SEY : SS AMAL ~ RSS “$“~ WAH XX I . AN NS MILCH COWS AND DAIRY FARMING COMPRISING THE BREEDS, BREEDING, AND MANAGEMENT IN HEALTH AND DISEASE, OF DAIRY AND OTHER STOCK; THE SELECTION oF MILcH Cows, WITH A FULL EXPLANATION OF GUENON’S METHOD; THE CULTURE OF FORAGE PLANTS, ETC. a BY, gat \CleVedi 2 Sas Oe FLINT ea AUTHOR OF “ GRASSES AND Roaics PLANTS,” ETC., ETC. ~e — y\ = RY OF CONG “OPYRIGHT Ree Ne 3 1888— Wades tM ms ie REVISED EDITION SG he BOSTON 1889 LEE AND SHEPARD -PUBLISHERS 1o MILK STREET NEXT *‘OLD SoutH MEETING Houser”? New York CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM 718 AND 720 BROADWAY A COMPANION VOLUME By the Same Author GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS A practical treatise comprising their Natural History; Comparative Nutritive Value; Method of Cultivating, Cutting, and Curing; and the Management of Grass Lands in the United States and British Provinces Cloth Illustrated $2.00 LEE AND SHEPARD PUBLISHERS Boston Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by CHARLES L. FLINT, In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. Copyright, 1888, By CHARLES L. FLINT. PRESSWORK BY ROCKWELL AND CHURCHILL, LOSTON. €o THE MASS. STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, THE MASS. SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURE, AND THE VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES OF THE UNITED STATES, WHOSE EFFORTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED SO LARGELY TO IMPROVE THR DAIRY STOCK OF OUR COUNTRY Epis Creatise, RS TO ADVANCE THAT HIGHLY IMPORTANT Ce eS Sy IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY HB ACU: Ef OcUK. PRE WA CH. L NoTHING need be said of the importance of a trea- tise on the dairy. The number of milch cows in the country, forming so large a part of our material wealth, and serving as a basis for the future increase and improvement of every class of neat stock, on which the prosperity of our agriculture mainly de- pends; the intrinsic value of milk as an article of internal commerce, and as a most healthy and nutri- tious food; the vast quantity of it made into butter and cheese, and used in every family; the endless de- tails of the management, feeding, and treatment of dairy stock, and the care and attention requisite to obtain from this branch of farming the highest profit, — all concur to make the want of such a treatise, adapted to our climate and circumstances, felt not only by practical farmers, but by a large class of consumers. The earlier editions of this work met with so much favor as to show that a practical treatise on the dairy is greatly needed, and that an honest effort to keep abreast of the times will still be appreciated. Much progress has been made in dairy husbandry, especially in associated dairying, since the work was first issued, and the changes and improvements in this direction will appear in the chapter on “ Associated Dairying,” VIII PREFACE. for which I am largely indebted to Dr. E. Lewis Stur- tevant, Director of the Experiment Station of New York. Few men have had wider opportunities for observation and experiment, and few are capable of presenting the subject so fully or so clearly. I am under great obligations also to Mr. A. W. Cheever, editor of the “ New England Farmer,” for im- portant aid in the revision of the present edition. His long practical experience as a dairyman, and his wide and intelligent study of the latest and best dairy meth- ods, have enabled him to render most valuable aid in the changes and additions which appear in the follow- ing pages. To my own practical experience in the care of a cheese and butter dairy I have added a wide observa- tion through the best dairy districts of this country, and in the renowned dairy sections of England, Scot- land, Holland, Switzerland, and other parts of Europe where dairy husbandry is carried to a high degree of perfection. It is confidently hoped, therefore, that the work will meet with that degree of favor usually accorded to an earnest effort to do something to advance the cause of agriculture. C. Bets Boston, Oct., 1888. DAIRY FARMING. Cab Aer a Re, INTRODUCTORY.—THE VARIOUS RACES OF PUREL BRED CATTLE IN THE UNITED STATES. Tue milking qualities of our domestic cows are, tc some extent, artificial, the result of care and breeding. In the natural or wild state, the cow yields only enough to nourish her offspring for a few weeks, and then goes dry for several months, or during the greater part of the year. There is, therefore, a constant tend. ency to revert to that condition, which is prevented only by judicious treatment, designed to develop and increase the milking qualities so valuable to the human race. Ifthis judicious treatment is continued through several generations of the same family or race of ani- mals, the qualities which it is calculated to develop become more or less fixed, and capable of transmission. Instead of being exceptional, or peculiar to an indi- vidual, they become the permanent characteristics of a breed. Hence the origin of a great variety of breeds or races, the characteristics of each being due to local circumstances, such as climate, soil, and the special objects of the breeder, which may be the pro- duction of milk, butter and cheese, or the raising of beef or working cattle. A knowledge of the history of different breeds, and 10 INTRODUCTION. especially of the dairy breeds, is of manifest import ance. Though very excellent milkers will sometimes be found in all of them, and of a great variety of forms, the most desirable dairy qualities will generally be found to have become fixed and permanent character- istics of some to a greater extent than of others; but it does not follow that a race whose milking qualities have not been developed is of less value for other pur- poses, and for qualities which have been brought out with greater care. A brief sketch of the principal breeds of American cattle, as well as of the grades or the common stock of the country, will aid the farmer, perhaps, in making an intelligent selection with refer- ence to the special object of pursuit, whether it be the dairy, the production of beef, or the raising of cattle for work. In a subsequent chapter on the selection of milch cows, the standard of perfection will be discussed in detail, and the characteristics of each of the races will naturally be measured by that. In this connection, and as preliminary to the following sketches, it may be stated that, whatever breed may be selected, a full sup- ply of food and proper shelter are absolutely essential to the maintenance of any milking stock, the food of which goes to supply not only the ordinary waste of the system common to all animals, but also the milk secretions, which are greater in some than in others. A large animal on a poor pasture has to travel much further to fill itself than a small one. A small or medium-sized cow would return more milk in propor- tion to the food consumed, under such circumstances, than a large one. In selecting any breed, therefore, regard should be had to the circumstances of the farmer, and the object to be pursued. The cow most profitable for the milk THE, AYRSHIRES. 1] dairy may be very unprofitable in the butter and cheese dairy, as well as for the production of beef; while for either of the latter objects the cow which gave the largest quantity of milk might prove very unprofitable. [t is desirable to secure a union and harmony of all gocd qualities, so far as possible; and the farmer wants a cow that will milk well for some years, and then, when dry, fatten readily, and sell to the butcher for the highest. price. These qualities, though often ‘supposed to be incompatible, will be found to be united in some breeds to a greater extent than in others; while some pecu- liarities of form have been found, by observation, to be better adapted to the production of milk and beef than others. This will appear in the following pages. Fig. 1. Ayrshire Cow Gurra 41TH. Tue AYRSHIRES are justly celebrated throughout Great Britain and this country for their excellent dairy qualities. Though the most recent in their origin, they are pretty distinct from the other Scotch and English races. In color, the pure Ayrshires are generally red 12 POINTS.— ORIGIN. and white, spotted or mottled, not roan like many of the short-horns, but often presenting a bright contrast of colors. They are sometimes, though rarely, nearly o1 quite all red, and sometimes black and white; but the favorite color is red and white brightly contrasted, and by some, strawberry-color is preferred. The head is small, fine, and clean; the face long, and narrow at the — muzzle, with a sprightly yet generally mild expression ; eye small, smart, and lively; the horns short, fine, and slightly twisted upwards, set wide apart at the roots; the neck thin; body enlarging from fore to hind quar- ters; the back straight and narrow, but broad across the loin; joints rather loose and open; ribs rather flat; hind quarters rather thin; bone*fine; tail long, fine and bushy at the end; hair generally thin and soft; udder light color and capacious, extending well forward under the belly; teats of the cow of medium size, generally set regularly and wide apart; milk-veins prominent and well developed. The carcass of the pure-bred Ayrshire is light, particularly the fore quarters, which is consid- ered by good judges as an index of great milking qual- ities ; but the pelvis is capacious and wide over the hips. On the whole, the Ayrshire is good-looking, but wants some of the symmetry and aptitude to fatten which characterize the short-horn, which is supposed to have contributed to build up this valuable breed on the basis of the original stock of the county of Ayr; a county extending along the eastern shore of the Frith of Clyde, in the south-western part of Scotland, and divided into three districts, known as Carrick, Cunningham, and Kyle: the first famous as the lordship of Robert Bruce, the last for the produc- tion of this, one of the most remarkable dairy breeds of cows in the world. The original stock of this county, which undoubtedly formed the basis of the HISTORY.—EARLY STOCK OF AYR. 18 present Ayrshire breed, are described by Aiton, in his Treatise on the Dairy Breed of Cows, as of a diminu- tive size, ill fed, ill shaped, and yielding but a scanty return in milk. They were mostly of a black color, with large stripes of white along the chine and ridge of their backs, about the flanks, and on their faces. Their horns were high and crooked, having deep ringlets at the root,—the plainest proof that the cattle were but scantily fed; the chine of their backs stood up high and narrow; their sides were lank, short, and thin; their hides thick, and adhering to their bones; their pile was coarse and open; and few of them yielded more than six or eight quarts of milk a day when in their best plight, or weighed when fat more than from twelve to sixteen or twenty stones avoirdupois, at eight pounds the stone, sinking offal. “It was impossible,” he continues, “ that these cattle, fed as they then were, could be of great weight, well shaped, or yield much milk. Their only food in winter and spring was oat-straw, and what they could pick up in the fields, to which they were turned out almost every day, with a mash of weak corn and chaff daily for -a few days after calving; and their pasture in summer was of the very worst quality, and eaten’so bare that the cattle were half starved, and had the aspect of starvelings. A wonderful change has since been made in the condition, aspect, and qualities, of the Ayrshire dairy stock. They are not now the meagre, unshapely animals they were about forty years ago; but have completely changed into something as different from what they were then as any two breeds in the island can be from each other. They are almost double the size, and yield about four times the quantity of milk that the Ayrshire cows then yielded. They were not of any specific breed, nor uniformity of shapes or color 14 AITON’S RECOLLECTIONS. neither was there any fixed standard by which they could be judged.” Aiton wrote in 1815, and even then the Ayrshire cat tle had been completely changed from what they were in 1770, and had, to a considerable extent, at least, set- tled down into a breed with fixed characteristics, distin- guished especially for an abundant flow and a rich qual- ity of milk. A large part of the improvement ther manifested was due to better feeding and care, but much, no doubt, to judicious crossing. Strange as it may seem, considering the modern origin of this breed, “all that is certainly known is that a century ago there was no such breed as Cunningham or Ayrshire in Scot land. Did the Ayrshire cattle arise entirely from a careful selection of the best native breed? If they did, it is a circumstance unparalleled in the history of agri- culture. The native breed may be ameliorated by care- ful selection; its value may be incalculably increased ; some good qualities, some of its best qualities, may be for the first time developed; but yet there will be some resemblance to the original stock, and the more we examine the animal the more clearly we can trace out the characteristic points of the ancestor, although every one of them is improved.” Aiton remembered well the time when some short- horn or Dutch cattle, as they were then called, were procured by some gentlemen in Scotland, and particu- larly by one John Dunlop, of Cunningham, who brought some Dutch cows—doubtless short-horns—to his byres soon after the year 1760. As they were then provided with the best of pasture, and the dairy was the chief object of the neighborhood, these cattle soon excited attention, and the small farmers began to raise up crosses from them. This was in Cunningham, one of the districts of Ayrshire, and Mr. Dunlop’s were, THE TEESWATER.—DUTCH. 