probably had only four or five milk cows. The average farmer at Freetown had about eight cattle, one or two of which were milk cows.

In the 18605 and 18705 Friesian and Channel Island dairy cattle were introduced into the province. By 1880 the average farm on Lot 25 and 26 had five to six milk cows, an increase from the 18605. The average farm of Lot 25 produced two hundred and thirty pounds of homemade butter whereas on Lot 26, an average farm manufactured one hundred and ninety—five pounds of butter. Homemade cheese production was much

lower at eight pounds per farm on Lot 25 and three pounds per farm on Lot 26.

The opening of a cheese factory at Cornwall in 1881 was a major advance in the dairy industry. The progress in cheese factory development was slow in the 18805 and by 1891 there was only one still in production. At least four had commenced operations including one at Bedeque, but these did not prosper.

The P.E.1. Dairy Industry had a much needed boost in 1892 with the arrival of Mr. T]. Dillon to the province. Upon his arrival, there was only one cheese factory still in operation. Mr. Dillon brought with him suggestions to improve methods for care of stock, the handling of milk produced, growing of fodder and general cheese factory management. Mr. Dillon, in cooperation with Dr. James W. Robertson, Dairy Commissioner for Canada introduced cooperative dairying into the province. The value oftheir suggestions is shown by the number of dairies and cheese factories operating in each successive year.

1892 -l 1895 — 16 1893 - 6 1896 — 28 1894-11 1897-32

Freetown area farmers shipped milk to factories located at Bedeque (Dunk River), Kensington, Kinkora and Emerald. The Dunk River Factory was number one in cheese production for the province in 1897 and late that year installed a butter making plant, with William Callbeck as manager. The Kensington creamery was second in cheese production that year. The Kensington plant had only become operational in 1895 and by 2 December 1895 began shipping cream to the Central Creamery in Charlottetown. The Emerald Dairying Association was activated in 1896.

Bedeque was considered one of the prime areas for dairy production in the province in 1897 due to its natural advantages. The Dunk River factory had an excellent cheese and buttermaker in the person of ST. Wallace. It also had some of the best cattle to supply it.

The prize for the best milk cow at the 1894 Prince County Exhibition in Summerside was awarded to Davis Schurman of Freetown. (One of the cattle judges at this exhibition was Marcus Deacon of Freetown).

The farmers in the Freetown-Bedeque area formed the Bedeque Branch of the Farmers and Dairymens Association. This group held a meeting at the Lower Freetown Hall on 24 January 1896 (Patron of Industry, 30 January 1896). The list of those in attendance was given: William G. Taylor, President; Albert Schurman, Secretary; Robert Cairns, David Arbing, Caleb Taylor, R.H. MacDonald, M. Deacon, Charles Craig, Colin Craig, Donald Ross, Robert Dammerall, George Burns, R.A. Burns, R.P. Burns, Judson Burns, A. Burns, S.A. Burns, Hope Jardine, J.A. Jardine, J.M. Wright, Thos. Moyse, Edison Stavert, R.B. Auld, Robert Carruthers, Hon A. Laird, and Hon Stewart Burns. The president quoted figures which showed the rapid advancement of the dairy industry on P.E.I. Questions were raised on the best method of feeding dairy cows during summer and winter to get the best results. Donald Ross maintained that com was the best feed from his experience but that this should be mixed with other green crops and plenty of roots.

A cream separating station was operating at Freetown by 1898 and was known as the Co—op Central Creamery Ltd. The officials ofthis company were John W. Clark, Christopher Cairns and Alexander Scott MacMurdo. It was located at code 73 where Harold Drummond’s shop is now located. It was still operational in 1903, when the provincial Dairy Inspector reported a general improvement in the operation over the previous year. Cream from this station was hauled to Bedeque for processing. The skimmed milk after the separating process was usually fed to hogs. This company appears to have ceased operations in 1908, when the land on which it was located was sold to Randolph Arbing. The milk was hauled in this era by horse and wagon and in some cases by covered wagon. The milk was kept cool in summer in ice houses. These ice houses contained ice cut from the local ponds and rivers and was kept packed in saw dust for insulation.

The Provincial Government appointed a Dairy Inspector in 1898 to collect samples from all cheese

factories and butter creameries once a month. The major goal of the Dairy Inspector was to improve the quality of cheese and butter manufactured on the Island. This improvement was demanded by the export trade with Great Britain and the US. The consumer in Britain at the time also preferred cooler, more moist

and meatier cheese.

36