius has stated that in about five hundred years the population of the United States, progressing at the present rate, would be something more than one

person to each square yard of land. Probably by that time our lands will be doing better.

The islands of Alderney, Jersey and Guernsey, have now a population of considerably over one person for each acre. Yet employment is given to a large number of laborers from Normandy and Brittany. Perhaps, there is the place to look for a model acre, yielding to its full capacity.

I have a neighbor who furnishes a fairly good example of productive land. His gross sales from one and one-fourth acres have, for the past ten years, averaged $1,322 annually. Of course this is in "truck gardening," and not possible in common farming. Still one, or two, or ten, or fifty steps in this direction can be taken by every farmer in the state. The progress of each being graduated to his surrounding circumstances.

Why need so much of our farming be so very common? Growing the same crop, year after year, with little regard to adaption; marketing our products unseasonably; having no plans reaching further than from April to November; and taking no thought for the future good or ill of the soil.

This is a progressive age, not of horse-power alone, but of steam and electricity. Increased facilities in machinery, transportation and marketing make it possible, nay almost necessary that things be done more in a wholesale way.

Of course, the plodders will not heed; but he who would "keep abreast" must exercise something of the same thought, forecast and judgment which bring success in other callings. For this work the materials are all about him. No need of reaching out after new, cheap lands. Plow a little deeper; cultivate a little better; reclaim the waste places; keep more and better animals; make, and use more fertilizers; produce a grade of goods which will command a higher market value. These are the first steps leading to broader and better ways.

No need of sons and daughters seeking other callings that may give better pay for their knowledge and brain work. All around them is work for brains as well as hands- chemistry, botany, entomology, ornithology-more than they will ever master. Book-keeping, accurate field notes and records of experiments with fertilizers, with the crops of