15 without doubt, among the first of the stranger kreed that reached that region. About 1750,a little previous to the above date, the Earl of Marchmont bought of the Bishop of Durham several cows and a bull of the Tees- water breed, all of a brown color spotted with white, and kept them some time at his seat in Berwickshire. His lordship had extensive estates in Kyle, another dis- trict of Ayrshire, and thither his factor, Bruce Camp- bell, took some of the Teeswater breed and kept them. for some time, and their progeny spread over various parts of Ayrshire. A bull, after serving many cows of the estates already mentioned, was sold to a Mr. Hamil- ton, in another quarter of Ayrshire, and raised a numer- ous offspring. About the year 1767, also, John Orr sent from Glas- gow to his estate in Ayrshire some fine milch cows, of a much larger size than any then in that region. One of them cost six pounds, which was more than twice the price of the best cow in that quarter. These cows were well fed, and of course yielded a large return of milk; and the farmers, for miles around, were eager to get their calves to raise. _ About the same time, also, a few other noblemen and gentlemen, stimulated by example, bought cattle of the same appearance, in color brown spotted with white, all of them larger than the native cattle of the county, and when well fed yielding much larger quantities of milk, and their calves were all raised. Bulls of their kreed.and color were preferred to all others. From the description given of these cattle, there is no doubt that they were the old Teeswater, ur Dutch ; the foundation, also, according to the best authorities, of the modern improved short-horns. With them and the crosses obtained from them the whole county gradu- ally became stocked, and supplied: the neigh »oring 16 EFFECT OF INJUDICIOUS CROSSING. counties, by degrees, till at present the whole region, comprising the counties of Ayr, Renfrew, Lanark, Dum. barton, and Stirling, and more than a fourth part of the whole population of Scotland, a large proportion of which is engaged in manufactures and commercial or mechanical pursuits, furnishing a ready market for milk and butter, is almost exclusively stocked with Ayrshires. The cross with larger cattle and the natives of Ayr. shire produced, for many years, an ugly-looking beast, and the farmers were long in finding out that they had violated one of the plain principles of breeding in coupling a large and small breed so indiscriminately together, especially in the use of bulls proportionately larger than the cows to which they were put. They did not then understand that no crosses could be made in that way to increase the size of a race, without a corresponding increase in the feed; and many very ill-shaped animals were the consequence of ignorance of a natural law. They made large bones, but they were never strong and vigorous in proportion to their size. Trying to keep large animals on poor pasture produced the same effect. The results of first crosses were therefore very unsatisfactory; but gradually bet ter feeding and a reduction in size came to their aid, while i in the course of years more enlightened views er farmiu, .g led to higher cultivation, and consequently to higher and better care and ait cution to stock. The effect of crosses with the larger Teeswater or short horn was not so disastrous in Ayrshire as in some of the mountain breeds, whose feed was far less, while their exposure on high and short pastures was greater. The climate of Ayrshire is moist and mild, and the soil rich, clayey, and well adapted to pasturage, but difficult to till. The cattle are naturally hardy and active, and capable of enduring severe winters, and IMPROVEMENTS.—FORM OF THE BULL. 17 of easily regaining condition with the return of spring and good feed. The pasture-land of the county is devoted to dairy stock,— chiefly for making butter and cheese, a small part only being used for fattening cows when too old to keep for the dairy. The breed has undergone very marked improvements since Aiton wrote, in 1815. The local demand for fresh dairy prod- ucts has very naturally taxed the skill and judgment of the farmers and dairy-men to the utmost, through a long course of years; and thus the remarkable milking qualities of the Ayrshires have been developed to sucha degree that they may be said to produce a larger quan- tity of rich milk and butter in proportion to the food consumed, or the cost of production, than any other of the pure-bred races. The owners of dairies in the county of Ayr and the neighborhood were generally small tenants, who took charge of their stock them- selves, saving and breeding from the offspring of good milkers, and drying off and feeding such as were found to be unprofitable for milk, for the butcher; and thus the production of milk and butter has for many years been the leading object with the owners of this breed, and symmetry of form and perfection of points for any other object have been very much disregarded, or, if regarded at all, only from this one point of view — the r~oduc- tion of the greatest quantity of rich milk. The manner in which this result has been brought aoout may further be seen ina remark of Aiton, who says that the Ayrshire farmers prefer their dairy bulls according to the feminine aspect of their heads and necks, and wish them not round bebind, but broad at the hook-bones and hips, and full in the flanks. This was more than forty years ago, and under such circum: _ stances, and with such care.in the selection of bulls and cows with reference to one specific object, it is not D% 18 YIELD. —QUANTITY.— QUALITY. surprising that we find a breed now wholly unsurpassed when the quantity and quality of their produce is con- sidere] with reference to their proportional size and Fig. 2. Ayrshire Bull ‘‘Atperr.”? the food they consume. The Ayrshire cow has been known to produce over ten imperial gallons of good milk a day. A cow-feeder in Glasgow, selling fresh milk, is said to have realized two hundred and fifty dollars in seven months from one good cow; and it is stated, on high authority, that a dollar a day for six months of the year is no uncommon income from good cows under similar circumstances, and that seventy-five cents a day is be low the average. But this implies high and judicious feeding, of course: the average yield, on ordinary feed, would be considerably less. Youatt estimates the daily yield of an Ayrshire cow, for the first two or three months after calving, at five gallons a day, on an average; for the next three months, at three gallons; and for the next four months, at one gallon anda half. This would be 850 gallons as the a Ee YIELD INFLUENCED BY CLIMATE. 1y annual average of a cow; but, allowing for some unpro- ductive cows, he estimates the average of a dairy at 600 gallons per annum tor each cow. Three gallons anda half of the Ayrshire cow’s milk will yield one and a half pounds of butter. He therefore reckons 2057 pounds of butter, or 514 pounds of cheese, at the rate of 24 pounds to 28 gallons of milk, as the yield of every cow, at a fair and perhaps rather low average, in an Ayrshire dairy, during the year. Aiton sets the yield much higher, saying that “thousands of the best Ayr- shire dairy-cows, when in prime condition and well fed, produce 1000 gallons of milk per annum; that in gene- ral three and three quarters to four gallons of their milk will yield a pound and a half of butter; and that 274 gallons of their milk will make 21 pounds of full-milk cheese.” Mr. Rankin puts it lower—at about 650 to 700 gallons to each cow; on his own farm of inferior: soil, his dairy produced an average of 550 gallons only. One of the four cows originally imported into this country by John P. Cushing, Esq., of Massachusetts, gave in one year 3864 quarts, beer measure, or about 966 gallons, at ten pounds to the gallon, being an aver. age of over ten and a half beer quarts a day for the whole year. It is asserted, on good authority, that the first Ayrshire cow imported by the Massachusetts Soci- ety for the Promotion of Agriculture, in 1837, yielded sixteen pounds of butter a week, for several weeks in succession, on grass feed only. These yields are not so large as those stated by Aiton; but it should, per- haps, be recollected that our climate is less favorable to the production of milk than that of England and Scot land, and that no cow imported after arriving at matur- ity could be expected to yield as much, under the same circumstances, as one bred on the spot where the trial ts made, and perfectly acclimated. 20 CUMPARATIVE TRIALS.— HARLEY. In aseries of experiments on the Earl of Chester- field’s dairy farm, at Bradley Hall, interesting as giving positive data on which to form a judgment as to the yield, it was found that, in the height of the season, the Holderness cows gave 7 gallons 1 quart per diem; the long-horns and Alderneys, 4 gallons 3 quarts; the Dev- ons, 4 gallons 1 quart; and that, when made into butter, ths above quantities gave, respectively, 384 onneet 28 ounces, and 25 ounces. The ae a cow far smaller than the Holdsesae at 5 gallons of milk and 34 ounces of butter per day, gives a fair average as to yield of milk, and an enor- mous production of butter, giving within 44 ounces as much from her 5 gallons as the Holderness from her 7 gallons 1 quart; her rate being nearly 7 ounces to the gallon, while that of the Holderness is considerably under 6 ounces. The evidence ofa large and practical dairyman is cer- tainly of the highest value; and in this connection it may be stated that Mr. Harley, the author of the Harle tan Dairy System, who established the celebrated Wil- lowbank Dairy, in Glasgow, and who kept, at times, from two hundred and sixty to three hundred cows, always using the utmost care in selection, says that he had cows, by way of experiment, from different parts of the united kingdom. He purchased ten at one Edin burgh market, of the large short-horned breed, at twenty pounds each, but these did not give more milk, nor better in quality, than Ayrshire cows that were bought at the same period for thirteen pounds a head; and, on comparison, it was found that the latter were much cheaper kept, and that they improved much more in beef and fat in proportion to their size, than the high-priced cows. A decided preference was therefore given to the improted Ayrshire breed, from seven to BUYING.—HARLEY’S RULES. 21 ten years old, and from eight to twenty pounds a head, Prime young cows were too high-priced for stall feed ing; old cows were generally the most profitable in the long run, especially if they were not previously in good keeping. The cows were generally bought when near calving, which prevented the barbarous practice called hafting, or allowing the milk to remain upon the cow for a considerable time before she is brought to the market. This base and cruel custom is always perni- cious to the cow, and in consequence of it she seldom recovers her milk for the season. The middling and large sizes of cows were preferred, such as weighed from thirty-five to fifty stone, or from five hundred to eight hundred pounds. According to Mr. Harley, the most approved shape and marks of a good dairy cow are as follows: Head small, long, and narrow towards the muzzle; horns — small, clear, bent, and placed at considerable distance from each other; eyes not large, but brisk and lively; neck slender and long, tapering towards the head, with a little loose skin below; shoulders and fore quarters light and thin; hind quarters large and broad; back straight, and joints slack and open; carcass deep in the rib; tail small and long, reaching to the heels; legs small and short, with firm joints; udder square, but a little oblong, stretching forward, thin-skinned and capa- cious, but not low hung; teats or paps small, pointing outwards, and at a considerable distance from each other; milk-veins capacious and prominent; skin loose, thin, and soft like a glove; hair short, soft, and woolly; general figure, when in flesh, handsome and well pro- portioned. If this description of the Ayrshire cow be correct, it will be seen that her head and neck are remarkably clean and fine, the latter swelling gradually towards the 22 DOCILITY.— TREATMENT. shoulders, both parts being unincumbered with superflu. ous flesh. The same general form extends backwards, the fore quarters being light, the shoulders thin, and the carcass swelling out towards the hind quarters, so that standing in front of her it has the form of a blunted wedge. Such a structure indicates very fully devel- oped digestive organs, which exert a powerful influence on the exercise of all the functions of the body, and especially on the secretion of the milky glands, accom. panied with milk-veins and udder partaking of the same character as the stomach and viscera, being large and capacious, while the external skin and interior walls of the milk-glands are thin and elastic, and all parts arranged in a manner especially calculated for the pro- duction of milk. . A cow with these marks will generally be of a quiet and docile temper, which greatly enhances her value. — A cow that is of a quiet and contented disposition feeds at ease, is milked with ease, and yields more than one of an opposite temperament; while after she is past her usefulness as a milker she will easily take on fat, and make fine beef and a good quantity of tallow, because she feeds freely, and when dry the food which went to make milk is converted into fat and flesh. But there is no breed of cows with which gentleness of treatment is so indispensable as with the Ayrshire, on account of her naturally nervous temperament. If she receive other than kind and gentle treatment, she will often resent it with angry looks and gestures, and withhold her milk; and if such treatment is long continued, will dry up; but she willingly and easily yields it to the hand that fondles her, and all her looks and movements towards her friends are quiet and mild. Ags already remarked, the Ayrshires in their native country are generally bred for the dairy, and no other. - CROSSES.— FATTENING QUALITIES. 23 object; and the cows have obtained a just and world wide reputation for this quality. The oxen are, however, very fair as working cattle, though they cannot be said to excel other breeds in this respect. The Ayrshire steer may be fed and turned at three years old, but for feeding purposes the Ayrshires are greatly improved by a cross with the short-horns, provided regard is had to the size of the animals. It is the opinion of good breeders that a high-bred short-horn bull and a large. sized Ayrshire cow will produce a calf which will come to maturity earlier, and attain greater weight, and sell for more money, than a pure-bred Ayrshire. This cross, with feeding from the start, may be sold fat at two or three years old, the improvement being especially seen in the earlier maturity and the size. Even Youatt, who maintains that the fattening properties of the Ayr- shires have been somewhat exaggerated, admits that they will fatten kindly and profitably, and that their meat will be good; while he also asserts that they unite, perhaps, to a greater degree than any other breed, the supposed incompatible qualities of yielding a great deal of milk and beef. In the cross with the short-horn, the form becomes ordinarily more symmetrical, while there is, perhaps, little risk of lessening the milking qualities of the off spring, if sufficient regard is paid to the selection of the Individual animals to breed from. It is thought by some that in the breeding of animals it is the male which gives the external form, or the bony and muscu- lar system of the young, while the female imparts the respiratory organs, the circulation of the blood, the mucous membranes, the organs.of secretion, &c. If this principle is true, it follows that the milking qualities come chiefly from the mother, and that the tull can not materially alter the conditions which 24 SELECTIONS FOR BREEDING. determine the transmission of these qualities, especially when they are as strongly marked as they are in the Ayrshire or the Jersey races. Others, however, main- tain that it is more important to the perfection of their dairy to make a good choice of bulls than of heifers, because the property of giving much milk is more surely transmitted by the male than the female. Others still maintain that both parents are represented in the offspring, but that it is impossible to say beforehand what parts of the derivative system are to be ascribed to the one parent and what to the other, and that there is a blending and interfusion of the qualities of both which prevent the body of their progeny being mapped out into distinct regions, or divided into separate sets of organs, of which we can say, “This is from the father, that from the mother.” Till this question is settled, it is safe, in breeding foz the dairy, to adhere to the rule of selecting only ani mals whose progenitors on both sides have been distin- guished for their milking qualities. But where the his. tory of either is unknown, a resort to a well-known breed, remarkable for its dairy qualities, is of no small importance; since, though the immediate ancestors of a male may not be known, if he belongs to a dairy breed, it is fair to presume that his progenitors were milkers. A study and comparison of the size and form of the milk mirror, and other points, indicated by. Guénon, on a subsequent page, are worthy of careful consideration in selecting animals to breed from for the dairy, not only among pure-bred animals, but especially in crossing. In the scale of points adopted in England and this country as the standard of perfection for an Ayrshire cow, the udder, on which Guénon placed so much reliance, is valued at twelve times as much ag a> a i ee ae SUPERIURITY OF AYRSHIRES. 