PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

a salary of one hundred dollars per month, he paying his own expenses. In order to provide sufiicient funds for the carrying out of the purposes of the association, the di- rectors authorized a levy of one and one quarter cents per thousand pounds of milk on all the milk received at the several cheese and butter factories in the province. be- tween the Ist day of June and the 31st day of December, 1898; the total amount of the levy was five hundred and seven dollars and seventy-five cents. At a meeting of the di— rectors held on December 22nd it was de- cided to engage Mr. Morrow for the months of January and February, 1900, at seventy- five dollars per month, he paying his own ex- penses as before. Mr. L. L. Jenkins was ap- pointed auditor in the place of the late Mr. Charles Taper.”

A report of the business of the cheese and butter factories of the province for the year 1899 is herewith submitted, which shows a gratifying increase over the busi- ness of any previous year. The number of cheese factories in operation was thirty-four and there was one in addition not working; the number of creameries was six, with two separating stations; four plants for winter butter-making were added during the year, making the total number of winter cream- eries twenty. One new separating station was also started, making the total number of winter separating stations four; there are yet eleven cheese factories that have not made any provision for handling milk in the winter. ‘

The progress of the industry from year to year was found by the statistics gathered by the association to be quite satisfactory and promising. The volume of production increased and the quality of the make showed also a marked improvement. It may

167

be recorded here that our cheese suffered at first in the British markets from a peculiar flavour known then as the “Island Flavour.” It was supposed to arise from receiving im- pure milk and consequently the prices ob- tained were below those of the Ontario make. True, the lack of sufficient vigilance on the part of many patrons in not keeping their herds off the marshlands, caused the marshy flavour to be imparted to the milk and the chese made from it, but that defect was soon overcome and still the “Island Flavour” remained. It was then evident that the flavour was natural to the locality and in time the objection faded away. Samples of cheese were sent to Paris, Buffalo and other expositions, and were awarded high places. The quality is now established and is con- sidered equal to anything produced any- where in Canada. The following figures' will show the progress of the industry since the year 1899:

Value of output of cheese and butter: 1899, $536,117.21; 1900, 3556910675; 1901, $457,178.96; 1902, $409,960-9I; 1903, $394,003.70; 1904, $260,396.18; 1905. $281,517.20.

The foregoing figures, however, account for only a part of the dairy production of the province. The census of 1901 showing the production of the pervious year has the dairy products valued at one million eighty- eight thousand three hundred and twenty- four dollars, which shows that five hundred and nineteen thousand two hundred and sev- enteen dollars' worth was made in the farm dairies in that year. The dry seasons of 1901 and 1904 affected production very much. Besides, the fly pest (horn fly), the lack of sufficient farm help, and the higher prices prevailing for all other kinds of farm products requiring less help, have tended to