I am very pleased to know that our good township of Ernesttown is not behind her sister townships in the various improvements which characterize this nineteenth century. Agriculture, mechanics, commerce, science and religion have their proper share of attention and give evidence of being in a healthy state among us. Tis time theoretical agriculture, or more properly the science of agriculture, might be better understood and would undoubtedly confer much good on the people who thoroughly understood it and by it directed their operations; yet still we are satisfied to perceive this knowledge advancing slowly, knowing that changes in the peculiar customs of all the inhabitants of any considerable locality must be the work of time. The traditions of our predecessors frequently cling to us with great tenacity; and it would seem almost unnatural for a young farmer to cast behind his back all the instructions in his occupation given him by his father and adopt some new system of agriculture, although recommended by the Canada Farmer or any other authority. Yet still improvements are being made and one by one superior systems are being adopted. I have observed in the Canada Farmer a notice of a cheese factory about to be put in operation in Mitchell; and from the peculiar manner in which it is spoken of, I have concluded that such things are quite a novelty in Canada.

As I have not yet seen any notice of the cheese factories of Ernesttown, I think it may not prove unacceptable to most of your readers, to peruse a short account of them.

A few mornings ago I was passing through the northwestern part of the township, along by Neville’s, Switzer’s, the “Switzer Chapel,” and so on up what is called the 7^th concession road; and truly, to any person who can enjoy the beauties of country scenery, no finer ride than this may be sought for, early on a summer’s morning.

Marks of industry and thrift are abundant everywhere; beautiful fields of waving grain advancing to the harvest, good fences, commodious out-buildings and tasteful and convenient dwellings, embellish the picture.

Free from the noise and smoke and bustle and anxiety of the crowded city, truly no man, in this country at least, is as happy as the honest, independent farmer.

As I passed the various farm yards, contemplating the beautiful prospect around me, my attention was suddenly arrested, by a sight rather new to me. – Sitting on elevated platforms near almost every residence and glittering in the rays of the morning sun, were large tinned cans, into which I espied the fair milkmaids straining the early products of the lowing kine. Ah, thought I at first, are our Canadians imitating the Hollanders and preparing curd for winters’ use, by curdling milk and separating the whey through barrels with perforated bottoms? No, I answered to myself, the Dutch thus prepare their curdled buttermilk, but this milk is sweet and new. The idea of a cheese factory then occurred to my mind and soon after I met a boy with a horse and wagon gathering up the milk cans, who confirmed my supposition by informing me that there were two in the neighbourhood.

On my return from Napanee, I availed myself of the opportunity and visited these two novel industrial institutions. The first is situated about five miles east of Napanee, is the elder of the two and was first put in operation by Yankee enterprise, some time last year. In this one I received every information respecting the process of cheese manufacturing and was shown a beautiful display of cheeses which they had made this year, all through the kindness and attention of a very intelligent, good-looking and attractive lady, who was busy in the establishment. One very fine looking cheese I observed was marked “4^th of July” in honor of the day (although a very rainy day.) She seemed a little annoyed by the opposition factory in the neighbourhood and thought it hardly fair, when they had made the attempt first. And gone to considerable expense in importing apparatues after they thought it would be a paying concern.

The next factory about a mile further east and situated by a little brook, is the property of a company in the neighbourhood. It was put in operation this year, under the management of a Mr. Chatman, and seems to be doing a good business. In both factories the vats for curdling the milk, are capable of containing about 500 gallons. Mr. Chatman told me that he found the vat in his factory too small and that another was in process of construction. He said that they had worked up 450 gallons of milk that morning and that their daily receipts were constantly increasing. He estimates ten pounds of milk to one pound of cheese, consequently in round numbers, they must be turning out over 400 pounds of cheese per day.

The vat in which the milk is curdled is constructed of two large oblong boxes, the inner of zinc and the outer of wood. The inner box is fitted into the outer in such a manner as to leave a space at the sides and bottom and is sustained in this position partly by a rim on the inner one which rests upon the edge of the outer one and by the water which fills the space between the two. By a properly constructed furnace this water is heated till it raises the milk, which is place in the inner box, to the required temperature, when it is curdled. The whey is then drawn off by a siphorn and the curd removed to another zinc-lined trough or vat, in which it is salted and prepared by hand-working for being put into the large screw presses which stand ready to receive it.

The heat is regulated by stopcocks, which draw off the hot water and furnish a supply of cold whenever required.

The cheeses which are already manufactured have a very excellent appearance and considering the utility of cheese as an article of diet, its manufacture should be encouraged. Our country is not as well fitted perhaps for the production of large quantities of dairy production of large quantities of dairy products, as some which have shorter and less severe winters; still it pays those engaged in this business sufficiently to encourage others to engage in it also.

There is undoubtedly a great saving effected both in labour and material, by the intervention of those factories, and we trust that they will meet with the patronage they deserve; and that they will endeavour to manufacture cheese which will be a credit to the country that produced them, and make the name of Ernesttown famous for “good cheese” in places near and far.

Dr. DUPUIS

Odessa, July 6^th, 1866.