25 that of the Devon, “because,” as the judges affirm, “the Ayrshires have been bred almost exclusively with reference to their milking properties.” We must conclude, then, that “for purely dairy pur- poses the Ayrshire cow deserves the first place. In consequence of her small, symmetrical, and compact body, combined with -a well-formed chest and a capa- cious stomach, there is little waste, comparatively speaking, through the respiratory system; while, at the same time, there is very complete assimilation of the food, and thus she converts a large proportion of her food into milk. So remarkable is this fact, that all dairy farmers who have any experience on the point agree in stating that an Ayrshire cow generally gies a larger return of milk for the food consumed than a cow of any other breed. The absolute quantity may not be so great, but it is obtained at a less cost; and this is the point upon which the question of profit depends.” I have dwelt thus at length upon this race for the reason that it is preéminently a dairy breed, surpassing all other pure breeds in the production of rich milk and but- ter on soils of medium fertility, and admirably adapted, in my opinion, to raise the character of our stock.to a higher standard of excellence. The best milkers I have ever known, in the course of my own observations, were grade Ayrshires, larger in size than the pure bloods, but still sufficiently high grades to give certain signs of their origin. I have owned several such, which were all good cows. This grade would seem to possess the advantage of combining, to some extent, the two qualities of milking and adaptation to beef; and this is no small recommendation of the stock to farmers situated as American farmers are, who wish for milk for some years and then to turn over to the butcher. 3 26 THE JERSEYS.—GENERAL ESTIMATE. THe Jersey cattle have now become widely known in this country. Many of them have been imported from an island of the same name in the British Channel, near the coast of France, and they may now be con- sidered, I think, as fully acclimated. They were first introduced over fifty years ago, from the Channel Islands, Alderney and Jersey. Fig. 3.* Jersey Cow. The opinions of practical men differ widely as to the comparative merits of this race, and its adaptation to our climate and to the wants of our farmers. The most common decision, prevailing among many even of the best judges of stock, appears to be, that, however desir- able the cows may be on the lawn or in a gentleman’s park, they are rather unsuited to the general wants of the practical farmer. This may or may not be the case. If the farmer keeps a dairy farm and sells only milk, the quantity and not the quality of which is his chief care, he can satisfy himself better with some other breed. If otherwise situated,—if he devotes his time * See page 30 ; HAXTON’S OPINION.—FORM. 24 to the making of butter for the supply of customers who are willing to pay for a good article,—he may very properly consider whether a few Jerseys, or an infusion of Jersey blood, may not be desirable. Hax ton calls the Jersey cow the cheese and butter dairy- man’s friend when her milk is diluted with that of ten or a dozen ordinary cows, and his enemy if he should attempt to make either cheese or butter solely from her produce, as, from the excessive richness of the milk, neither will keep long; and, finally, an ornament to the rich man’s lawn, yet in aspect altogether devoid of those rounded outlines which constitute the crite- rion of animal beauty. The Jersey race is supposed to have been derived originally from Normandy, in the northern part of France. The cows have been long celebrated for the production of very rich milk and cream, but till within a quarter of a century they were comparatively coarse, ugly, and ill-shaped. Improvements have been very marked, but the form of the animal is still far from satisfying the eye. The head of the pure Jersey is fine and tapering, the cheek small, the throat clean. the muzzle fine and encircled with a light stripe, the nostril high and open; the horns smooth, crumpled, not very thick at the base, tapering, and tipped with black; ears small and thin, deep orange color inside; eyes full and placid; neck straight and fine; chest broad and deep; barrel hooped, broad and deep, well ribbed up; back straight from the withers to the hip, and from the top of the hip to the setting on of the tail; tail fine, at right angles with the back, and hanging down to the hecks; skin thin, light color and mellow, covered with fine soft hair; fore legs short, straight and fine below the knee, arm swelling and full above; hind quarters long and well filled; hind legs short and straight below 28 CHARACTERISTICS.— BEAUTY. the hocks, with bones -rather fine, squarely placed, and not too close together; hoofs small; udder full in size, — in line with the belly, extending well up behind; teats of medium size, squarely placed and wide apart, and milk-veins very prominent. The color is generally cream, dun, or yellow, with more or less white, and the fine head and neck give the cows and heifers a fawn- like appearance, and make them objects of attraction in the park; but the hind quarters are often too narrow to look well, particularly to those who judge animals from the amount of fat they carry. We should bear in mind, however, that a good race of animals is not always the most beautiful, as that term is commonly understood. Beauty in stock has no fixed standard. In the estimation of some, it results mainly from fine forms, small bones, and close, compact frames; while others consider that structure the most perfect, and therefore the most beautiful, which is best adapted to the use to which it is destined. According to the lat ter, beauty is relative. It is not the same in an animal designed for beef and in one designed for the dairy or for work. The beauty of a milch cow is the result of her good qualities. Large milkers are very rarely cows that please the eye of any but a skilful judge. They are generally poor, because their food goes mainly to the production of milk, and because they are selected ‘with less regard to form than to good: milking qual- ities. We meet with good milkers of all forms, from tle round, close-built Devon to the coarsest-boned scrub; but, with all their varieties of form and struc: ture, good cows will usually possess certain points of similarity and well-known marks by which they are known to the eyes of the judge. It is asserted by those who have bred them quite extensively that, contrary to the general opinion, the JERSEYS.— FATTENING.— BULLS. 29 Jersey cow, when old and no longer wanted as a milker, will, when dry and fed, fatten rapidly, and produce a good quantity and excellent quality of butcher’s meat. An old cow, says one, was put up to fatten in October, 1850, weighing 1125 pounds, and when killed, the 6th of January, 1851, she weighed 1330 pounds; having gained 205 pounds in ninety-eight days, on twenty pounds of hay, a little wheat-straw, and thirty pounds of roots, consisting of carrots, Swedes, and mangold wurzel, a day. The prevailing opinion as to the beauty of the Jersey is based on the general appearance of the cow in milk, no experiments in feeding exclusively for beef having been made, to my knowledge, and no opportunity to form a correct judgment from actual observation having been furnished ; and it must be con- fessed that the general appearance would amply justify the hasty conclusion. | ae flit ine ea | {\ — ik } aan 4 TON Ayah gn : da Fig. 4. Jersey Bull. The bulls are usually very different im chiracter and disposition from the cows, and are much inclined to Q% 30 TEST TRIALS OF JERSEYS. become restive and cross at the age of two or three years, unless their treatment is uniformly gentle and firm. During the past twenty years the Jersey cow has been greatly improved in this country. She is larger, more hardy than formerly, and both her milking and butter-producing qualities have been materially im- proved. Exceptional cows, in test trials, have yielded considerably over three pounds per day for a week, and one, Princess, 2d, owned by Mrs. 8. M. Shoemaker, of Baltimore, Md., is said to have given milk in seven days that made 46 lbs. 124 ozs. salted butter. The test was made in February, when her calf was seven and a half weeks old. Her milk was nearly one-sixth butter. Fig. 3 is a good likeness of the celebrated Jersey cow Mary Ann, of St. Lambert, which, under an official test conducted by the American Jerséy Cattle Club, produced 36 lbs. 12} ozs. of butter in seven days, and in eleven months and five days yielded 867 lbs. 143 ozs. Her owner, Mr. Valancy E. Fuller, Hamilton, Canada, is an enthusiastic admirer and breeder of fine Jerseys. Prince Pogis, Fig. 4, is a bull of his breeding, and both animals well represent the general appearance of the best families of Jersey stock as now bred in the United States and Canada. . There are inferior Jerseys as there are inferior cattle of all breeds, too many calves being raised and sold at prices above their value on account of their pedigree or connection with superior families or noted individual animals. The best breeders, however, understand that ‘the constant “ weeding out” of inferior specimens from their herds is one of the important requisites to success in the improvement of dairy cattle, as of other stock. They also know, from bitter experience, that forcing cows for great yields is attended with great risks, the Ss SHORT HORNS.— ORIGIN. 31 greatest yielders having had their lives sacrificed by the tests. = iH) i ( NANG ZN Improved Short-horn Ducuess (64.) THE SHort-Horns.—No breed of horned cattle has commanded more universal admiration during the last halfcentury than the improved Short-horns, whose ori- gin can be traced back for nearly a hundred years. According to the best authorities, the stock which formed the basis of improvement existed equally in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland, and counties adjoining; and the preéminence was accorded to Dur- ham, which gave its name to the race, from the more correct principles of breeding which seem to have pre- vailed there. . There is a dispute among the most eminent breed ers as to how far it owes its origin to early importations from Holland, whence many superior animals were © brought for the purpose of improving the old long: horned breed. A large race of cattle had existed for many years on the western shores of the continent of Europe. At a very early date, as early as 1633, they Sp DUTCH.—-HOLDERNESS.— HUBBACK. were imported from Denmark into New England in con- siderable numbers, and thus laid the foundation of a valuable stock in this country. They extended along the coast, it is said, through Holland to France. The dairy formed a prominent branch of farming at a very early date in Holland, and experience led to the great- est care in the choice and breeding of dairy stock. From these cattle many selections were made to cross over to the counties of York and Durham. The pre- vailing color of the large Dutch cattle was black and white, beautifully contrasted. The cattle produced by these crosses a century ago were known under the name of “Dutch.” The cows selected for crossing with the early imported Dutch bulls were generally long-horned, large-boned, coarse animals, a fair type of which was found in the old “ Hold- erness” breed of Yorkshire,—slow feeders, strong in the shoulder, defective in the fore quarter, and not very profitable for the butcher, their meat being “ coarse to the palate and uninviting to the eye.” Their milking qualities were good, surpassing, probably, those of the improved short-horns. Whatever may be the truth with regard to these crosses, and however far they proved effective in creating or laying the foundation of the modern improved short-horns, the results of the efforts made in Yorkshire and some.of the adjoining counties were never so satisfactory to the best judges as those of the breeders along the Tees, who selected animals with greater reference to fineness of bone and symme- try of form, and the animals they bred soon took the lead, and excited great emulation in improvement. The famous bull “Hubback,” bred by Mr. Turner, of Hurworth, and subsequently owned by Mr. Colling. laid the foundation of the celebrity of the short-horns, and it is the pride of short-horn breeders to trace back | a COMET.—BREEDERS OF SHORT-HORNS. 33 to him. He was calved in 1777, and his descendants -Foljambe, Bolingbroke, Favorite, and Comet, perma nently fixed the characteristics of the breed. Comet was so highly esteemed among breeders, that he sold at one thousand guineas, or over five thousand dollars. Hubback is thought by some to have been a pure short- horn, and by others a grade or mixture. _ Many breeders had labored long previous to the brothers Charles and Robert Colling, especially on the: old 'Teeswater short-horns; yet a large share of the eredit of improving and establishing the reputation of the improved short-horns is generally accorded to the Collings. Certain it is that the spirit and discrimination: with which they selected and bred soon became known, and a general interest was awakened in the breed at the time of the sale of Charles Colling’s herd, October 11,1810. It was then that Mr. Bates, of Kirkleaving- ton, purchased the celebrated heifer Duchess I., whose family sold, in 1850, after his decease, at an average of one hundred and sixteen pounds five shillings per head, including young calves. Many representatives of the Duchess family, which laid the foundation of Mr. Bates’ _ success as a breeder, have been brought to this country. They may, perhaps, be regarded as an exception to the modern improved short-horns, their milking qualities being generally very superior. The sale referred to, and those of R. Colling’s herd, in 1818, and that of Lord Spencer, in 1846, as well as that of the Kirkleavington herd, in 1850, and especially that of the herd of Lord Ducie, two years later, are marked eras in the history of improved short-horns; and through these sales, and the universal enthusiasm awak- ened by them, the short-horns haye become more widely spread over Great Britain, and more generally fashion. able, than any other breed. They have also been largely a 34 CREAMPOTS.——C@LEBS.—DENTON. introduced into France by the government, for the improvement of the various French breeds by crossing, and into nearly every quarter of the civilized world. Ui Z = F a4) 7 ee i S: fi s GO = yd La = \ ae Short-horn Bull ‘‘ DousLe Duke,” (14514 Am. H. Book.) Importations have been frequent and extensive mt the United States until within a few years, and this famous breed is now pretty generally diffused over the country. The use of the early-imported short-horn bulls and native cows led to the formation of many families of grades, some of them bred back to the sire, and others crossed high up, which have attained a very consider- able local reputation in many sections. As instances of this, may be mentioned the Creampot stock, obtained by Col. Jaques from a short-horn bull, Coelebs, and a@ superior native cow. For some years past breeders of short-horns have rather neglected the milking qualities of this breed, and have bred them more particularly for beef pur- poses. ‘This has specially been the case since the west- ern public lands have been opened up for cattle grazing. eh EVILS OF OVERFEEDING. 30 A.few farmers have bred the short-horns for the dairy, or as general-purpose cows, and there are good herds, both pure and high grades, to be found that are large milk and butter producers. It is not improbable that if the short-horn had been bred for the dairy during the last quarter of a century it would have met the wants of the general farmer and dairyman quite as fully as some of the popular breeds recently introduced. The high-bred short-horn is easily prepared for a show, and, as fat will cover faults, the temptation is often too great to be resisted; and hence it is common to see the finest animals rendered unfit for breeding purposes by over-feeding. The race is susceptible of breeding for the production of milk, as several families show, and great milkers have often been known among pure-bred animals: but it is more common to find it bred mainly for the butcher, and kept accordingly. It is, however, a well-known fact that the dairies of Lon- don are stocked largely with short-horns and York- shires, or high grades between them, which, after being miiked as long as profitable, feed equal, or nearly so, to pure-bred short-horns. It has been said, by very high authority, that ‘the short-horns improve every breed they cross with.” The desirable characteristics of the short-horn bull may be summed up, according to the judgment of the best breeders, as follows: He should have a short but fine head, very broad across the eyes, tapering to the nose, with a nostril full and prominent; the nose itself should be of a rich flesh-color; eyes bright and mild: ears somewhat large and thin; horns slightly curved and rather flat, well set on a long, broad, muscular neck; chest wide, deep, and projecting; shoulde’s fine, oblique, well formed into the chine; fore legs short with upper arm large and powerful; barrel round, deep, 36 BARLY MATURITY.—QUALITY ‘ well ribbed home; hips wide and level; back straight from the withers to the setting on of the tail, but short from hip to chine; skin soft and velvety to the touch; moderately thick hair, plentiful, soft, and mossy. The cow has the same points in the main, but her head is finer, longer, and more tapering, neck thinner and lighter, and shoulders more narrow across the chine. The astonishing precocity of the short-horns, thei remarkable aptitude to fatten, the perfection of their forms, and the fineness of their bony structure, give them an advantage over most other races when the object of breeding is for the shambles. No animal of any other breed can so rapidly transform the stock of any section around him as the improved short-horn bull. But it does not follow that the high-bred short-horns are unexceptionable even for beef. The very exag- geration, so to speak, of the qualities which make them so valuable for the improvement of other and less per. fect races, may become a fault when wanted for the table. The very, rapidity with which they increase in size is thought by some to prevent their meat from ripening up sufficiently before being hurried off to the butcher. The disproportion of the fatty to the mus- cular flesh, found in this to a greater extent than in races coming slower to maturity, makes the meat of the thorough-bred short-horn, in the estimation of some, both less agreeable to the taste and less profitable to the consumer, since the nitrogenous compounds, true sources of nutriment, are found in less quantity than in the meat of animals not so highly bred. But the improved short-horn is justly unrivalled fon symmetry of form and beauty. I have never seen a picture or an engraving of an animal which gave an adequate idea of the beauty of many specimens of this race, especially of the best bred in Kentucky and Ohio. SYMMETRY.—THE DUTCH RACE. 31 where many excellent breeders, favored by a climate and pastures eminently adapted to bring the short-horn .to perfection, have not only imported extensively from the best herds in England, but have themselves attained a degree of knowledge and skill equalled only by that of the most celebrated breeders in the native country of this improved race. In sections where the climate is moist and the food ibundant and rich, some families of the short-horns may be valuable for the dairy; but they are most frequently bred exclusively for beef in this country, and in sec- tions where they have attained the highest perfection of form and beauty so little is thought of their milking qualities that they are often not milked at all, the calf being allowed to run with the dam. aS PIAS Fig. 7. Imported Dutch Cow. American stock men who fancy a large breed, and one which is more specially valuable for the dairy, have recently been giving much attention to the Dutch cattle, or SIG eis testa as they are now called, a 38 THE DUTCH RACE. breed that originated in the lowlands of Holland, in what at present are the provinces of Friesland and North Holland. This breed claims a history dating. back to near the beginning of the Christian era, when Fig. 8.— Dutch or Holstein Bulli. the inhabitants of those lowlands found it necessary to cut the forage growing upon their rich marshes and dry it for winter feeding when the land was covered by water, rendering open pasturing at that season im- possible. Under these conditions of luxuriant pastur- age in summer, and good care and shelter in winter, these cattle gradually improved till they excelled the cattle of other countries upon which less attention was bestowed. Mr. T. M. Koldyk, of Friesland, in an essay receiving the first prize offered by the Holstein-Friesian Association of America, says, when speaking of the progress of the breed, “ But it must be admitted that their success is due more to centuries of care and unusually favorable circumstances for their develop- ment than to scientific breeding. The majority of the HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS. 39 breeders of Dutch cattle in their native country have but little idea, even at the present day, of the roost simple principles of breeding. But for centuries they kept the best cattle for themselves, simply because they knew that these paid the best ; and they kept the bulls of their best cows, simply because they knew, as a rule, these made the best bulls, and with these limited ideas of breeding they succeeded in producing some of the best cows yet known.” The Holstein-Friesian breeders claim that their favorite, above all others, is entitled to be called a “general-purpose ” cow, as she excels as a producer of milk, butter, and cheese, and at the end gives a large carcass of good beef. The American breeders of Holstein-Friesians were among the first to recognize real merit as of more im- portance than mere pedigree, and their Association publishes what is styled an “ Advanced Register,” in . which only such animals are eligible to record as have been officially tested for productive ability, and found to reach certain standards adopted by the Association, such standards varying with the age of the animal and the length of time after calving. ‘These rules require that a two-year-old shall have given not less than nine pounds of butter in seven consecutive days, or not less than 6,500 lbs. of milk in ten consecutive months. The five-year-old cow must have given not less than 15 Ibs. of butter, or 10,700 lbs. of milk in the periods above-named. Vol. 1 of this “ Advanced Register,” published in 1887, contains the names of over 350 cows and heifers, the property of about twenty different owners. Of these, 12 each gave in a year over 18,000 Ibs. of milk ; 102 gave over 15 lbs. of butter in one week ; five gave over 90 lbs. in 30 days; one gave over 40 EXTREME YIELDS. 105 Ibs. in 30 days; one over 207 lbs. in 60 days; and one over 304 lbs. in 90 days. Records of from 60 to 80 Ibs. of milk per day are quite frequent among animals of this breed, and a few have reached from 90 to 112 lbs., and one has averaged over 83 lbs. per day for a year ; but these extreme yields only show the possibilities of the breed, and are at- tained at great risk of ruining the animals tested. Indeed most of the cows, whatever the breed, that have been crowded to extreme points of production have died soon after making their wonderful records. The modern Dutch or Holstein-Friesian cattle are uniformly black and white in color, of large size, weighing, as mature cows, from 1,200 lbs. to a full ton, and the bulls, from a ton to a ton and a half. They grow rapidly, young cattle frequently reaching a weight of 800 to 1,000 pounds or more at twelve months old. They are of a quiet disposition, and en- joy eating much better than fighting. Their horns are short, and usually lop down or curl in. Farmers depending upon hilly pastures, with short feed in summer, and bog hay and weather-beaten corn fodder in winter, to feed their dairy cattle, would, doubtless, prefer some other breed; but those who look upon the cowas a machine for converting forage crops into dairy products will not object to these handsome black and white cattle on account of their size, or ca- pacity for putting away large quantities of food. Among farmers who adopt a partial system of soil- ing, and who feed well the entire year, the Holstein- Friesians are destined to gain great favor. The illustrations, Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, are the cow Calantha, 6,714, H. H. B., and the bull Sir Henry, of Maplewood, 2,932, H. H. B., owned by F. C. Stevens, Utica, N.Y. GUERNSEY CATTLE. 41 ' Calantha, when two years old, gave 1,4843 lbs. of milk in 80 days, and a year later gave 1,965 lbs. in the same number of days. Hig. 9. Guernsey Cow, Imported SELECT, 2,209. Another dairy breed, that is claimed as more of a general-purpose breed than the Jersey, though much resembling her, is the Guernsey. The Guernsey, like the Jersey and Alderney, is a Channel Island cow that has been long bred chiefly for butter-making. When importations first came to this country from the Channel Islands, it was generally understood that the Jerseys, Alderneys, and Guernseys were all one breed, and there was not a little confusion in the use of the several names. Fifty years ago cattle were imported chiefly by ship- masters, who happened to take a fancy to animals found in foreign lands, though without very much knowledge of their peculiar breed characteristics. Persons of wealth also occasionally authorized sea- captains to bring them over a choice animal, or they purchased such upon their arrival. The first cow 42 ' EARLY HISTORY. known to be a pure Guernsey, imported to this coun- try, was brought here about the year 1840, and sold to a gentleman living in the suburbs of Philadelphia. The price paid was $500. In 1858, Prof. W. Gibson, of Philadelphia, is said to have purchased a «black and white Guernsey heifer, and later visited the Channel Islands and became a great admirer of the Guernseys, believing them to be decidedly superior to the Jerseys. Still later, the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture introduced Guernseys for the benefit of the farmers of Massachusetts ; but, the source’ of sup- ply being small, the number of animals imported has necessarily been small. Although the islands of Jer- sey and Guernsey are but twenty miles apart, the in- habitants have kept their favorite breeds of cattle free from any intermixture of blood. No animal has been allowed to land alive upon the island of Jersey for nearly a century, and the Guernsey breeders have equally guarded their herds from contamination, for hundreds of years. It was not, however, till within a very few years that any herd-book records were kept, either in Guernsey or in this country. The improve- ment of the breed on the island was due to the con- tinued selection of the best for breeding purposes. Now the number of pure Guernseys in this country is about equal to the number in their native island. The Guernseys are larger than the Jerseys, and their butter is of a deeper yellow. The color of the hair is usually a shade of orange, with patches of white. The horns are short, and often turn upward, as well as inward. Not many official tests have been made with Guern- sey cows to determine their possibilities at the pail or churn; but with ordinary keeping many have yielded from 14 to 22 pounds of butter per week. POLLED: CATTLE. Biss Fig. 9 represents an imported Guernsey cow, Select, 2,205, owned by Mr. Francis Shaw, of New Braintree, Mass. She had a butter record on the island of 22 lbs. 8 ozs. in seven days, made from a milk yield of 224 quarts per day on moderate feeding. Fig. 10. RAVINEWooD BEAU and BELLE. Red Polled Cattle. There are certain points essential to a good dairy cow, whatever the breed; she must have good digestive powers, and well-developed lacteal organs. The color of the hair, and the size, the length, and shape of the horns are of slight value compared with the size and shape of the udder, or the general disposition of the animal. No farmer regrets that his horses, his swine, or his sheep are destitute of horns, and some are advocating and practising their removal from the heads of their cows. But there are breeds of cattle as hornless as horses or mules. ; The Red Polled cattle originated in the counties of - 7 ee THE RED POLLS. Norfolk and Suffolk in the east of England, or have existed there as long as their history can be traced. They resemble the Devons in color and hardiness, and have long been renowned for their milking qualities. They are fine in form, clean and stylish about the head and neck, but of excellent disposition. The cows when dry are plump, and are easily fattened, but when in milk appear more rangey and less pleasing to the eye, except it be the eye of a dairyman. Like several other dairy breeds, the Red Polls have not risen to the dignity of a herd-book till within a com- paratively recent period. The first herd of pure Red Polls was imported in 1878 by G. F. Taber, of Patter- son, N.Y., who has been so well pleased with them that he has since largely increased his numbers by both breeding and importation. Other and larger importations have since been made by the late Col. John B. Mead, of Vermont, through whose influence these cattle have become disseminated through several of the North-western States, where dairying and cattle breeding are receiving much attention. Fig. 10 shows a Red Polled bull and cow, imported by Mr. Taber. They represent the milking families of this breed. Those bred more specially for beef are heavier, and more squarely built. Fig. 55, page 112, represents a polled bull and cow produced by crossing the Red Polls with the Jerseys, the blood of the latter predominating. Devons. — This race of cattle dates further back than any well-established breed among us. It goes generally under the simple name of Devon; but the cattle of the southern part of the county, from which the race derives its name, differ somewhat from those of the northern, having a larger and coarser frame, and far less tendency to fatten, though their dairy qualities are superior. CHARACTERISTICS.—WORKING CATTLE. 45. The North Devons are remarkable for hardihood, sym. metry,and beauty,and are generally bred for work and for beef rather than for the dairy. The head is fine and well set on; the horns of medium length, generally curved; color usually bright blood-red, but sometimes iiclining ‘to yellow ; skin thin and orange-yellow ; hair of medium length, soft and silky, making the animals remarkable as handlers ; muzzle of the nose white; eyes full and mild; ears yellowish, or orange-color inside, of moderate size ; neck rather long, with little dewlap; shoulders oblique; legs small and straight, and feet in proportion; chest of good width; ribs round and expanded; loins of first-rate quality, long, wide, and fleshy; hips round, of medium width; rump level; tail full near the setting on, taper- ing to the tip; thighs of the bull and ox muscular and full, and high in the flank, though in the cow sometimes thought to be too light; the size medium, generally ealled small. The proportion of meat on the valuable parts is greater, and the offal less, than on most other breeds, while it is well settled that they consume less food in its production. The Devons are popular with the Smithfield butchers, and their beef is well marbled or grained. f As working oxen, the Devons perhaps excel all other races in quickness, docility, and beauty, and the ease with which they are matched. With a reasonable load, they are said to be equal to horses as walkers on the road, and when they are no longer wanted for work they fatten easily and turn well. As milkers, they do not excel, perhaps they may be said not to equal, the other breeds, and they have a reputation of being decidedly below the average. In their native country the general average of a dairy is one pound of butter per day during the summer. They are bred for beef and for work, and not for the A6 THE PATTERSON HERD. dairy; and their yield of milk is small, though of a rich quality. I have, however, had occasion to examine several animals from the celebrated Patterson herd, which would have been remarkable as milkers even among good milking stock. They had not, to be sure, the beautiful symmetry of form and fineness of bone which characterize most of the modern and highly im. proved pure-bred North Devons, and had evidently been bred for many years with special reference to the development of the milking qualities, great care hav- ing been taken to use bulls and cows as breeders from ‘the best milking stock, rather than of the finest forms. The use of bulls distinguished only for symmetry of form, and of a race deficient in milk-secreting quali- ties, will be sure to deteriorate, instead of improving, the stock for the dairy. Fig. 11. Devon Cow. On the whole, whatever may be our judgment of this breed, the faults of the North Devon cow can hardly be overlooked from our present point of view. The rotundity of form and compactness of frame, though they contribute to her remarkable beauty, constitute an Y)UATT’S OPINION.—A FAIR TEST. 17 objection to her as a dairy cow, since it is generally thought that the peculiarity of form which disposes an animal to take on fat is somewhat incompatible with good milking qualities, and hence Youatt says: “Fir the dairy the North Devons must be acknowledged to be inferior to several other breeds. The milk is good, and yields more than the average proportion of creain and butter; but it is deficient in quantity.” He also main. tains that its property asa milker could not be im- proved without probable or certain detriment to its grazing qualities. But the fairest test of its fitness for the dairy is to be found in the estimation in which distinguished Devon breeders themselves have held it in this respect. A scale of points of excellence in this breed was estab- lished, some time ago, by the best judges in England; andit has since been adopted, with but sight changes, in this country. These judges, naturally prejudiced in favor of the breed, if prejudiced at all, made this svale to embrace one hundred points, no animal to be re- earded as perfect unless it excelled in all of them. Hach part of the body was assigned its real value -in the scale: a faultless head, for instance, was esti mated at four; a deep, round chest, at fifteen, &c. If the animal was defective in any part, the number of points which represented the value of that part in the scale was to be deducted pro rata from the hundred, in determining its merits. But in this scale the cow is so lightly esteemed for the dairy, that the udder, the size and shape of which is of the utmost consequence in determining the capacity of the milch cow, is set down as worth only one point, while, in the same scale, the horns and ears are valued at two points each, and the color of the nose, and the expression of the eye, are valued at four points each. Supposing, therefore, that 48 ESTIMATION OF THE UDDER. each of these points were valued at one dollar, ana a perfect North Devon cow was valued at one hundred dollars ; then another cow of the same blood, and equal to the first in every respect except in her udder, which is such as to make it certain that she can never be capable of giving milk enough to nourish her calf, must be worth, according to the estimation of the best Devon breeders, ninety-nine dollars! It is safe, therefore, to say that an animal whose udder and lacteal glands are regarded, by those who best know her capacities and her merits, as of only one quarter part as much conse: quence as the color of her nose, or half as much as the shape and size of her horns, cannot be recommended for the dairy. The improved North Devon cow may be classed, in this respect, with the Hereford, neither of which has well-developed milk-vessels —a point of the utmost consequence to the practical dairyman. The list of pure-bred races in America may be said to end here; for, though other and well-established breeds, like the long-horns, the Galloways, the Spanish, &c., have, at times, been imported, and have had some influence on our American stock, they have not been kept distinct to such an extent as to have become the prevailing stock of any particular section, so far as I am aware, and hence a notice of them properly comes in the next chapter. CHAPTER -1 1s AMERICAN GRADE OR NATIVE CATTLE.—THE PRIN- CIPLES OF BREEDING. We have dwelt thus far mainly upon the prominent breeds of cattle known among us, and especially those adapted to the dairy. Buta large proportion— by far the largest proportion, indeed —cannot be included under any of the races alluded to. The term breed, properly understood, applies only to animals of the same species, possessing, besides the gen- eral characteristics of that species, other characteristics peculiar to themselves, which they owe to the influence of soil, climate, nourishment, and habits of life to which they are subjected, and which they transmit with cer- tainty to their progeny. The characteristics of certain breeds or families are so well marked, that if an individ- ual supposed to belong to any one of them were to pro- duce an offspring not possessing them, or possessing them only in part, with others not belonging to the breed, it would be just ground for suspecting a want of purity of blood. If this definition of the term breed be correct, no grade animals, and no animals not possessing fixed pecu- liarities or characteristics which they share with all other animals of the class of which they are a type, and which they are capable of transmitting with certainty to their descendants, can be recognized by breeders as belenging to any one distinct race, breed, or family. 5 50 “NATIVES” QR GRADES.—ORIGIN. The term “native,” or “scrub,” is applied to a vast majority of our American cattle, which, though born on the soil, and thus in one sense natives, do not constitute a breed, race, or family, as properly understood by breeders. They do not possess characteristics peculiar to them all, which they transmit with any certainty to iheir offspring, either of form, size, color, milking or working properties. But, though an animal may be made up of a mixture of blood almost to infinity, it does not follow that, for specific purposes, it may not, as an individual animal, be one of the best of the species. And for particular purposes individual animals might be selected from among those commonly called natives in New England, and scrubs at the West and South, equal, and perhaps superior, to any among the races produced by the most skilful breeding. There can be no impropriety in the use of the term “ native,” there- fore, when it is understood as descriptive of no known breed, but only as applied to the common stock of the country, which does not constitute a breed. But per- haps the whole class of animals commonly called “ na- tives” would be better described as grades, since they are well known to have sprung from a great variety of cattle procured in different places and at different times on the continent of Europe, in England, and in the Spanish West Indies, brought together without any regard to fixed principles of breeding, but only from individual convenience, and by accident. The first importations to this country were doubtless - those taken to Virginia previous to 1609, though the exact date o1 their arrival is not known. Several cows were carried there from the West Indies in 1610, and the next year no less than one hundred arrived there from abroad. The earliest cattle imported into the Plymouth cal. ~ SBARLY IMPORTATIONS. —DUTOH. ol ony, and undoubtedly the earliest introduced into New England, arrived in 1624. At the division of cattle which took place in 1627, three years after, one or two are distinctly described as black, or black and white, others as brindle, showing that there was no uniformity of color. Soon after this,a large number of cattle were krought over from England for the settlers at Salem. These importations formed the original stock of Massa chusetts. In i625 the first importation was made into New York from Holland, by the Dutch West India Company, and the foundation was then laid for an exceedingly valuable race of animals, which subsequent importations from the same country, as well as from Eneland, have greatly improved. Dairy farming in some parts of Holland, it may be remarked in passing, became a highly important branch of industry at a very early date, and a large and valuable race of dairy cattle aie there long before the efforts of modern breeders began in England. The attention of farmers there is at the present time devoted especially to the dairy, and the manufacture of outter and cheese. They support themselves, to a con- siderable extent, upon this branch of farming; and hence it is held in the highest respect, and carried to a greater degree of exactness and perfection, perhaps, than in any other part of the world. They are espe. cially particular in the breeding, keeping, and care of milch cows, as on them very much of their success depends. The principles on which they practise, in selecting a cow to breed from, are as follows: She should have, they say, considerable size — not less than four anda half or five feet girth, with a length of body cor. responding; legs proportionally short; a finely-formed head, with a forehead or face somewhat concave: clear, 52 FORM: OF THE DUTCH CuwW. large, mild, and sparkling eyes, yet with no expression of wildness; tolerably large and stout ears, standing out from the head; fine, well-curved horns; a rather short than long, thick, broad neck, well set against the chest and withers; the front part of the breast and the shoul. ders must be broad and fleshy ; the low-hanging dewlap must be soft to the touch; the back and loins must be properly projected, somewhat broad, the bones not too sharp, but well covered with flesh; the animal should have long, curved ribs, which form a broad breast-bone ; the body must be round and deep, but not sunken into a hanging belly; the rump must not be uneven, the hip- bones should not stand out too broad and spreading, but all the parts should be level and well filled up; a fine tail, set moderately high up and tolerahly long, but slender, with a thick, bushy tuft of hair at the end, hanging down below the hocks; the legs must be short and low, but strong in the bony structure; the knees broad, with flexible joints; the muscles and sinews must be firm and sound, the hoofs broad and flat, and the position of the legs natural, not too close and crowded; the hide, covered with fine glossy hair, must be soft and mellow to the touch, and set loose upon the body. A large, rather long, white and loose udder, extending well back, with four long teats, serves also as a char- acteristic mark of a good milch cow. Large and prom- inent milk-veins must extend from the navel back to the udder; the belly of a good milch cow should not be too deep and hanging. The color of the North Dutch cattle is mostly variegated. Cows with only one color are no favorites. Red or black variegated, gray and blue variegated, roan, spotted and white variegated cows, are especially liked. The annexed cut represents a cow most esteemed in the North of France. Itis the type of the race so noted for cry bie THE DENMARKS. 53 the production of milk, and of the excellent dairy breeds of Holland and the low countries. In 1627, cattle were brought from Sweden to the set- tlements onthe Delaware by the Swedish West India Company. In 1631, 1632, and 1633, several importa- Fig. 13. Dutch Dairy Cow. tions were made into New Hampshire by Capt. John Mason, who, with Gorges, procured the patent of large tracts of land in the vicinity of Piscataqua River, and immediately formed settlements there. The object of Mason was to carry on the manufacture of potash. For this purpose he employed the Danes; and it was in his voyages to and from Denmark that he procured many Danish cattle and horses, which were subse. quently diffused over that whole region, and large num bers of which were driven to the vicinity of Boston and sold. These facts are authenticated by original doe. uments and depositions now on file in the office of the Secretary of State of New Hampshire. The Danish cat. tle are there described as large and coarse, of a yellow color; and it is supposed that they were procured by ie 54 WORKING AND MILKING QUALITIES. Mason as being best capable of enduring the severity of the climate and t..e hardships to which they were to be subjected. However this may have been, they very soor spread among the colonists of the Massachusetts Bay, and have undoubtedly left their marks on the stock of New England and the Middle States, which exist to some extent even to the present day, mixed im with an infinite multitude of crosses with the Dev- ons, the Dutch cattle already alluded to, the black cattle of Spain and Wales, and the long-horn and the short- horn, most of which crosses were accidental, or due to local circumstances or individual convenience. Many of these cattle, the descendants of such crosses, are of a very high order of merit, but to what particular cross. it is due it is impossible to say. They make generally hardy, strong, and docile oxen, easily broken to the yoke and quick to work, with a fair tendency to fatten when well fed; while the cows, though often ill-shaped, are sometimes remarkably good milkers, especially as regards the quantity they give. I have very often heard the best judges of stock say that if they desired to select a dairy of cows for milk for sale, they would go around and select cows com- monly called native, rather than resort to pure-bred ani- mals of any of the established breeds, and that they be- lieved they should find such a dairy the most profitable. In color, the natives, made up as already indicated, are exceedingly various. The old Denmarks, which to a considerable extent laid the foundation of the stock of Maine and New Hampshire, were light yellow. The Dutch of New York and the Middle States were black and white; the Spanish and Welsh were generally black; the Devons, which are supposed to have laid the foundation of the stock of some of the states, were red. Crosses of the Denmark with the Spanish and Welsh WANT OF UNIFORMITY. HY9) naturally made a dark brindle. Crosses of the Denmark and Devon often made a lighter or yellowish brindle, while the more recent importations of Jerseys and short-horns have generally produced a beautiful spotted progeny. The deep red has long been a favorite color in New England; but the prejudice in its favor is fast giving way to more variegated colors. . But, though we have already an exceedingly valua- ble foundation for improvement, no one will pretend to deny that our cattle, as a whole, are susceptible of it in many respects. They possess neither the size, the sym- metry, nor the early maturity, of the short-horns; they do not, as a general thing, possess the fineness of bone, the beauty of form and color, nor the activity, of the Devons or the Herefords; they do not possess that uniform richness of milk, united with generous quantity, of the Ayrshires, nor the surpassing richness of milk of the Jerseys; but, above all, they do not pos: sess the power of transmitting the many: good qualities which they often have to their offspring, which is a characteristic of all well-established breeds. It must be admitted, however, that during the past twenty-five years the introduction of pure bred bulls upon thousands of dairy farms for crossing upon the common stock of the country, and the establishing of many hundred herds of pure bred animals in New Eng- land, has very materially raised the average character of dairy cattle above what it was in earlier days. Bet- ter blood, together with better feed and better care, has certainly brought the dairy industry to a high level. Not many years ago an annual yield of 125 pounds of butter per cow was considered a good average for a Vermont dairy herd. Many did less than that, but now there are many dairies in the State producing double that amount, while 300 pounds per cow per 56 MILKING BY THE MOU’.—TREATMENT. year for a herd, including heifers, is not deemed too high a standard by many dairy farmers. There is an old adage among the dairy farmers of Ayrshire, that “The cow gives her milk by the mou’,” which was slightly varied from an old German proverb, that “The cow milks only through the throat.” It is fortunate, indeed, that wiser and more humane ideas prevail with regard to the care of stock of all kinds; for it is well known that the treatment the stock of the country received for the first two centuries after its settlement was often barbarous and cruel in the extreme, and that thousands perished, in the early his- tory of the colonies, from exposure and starvation Even within my own distinct recollection, it was thought, for miles around my native place, that cows and young stock should remain out of doors exposed to the cold winter days, to “toughen ;” and that, too, by men who styled themselves “ practical” farmers. Mr. Henry Colman truly asserted, in 1841, that the general treatment of cows in New England would not be an inapt subject of presentment by a grand jury. There were, at that time, it is true, many honorable exceptions; but the assertion was strictly correct so far as it applied to the section of which I then had a personal knowledge. Judging from the anxiety mani- fested by those who enter superior milch cows for the premiums offered by agricultural societies to show that they have had nothing, or next to nothing, to eat, it is evi- dent that the false ideas with regard to the feeding and treatment of this animal have not yet wholly disap- peared. But, if little improvement has been made in our dairy stock except that produced by more liberal feeding, it simply shows that our efforts have not been made in the right direction. The raising of cattle has now become a source of GREAT QUESTIONS. —ECONOMY. 57 profit in many sections to a greater extent, at least, than formerly, and it becomes a matter of great practi- cal importance to our farmers to take the proper steps to improve them. Indeed, the questions, what is the best breed, and what are the best crosses, and how shall I improve my stock, are now almost. daily asked; and their practical solution would add many thousand dollars to the aggregate wealth of the farmers of the country, if they would all study their own interests. The time is gradually passing away when the intelli- gent practical farmer will be willing to put his cows to any mere “runt” of a bull, simply because his sevr- vice may be had for twenty-five cents; for, even if the progeny is to go to the butcher, the calf sired by a pure-bred bull, particularly of a race distinguished for fineness of bone, symmetry of form, and early maturity, will bring a much higher price at the same age than the calf sired by a scrub. Blood has a money value, which will, sooner or later, be generally appreciated. The first and most important object of the farmer is to get the greatest money-return for his labor and his produce; and it is for his interest to obtain an anima] — a calf, for instance —that will yield the largest profit on the outlay. If a calf, for which the original outlay was five dollars, will bring at the same age, and on the same keep, more real net profit than another, the original out- lay for which was but twenty-five cents, it is certainly for the farmer’s interest to pay the larger original out, lay, and have the superior animal. Setting all fancy aside, it is merely a question of dollars and cents; but one thing is certain, and that is, that the farmer cannot afford to keep poor stock. It eats as much, and requires nearly the same amount of care and attention, as stock of the best quality; while it is equally certain that stock of ever so good a quality, whether grade, “native,” 01 58 HOW TO IMPROVE.—DIFFICULTIES. thorough-bred, will be sure to deteriorate and sink ta the level of toor stock, by neglect and want of proper attention. How, then, are we to improve our stock? Not, surely, by that indiscriminate crossing, with a total disregard to all well-established principles, which has thus far marked our efforts generally with foreign stock, and which is one prominent reason why so little improvement has been made in our dairies; nor by leaving all the results to chance, when, by a careful and judicious selection, they may be within our own control. Two modes of improve- ment seem tu suggest themselves to the mind of the breeder, either of which, apparently, promises good results. The first is, to select from among our native cattle the most perfect animals not known or suspected to be related to any of the well-established breeds, and to use them as breeders. This is a mode of improve- ment simple enough, if adopted and carried on with animals of any known breed; and, indeed, it is the only mode of improvement which preserves the purity of blood; but, to do it successfully, requires great expe- rience, a good and sure eye for stock, a mind free from prejudice, and indefatigable patience and perseverance. It is absolutely necessary, also, to pay special attention to the calves thus produced; to furnish them at all times, suramer and winter, with an abundant supply of nutri- ~ tious food, and to regulate it according to their growth. Few men are to be found willing to undertake the herculean task of building up a new breed in this way from grade stock. An objection meets us at the very outset, which is that it would require a long series of years to arrive at any satisfactory results, from the fact that no two animals, made up, as our “native” cattle are, of such a variety of elements and -crosses, could be found sufficiently alike to produce their kind. The SECOND METHOD.—CHANCE ANIMALS. ou principle that like produces like may be perfectly true, and in the well-known breeds it is not difficult to find two animals that will be sure to transmit their own characteristics to their offspring; but, with two animals which cannot be classed with any breed, the defects of an ill-bred ancestry will be liable to appear through sev- eral generations, and thus thwart and disappoint the expectations of the breeder, The objection of time, ana expense, and disappointment, attending this method, should have no weight, if there were no more speedy method of accomplishing equally desirable results. The second mode is somewhat more feasible; and that is, to select animals from races already improved and wellnigh perfected, to cross with our cattle, using none but good specimens of pure-bred males, and select- ing, if our object is to improve stock for the dairy, only such as belong to a race distinguished for dairy qual- ities; or, if resort is had to other breeds less remarkable for such qualities, such only as.are descended from large and generous milkers. And here it may be remarked that these qualities do not belong to any one breed ex- clusively, though, as they depend mainly on structure and temperament, which are hereditary to a considerable extent, they are themselves transmissible. In almost every breed we can find individual good milkers which greatly surpass the average of the cows of the same race or family, and from such many suppose that good crosses may be expected. How often do we see farm. ers raising the calves of their best milking-cows simply because ee are the best cows, without Geen to the qualities of the bull, or to the progenitors of either parent; and how often are they disappointed, at the end of three or four years of labor and expense! Now, though a cow of a bad milking family, or of a breed not at all distinguished for dairy qualities, may turn out to 60 EXCEPTIONAL QUALITIES. be an excellent milker, and all else that may be desirable in a cow, yet these qualities in her are accidental. They are not supposed to be transmissible with anything like the certainty which exists where they are the fixed and constant characteristics of the family. She is an exception to the rule of her race. A good calf from her, though not, of course, an impossibility, would be very much the result of chance. The resort to any but a distinguished breed of milkers cannot, therefore, be recommended, nor can we expect to improve our dairies by it. A disregard of this important matter has led to endless disappointment, and has done much to raise up unjust prejudices against the use of all im- proved stock on our native cows. As if we could expect nature to go out of her regular course to give us a good animal, when we have violated her laws! The offspring of these crosses will be grades; but grades are often better for the practical purposes of the farmer than pure-bred animals. The skill of the breeder is especially manifest in the selection of animals to breed from, since both parents undoubtedly have a great influence in transmitting the milking qualities of the race. But this method of improvement requires less exact and critical knowledge than the first, from the fact that it is easier to appreciate the good points of an ani- mal already perfected, or greatly improved, than to dis- cover them in animals which it is our desire to improve, and which are inferior in form, possessing only the ele- ments of a better stock. It has also an immense advan- tage since results may be far more rapidly attained, and improvements effected which, by the first method, —that of creating or building up a race from the so-called natives, by judicious selections, —would be looked for in vain in the ordinary life of man. All grades are pro- duced by this second method; but all grades are not 1 j 4 ’ 4 7 -SPECIAL OBJECTS.—GOOD POINTS. 6] equally good, nor equally well adapted to meet the farmer’s wants. It is desirable to know, then, what, on the whole, are the best and most profitable to the practical farmer. We want cattle for distinct purposes, as for milk, beef, or labor. In a large majority of cases,— espe- cially in the dairy districts, comprising the Middle and Eastern States, at least,—the farmer cares more for the milking qualities of his cows, especially for the quantity they give, than for their fitness for grazing, or aptness to fatten. These latter points become more important in the Western and some of the Southern States, where far greater attention is paid to breeding and to feeding, and where comparatively little attention is given to the productions of the dairy. A stock of cattle that might suit one farmer might be wholly unsuited to another; and in each particular case the breeder should have some special object in view, and select his animals with reference to it. But there are some general principles that apply to breeding everywhere, and which, in many cases, are not well understood. It would not be desirable, even if it were possible, by crossing, to breed out all the general characteristics of many of our native cattle. They have many valuable qualities adapted to our climate and soil, and to the geological structure of the country; and these should be preserved, while we improve the points in which many of them are deficient, such as a want of precocity and aptitude to fatten, where it is an object to attain this quality, coarseness of bone, and lack of symmetry, whieh is often apparent, especially when the form of the animal does not indicate a near relation to some of the established breeds. It is a wellknown fact that, in crossing, the produce 6 62 INFLUENCE UF MALE AND FEMALE... most frequently takes after the male parent, especially it is thought. in exterior form, in its organs of locomo tion, such as the bones, the muscles, &c. Particularly is this the case when the male belongs to an old and well-established breed, and the female belongs to no known breed, and has no strongly-marked and fixed points. Put a Galloway bull, for instance, to a native cow, and the calf will, as a general rule, be hornless. Put a ram without horns to ewes with horns, and most of the lambs will be destitute of horns; that is, they take the characteristics of the sire rather than the dam; and this rule holds good generally in breeding, though, like all other rules, it has, of course, its excep- tions. Hence, if this position be correct, the first principle which the good sense of the farmer would dictate would be to select a bull from a breed most noted for the qualities he wishes to obtain in their greatest perfection, and especially if the cow is defi- cient in those qualities. A bull, for instance, of fine bone, and other good points in perfection, will make up for the deficiency of some of these points in the cow. On the other hand, say the advocates of this doctrine, in the physiology of breeding the internal structure of the offspring, the organs of secretion, the mucous membranes, the respiratory organs, &c., are imparted chiefly by the dam. Hence it has sometimes been found that by taking a cow remarkable for milking properties, though deficient in many other points, as in the coarseness of bone and in early maturity, and put- ting to her a bull remarkable for symmetry of form and fineness of bone, the offspring has been superior to the cow in beauty of form and proportions, and has still retained the milking qualities of the dam. This prin. ciple, as already intimated, is questioned Sy some, whe — PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING. 63 say that the milking qualities, as well as the external form, &c., are transmitted through the male offspring. Mr. James Dickson, an experienced. breeder and drover, who views the subject from his own standpoint, says: “A great part of the art of breeding lies in the principle of judicious crossing ; for it is only by attend- ing properly to this that success is to be attained, and animals produced that shall yield the greatest amount of profit for the food they consume. All eminent breeders know full well that ill-bred animals are un- profitable both to the breeder and feeder. To carry out the system of crossing judiciously, certain breeds of cattle, sheep, pigs, &c., must be kept pure of their kind — males especially ; indeed, as a general rule, no animal possessing spurious blood, or admixture with other breeds, should be used. The produce in almost all cases assimilates to the male parent; and I should say that in crossing the use of any males not pure-bred is iygudicious, and ought to be avoided.” If, therefore,a cross is effected with satisfactory results, it should be continued by resorting to pure-bred bulls, and not by the use of any grade bulls thus obtained ; for, though a grade bull may be a very fine animal, it has been found that he does not transmit his good qualities with anything like the certainty of a pure- bred one. The more desirable qualities are united in the bull, the better; but the special reason for the use of a pure-bred male in crossing is not so much that the particular individual selected has these qualities most perfectly developed in himself, as that they are heredt- itary in the breed to which he belongs. The moment the line is crossed, and the pedigree broken, uncer- tainty commences. Although the frrm of the grade bull may, in individual cases, be even superior to that of his pure-bred sire, yet there is less likelihood of his 64 GUENON’S METHOD.—MARKS OF A MILKER. transmitting the qualities for which his breed is most noted; and when it is considered that during his life he may scatter his progeny over a considerable section of country, and thus affect the cattle of his whole neighborhood, attention to this becomes a matter of no small public importance. ‘ This principle, so far as its application to breeding for the shambles is concerned, seems to me to be sound, and fully established by long experience and practice. Perhaps it is equally so, also, in breeding for the dairy. But it may be well to consider whether there are not other rational modes of judgment in the selec. tion of animals for breeding with this specific object in view. There is a difference of opinion with regard to the practical value of the system of classification and judg- ment of milch cows discovered and developed by Guénon: some being inclined to ridicule it, as absurd ; others to adopt it implicitly, and follow it out in all its details; and others still—and among this class I gen- erally find a very large number of the most sensible practical judges of stock —to admit that in the main it is correct, though they discredit the practicability of carrying it so far, and so minutely into detail, as its author did. It may be remarked, at the outset, that the fact that the best of the signs of a great and good milker adopted by Guénon are generally found united with the best forms and marks almost universally admitted and practised upon by good judges, gives, at least, some plausibility to the system, while the importance of it, if it be correct, is sufficient to demand a careful exam- ination. Every good judge of a milch cow, for instance, wants to see in her a small, fine head, with short and yellowish horns ; a soft, delicate, and close coat of hair “THE MILK-MIRROR.—EXPLANATION. Ge. a skin soft and flexible over the rump; broad, well spread ribs, covered with a loose skin of medium thick ness; a broad cbest; a long, slender tail; straight hind legs; a large, regularly-formed udder, covered with short, close, silky hair; four teats of equal size and length, set wide apart; large, projecting lacteal veins, which run along under the belly from the udder tow- ards the fore legs, forming a fork at the end, and finally losing themselves in a round cavity ; and when these points, or any considerable number of them, are found united in a cow, she would be pronounced a good milker. An animal in which these signs are . found would rarely fail of having a good “ milk-mirror,” or escutcheon; on which Guénon, after many years of careful observation and experiment, came to lay par- ticular stress; and on the basis of which he built up a system or theory so complicated as to be of little prac- tical value compared with what it might have been had he seen fit to simplify it so as to bring it within the easy comprehension of the farmer. As one means of forming a judgment of the milking qualities, however, it must be regarded as very important, since it is un- ‘questionably sustained by facts in a very large majority of cases. The milk-mirror, or escutcheon, is formed by the hair above the udder, extending upwards between the thighs, growing in an opposite direction from that of vther parts of the body. In well-formed mirrors, found only in cows which have the arteries which supply the milky glands large and fully developed, it ordinarily be- gins between the four teats in the middle, and ascends to the vulva, and sometimes even higher, the hair grow- ing upwards. The direction of the hair is subordinate to that of the arteries; for the relation existing vetween the direction of the hair above the udder and thy 6% 5 56 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MIRRORS. activity of the milky glands is apparent on a careful examination of all the cases. When the lower part of the mirror is large and broad, with the hair grow ing from below upwards, and extending well out on the thighs, it indicates that the arteries which supply the milky glands, and which are situated just behind it, are large and capable of conveying much blood, and of giving great activity to the functions of secretion. Now, in the bull, the arteries which correspond to the mammary or lacteal arteries of the cow are nat so fully developed; and the escutcheons are smaller, shorter, and narrower. Guénon applied the same name, milk-mirror, to these marks in the bull; and the natural inference was, that there should exist a correspondence or similarity in the mirror of the bull and the cow which are coupled for the purpose of producing an offspring fit for the dairy, — that the mirror in the bull should he of the same class, or ofa better class than that of the cow. It is confidently asserted by the advocates of Gue- non’s method, and with much show of reason, that the very large proportion of cows of bad or indifferent milking qualities, compared with the good, is owing to the mistakes in selecting bulls without reference to the proper marks or points. As to the transmission of the milk-mirror, it has been found in many cases that bulls sprung from cows with good mirrors had smaller and more heart-shaped mirrors, spreading out pretty broad upon the thighs. Pabst,a successful German breeder, says that he has used such bulls for three years, and that the milk-mirrors were transmitted in the majority of the male progeny, and in nearly every case very large and beautiful mirrors were given to the heifer- calves. A son of the bull with which he began was serving at the time of which he speaks, having a mir- ror more highly developed than his sire, and the —s i i | a * TRANSMISSION OF MILK MIRROR. 67 first calves of his get had also very large milk-mir rors. The female offspring of the first bull of good milk mirror promised first rate, though they had not then come in. His inference is, that in breeding from cows noted as milkers regard should be had to the form of the mirror on the bull, and the chance of his transmitting it. If any credit is due to this inge- nious method, it may be laid down, as a principle in the selection of a bull to get dairy stock, that the one possessing the largest and best-developed milk-mirror is the best for the purpose, and will be most likely to get milkers of large quantity and continued flow. This method will be more fully developed in the chapter on the Selection of Milch Cows. But, however careful we may be to select good milkers, and to breed from them with the hope of im- provement, it is by no means easy to select such as are capable of transmitting their qualities to their off- spring. This is rendered still more difficult by the fact that there is no known mark to indicate it, and we are left to use our own judgment; for, in the case of bulls, we are often obliged to give them up before their progeny have arrived at an age to show their qualities by actual trial. We are thrown back, therefore, upon their external marks. But, as M. Magne, a very sensible French writer, justly observes in his admirable little work (Choix des Vaches Latiéres, p. 86, Paris, 1857 , the fixed characteristics which have existed in races for several generations will be transmitted with most certainty. Hence the importance, he says, of selecting milch cows from good breeds and good families, and especially, in breeding stock, of selecting carefully both male and female. The male designed to get dairy stock ought to possess the structure which, in the cow, indi- cates the greatest activity of the mammary glands, as 68 CHOICE OF THE BULL. fineness of form, mellowness of skin, large lind quarters, large and well-developed veins and escutcheon. A cow of a race or family not noted as milkers may chance to be an excellent milker, and this is enough, if we do not desire to breed from her; but she would not transmit her exceptional qualities like a cow of which these qualities were the fixed characteristics, constant and transmissible in the breed. These con- siderations apply also, as already said, in the choice of a bull. The attention of practical men has been so much directed to the best points of good cows, of late years, that it becomes necessary to study to propag.te these, if the breeder desires to find buyers for his stock. The buyer judges more from external signs than from the intrinsic qualities of the cow, with which he may not be acquainted. To explain the variations in the transmission of miking qualities, we should bear in mind that these qualities are not found in wild cows, and that they are developed only when man can, by a particular course of treatment, as by the act of milking, the separation of the sexes, etc., cause certain natural powers to act with greater strength than others; that they inchne to dis- appear as soon as these powers, the nature of the soil, the peculiarities of climate, the properties of plants, and the temperament of the cows, are permitted to act according to the original plan of creation; so that tho variations which we consider as sports of nature are incontestible proofs of the uniformity of her works. It is only by observing animals carefully, by noting accurately their good qualities and their faults, by watching the circumstances in which individuals are produced, raised, and kept, that we can account for what seems to us a sport or caprice of nature. We can then tell, first, how the same bull and cow have pro- : : : : | ee PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING. 69 duced three calves with different properties; and, secondly, trace out the rules which we are to follow, to. be almost uniformly successful in obtaining stock of the best quality. Experience shows that the qualities which are trans: mitted with most certainty depend on the most import: ant organs of life; and so, in the forms of the viscera and the skeleton, variations are rare, not only im breeds of the same species, but in different species of the same genera. Moreover, in cases where the transmission of proper- ties is so uncertain as to seem the result of caprice in nature, these properties are formed by superficial organs, — by the skin, the horns, the state of the hair, etc. But it 1s in qualities which are, in a measure, arti- ficial, qualities produced by domestication, and often more injurious than useful to the health of animals, that variations most commonly occur. These change not only with the breed of one species, but with the dif ferent individuals of the same breed, of the same halt breed, and often of the same family. Ene these elementary principles of natural -his- tory and physiology in mind, we shall comprehend how cows and bulls well marked in regard to escutcheons have produced stock which did not resemble them. M. Lefebvre Sainte Marie asserts that the influence of the escutcheons is very feeble in the act of reproduction. In this view, the escutcheon is almost nothing in itself. It depends on the state of the hair, on one of the most fleeting of peculiarities, on that which is least hereditary in animals. It has no value as a mark of good getters of stock, unless it is supported vy marks superior to it from their stability, —a larger skeleton, double loins, a wide rump, highly-developed blood 70 RELATIVE SIZE OF MALE AND FEMALE. vessels, — unless it is united with a spacious chest, round ribs, large lungs, and a strong constitution. The more complete the correspondence between these marks, the more the milking quality is connected with the general condition of the animal, the greater the chances of transmission; and when. with a view te breeding, we shall choose only | animals having the two- fold character of general vigor of constitution and activity of the mammary system, and place the progeny under favorable circumstances, the qualities will rarely prove defective. Thus far the conclusions of Magne. Another well-known fact in natural history is, that the size of animals depends very much upon the fer- tility of the region they inhabit. Where food is abun- dant and nutritious, they increase in size in proportion to the quantity and quality; and this size, under the same circumstances, will run through generations, unless interrupted by artificial means. So, if the food is more difficult to obtain, and the pastures are short, the pliancy of the animal organization is such that it naturally becomes adapted to it, and the animal is of smaller size ; and hence Mr Cline observes that “ the general mistake in crossing has arisen from an attempt to increase the size of a native race of animals, being a fruitless effort to counteract the laws of nature.” Mr. Cline also says, in his treatise “On the Form of Ant mals:” ‘“ Experience has proved that crossing has only succeeded in an eminent degree in those instances in which the females were larger than the usual propor- tion of females to males ; and that it has generally failed when the males were disproportionally large. When the male is much larger than the female, the offspring is generally of an imperfect form; if the female be proportionally larger than the male, the offspring is generally of an improved form. For instance, if a OPINIONS DIFFER. 71 well-formed large ram be put to ewes proportionally smaller, the lambs will not be so well shaped as their parents ; but, if a small ram be put to larger ewes, the lambs will be of an improved form.” ‘The improve. . ment depends on the principle that the power of the female to supply her offspring with nourishment is in proportion to her size, and to the power of nourishing herself from the excellence of her constitution; as larger animals eat more, the larger female may afford most nourishment to her young.” This should, | am inclined to think, be regarded as another principle of breeding, — that, when improvement in form is desired, the size of the female selected should be proportionally larger than the male; though Lord Spencer, a successful breeder, strongly contested it, and Mr. Dickson, an excellent judge of stock, advised the attempt to build up a new breed by selecting some Zetland cows, a very diminutive breed of Scotch cattle, of good symmetry, points, and handling, and a high-bred West Highland bull to put to them. “The produce would probably be,” says he, “a neat, handsome little animal, of a medium size, between the two breeds. The shagey hide, long horns, symmetry, and fine points, of the West Highlanders, would be imparted to this cross, which would not only be a good feeder and very hardy, but the beef of superior quality. The great point would, of course, be the proper selection of breeding ant- mals. The next step towards improving this would he the crossing of these crosses with a pure Hereford bull, which would improve the size, and impart still finer points, more substance, with greater aptitude to fatten sy cormbining these favorite breeds, the produce would, in all probability, be very superior, not only attaiming to good weights, but feeding well, and arriving at maturity at an early age. The breeder must not be V 72 THE OAKES COW. satisfied and rest here, but go a point further, and cross the heifers of the third cross with a short-horn bull.’ These successive steps imply the use of a bull of larger breed, though not necessarily, perhaps, pro- portionally larger than the cow, in any individual case. This, it will be perceived, is a case of breeding with luss reference to the milking or dairy qualities thar the grazing. Great milkers are found of all shapes, and the chief object of improving their form is to improve their feeding qualities, or, in other words, to unite, as far as possible, the somewhat incompatible properties of grazing and milking. Graceful, well-rounded, and compact forms, which constitute beauty in the eyes of the grazier, as well as in the estimation of those not accustomed to consider the intrinsic qualities of an animal, or not capable of appreciating them in a milch cow, will very rarely be found united, to any consider able extent, with active mammary glands or milk vessels. The best milkers often look coarse and flabby; for, even if their bony structure is good and symmetrical, they will appear, especially when in milk, to have large, raw bones and sharp points, particularly if they are largely developed in the hind quarters, which: is most frequently the case, as is strikingly seen in the form of the Oakes cow, a native animal, the most cele- brated of her time, in Massachusetts, and winner of the first premium at the State Fair of 1816. She yielded in that year no less than four hundred aud sixty-seven and a quarter pounds of butter from May 15th to December 20th, at which time she was ceiving over eight quarts of milk, beer measure, a day. The weight of her milk in the height of the season, in June, was but forty-four and a half pounds; not so great as that of some cows of the present day, on far less feed in proportion to their size. Many cows can HANDSOME IS THAT HANDSOME DOES. 3 be named in New England, at the present time, whose yield, under the most favorable circumstances, exceeds fifty pounds a day, and some, whose yield will be fifty: five pounds, on less feed than the Oakes cow had. : Ae NN! Ki \\\ ne Nh swathapie ttn: Fig. 14. Oakes Cow. The flesh on the hind quarters of most large milkers bears little proportion to the bone; the hips protrude, the pelvis is broad, the legs far apart, giving great space for the receptacle of large milk-vessels ; whilst great flow of blood to the milky glands, incident to this peculiar structure, keeps them in more constant and greater activity than any other organs, so that the muscles develop less than they otherwise would, remain slender, and leave the buttocks and thighs sinall and narrow. Such animals will seldom acyuire the reputation of being beautiful in form, and if they are not decidedly ugly, the owner may console himself with the adage that “ handsome is that handsome does.” But, though it is to the influence of the male that we are chiefly to look for improvements in the form, size, 4 74 CROSSES MOST DESIRABLE. muscular devclopment, and general appearance, of our stock, and for transmitting their milking qualities, to a considerable extent, the influence of the female is ue less important; and undoubtedly the safest course to pursue, to obtain improved animals, is to select the hest-formed animals, on both sides, from the greatest milking families. With regard to the particular breeds to select for crossing with our natives, opinions will naturally differ widely. Those who are favored with luxuriant pastures and abundance of winter feed will have no objection to large-sized animals, and will naturally wish to obtain or possess grade short-horns. There is no breed in the world to which it is more desirable to resort, under such circumstances, particularly where improvement in form, early maturity, and general symmetry, are sought, in union with other qualities. It is well known that some families of short-horns have been bred for the pail, while most others have been bred chiefly for beef. If resort is had to this breed, therefore, great care and caution should be observed to select bulls trom the milking families only ; and, unless this is done we shall run the risk of losing the milking qualities of our stock, for which the improvement in form and early maturity can be little compensation, when breed- ing for the dairy. Tt is a remarkable and significant fact that the large dairies of London are eee filled with the short-horns, or short-horn and Yorkshire grades; and the fact that this breed is selected in such circumstances for the production of milk to supply the milk-market speaks volumes in favor of this cross. It is found that grade short-horns, after yielding extraordinary quantities of milk, during which they very naturally present the most ungainly appearance, will, when dried cff and fed. THE LONDON DAIRIES. 75 take on flesh very rapidly, and yield large weights of beef. This is one prominent reason for keeping them; and another is, that they occupy less space than would be required to produce the same quantity of milk from smaller animals, which might give even more: milk per cow in proportion to size and food consumed. The cross of the well-bred short-horn and the native or Dutch cows of the dairy districts of New York. is very highly esteemed; and six hundred pounds of cheese a year is no uncommon yield for such grades in Herkimer and adjacent counties. The Ayrshires have been tried in the London dairies, but it was found that they were too difficult to obtain in sufficient numbers, and at sufficiently low prices; and that where quantity was the chief object, as in a milk-dairy, and space a matter of great importance, they could not compete with the short-horn and the Yorkshire cows, and crosses between these races. It often happens, particularly in milk-dairies, that the farmer is so situated as not to desire to raise his calves, but disposes of them at the highest price to the butcher. He will obtain the greatest weight and the highest quality of veal from the use of a pure- bred short-horn or Hereford bull. But, on poorer pastures, where there is too little feed to brmg youny stock to their most perfect development, the pure-bred short-horns and high grades of the short-horn are thought, by some, to be too large, and consequently unprofitable. How far this objection to them might be obviated by stall feeding or soiling, and the use of roots, is for each one to consider who has these facilities at command. For most parts of New England tliey are unquestionably too large to be well maintained. As to the Herefords, they cannot be recommended for the dairy either as pure bloods or grades; but in 76 HEREFORD AND DEVON GRADES. grazing districts, devoted to raising beef or working cattle, they are highly and justly prized. The same may be said of the North Devons. The pure-bred Devon bull, put to a good, young native cow, preduces a beautiful and valuable cross, either for the yoke or the shambles; and if the cow is a remarkably good milker to begin with, and the bull from a milking family, there would be no fear of mate rially lessening the quantity m the offspring, while its form, and other qualities, would probably be greatly improved. Grade Devons are very much sought for working oxen, and high prices are readily obtained for them, while as beef cattle they are by some highly esteemed. But, unfortunately, very few herds are to be found where attention has been paid to breeding for milk; and great milkers are the exception, and very rarely met with among the pure breeds. In their native country they are bred almost exclusively for beef. The estima- tion in which they are held as dairy stock, even by Devon breeders themselves, both in England and in this country, has been shown in the low value placed upon the development of the udder in the establishment of the scale of points spoken of on a preceding page ; from which it is evident that, in judging of them, it was not contemplated that their milking qualities should be taken into consideration. A few farmers, however, in different parts of the country, having bred the Devons largely for dairy purposes, have made good records both at the pail and at the churn. The Jerseys and Guernseys are justly celebrated for the richness of their milk and the butter made from it. In this respect no pure breed can excel them. They are, therefore, as a dairy breed, worthy of attention. On farms where the making of butter is an object of i paris = eal al JSERSEY AND AYRSHIRE GRADES. Ci pursuit and profit, an infusion of Jersey or Guernsey blood will secure richness of milk, and high-flavored butter. Indeed, when butter-making is a specialty, the belief is now quite general among dairymen that the highest success cau only be obtained where the blood of one or the other of these excellent butter breeds is infused into the herd. There is no doubt that these breeds, particularly the former, have been decidedly improved in this country, and are hardier, larger, and more productive of milk and butter than their ancestors, which were looked upon as cattle for the gentleman’s lawn rather than for the practical dairyman. The Ayrshires, as already seen, have been bred with reference both to quality and quantity of milk, and the grades are usually of a very high order. The best milkers I have ever known, in proportion to their size and food, have been grade Ayrshires; and this is also the experience of many who keep dairies for the manu- facture of butter and cheese, as well as for the sale of milk. A cross obtained from an Ayrshire bull of good size and a pure-bred short-horn cow will produce a stock which it will be hard to beat at the pail, espe- cially if the cow belong to any of the families of short: horns which have been bred with reference to their milking qualities, as some of them have. I have taken great paims to inquire of dairymen as to the breed or grade of their best cows, and what they consider the best cows for milk for their purposes; and the answer has almost invariably been the Ayrshire and the native. The Ayrshires have by no means been a failure in this country, although I do not think that, as a general thing, we have been so fortunate hitherto as to import the best specimens of them. If any improvement has been made in our dairy stock apart from that effected by a higher and more liberal course of feeding, it has 1% 718 GALLOWAYS.—SUFFOLKS. come, in a great measure, from the Ayrshires; and, had the facilities been offered to cross our common stock with them to greater extent, there can be little doubt that the improvement would have been greater and more perceptible. It should, however, be said, that in sections where the feed is naturally luxuriant, and adapted to grazing large animals, some families of the short-horns crossed with our natives have produced an equally good stock for cheese and milk dairies. Before closing this part of the subject, it is proper to observe that among the earlier importations were sey- eral varieties of hornless cattle, and that they have been kept distinct in some sections, or where they have been crossed with the common stock there has been a tend- ency to produce hornless grades. These are not unfre- quently known under the name of buffalo cattle. They were, in many cases, supposed to have belonged to the Galloway breed; or, which is more likely, to the Suffolk dun, a variety of the Galloway, and a far better milking stock than the Galloways, from which it sprung. The polled, or hornless cattle, vary in color and qualities, but they are usually very good milkers when well kept, and many of them fatten well, and attain good weights. The Hungarian cattle have also been imported, to some extent, into different parts of the country, and have been crossed upon the natives with some success. Many other strains of blood from different breeds have contributed to build up the common stock of the coun- try of the present day; and there can be no question ‘that its appearance and value have been largely im- proved during the last quarter of a century, nor that improvements are still in progress which will lead to sv*isfactory results in future. CHAP TEER Tit THE SELECTION OF MILCH Cows. We have now reviewed the prominent races of cattle found in American dairy herds, and devoted some space to an examination of the principles to be followed in the breeding of dairy stock; and this has involved, to some extent, the choice of breeds, and the selection of. individual animals, with special reference, however, to transmitting and improving their milking properties. But the selection of cows for the dairy is of such im- portance as to demand the most careful consideration. The objects of a dairy are three-fold: the production of milk for sale, mainly confined to milk-dairies, and to small- er farms in the vicinity of large towns, where a mixed husbandry is followed; the production of butter, chiefly confined to farms at a distance from cities and large towns, which furnish a ready market for milk; and the fabrication of cheese, carried on under circumstances somewhat similar to the manufacture of butter, and some- times united with it as an object of pursuit, on the farm. These different objects should, therefore, be kept in view, in the selection of cows; for animals which would be most profitable for the milk-dairy might be very unprofitable in the butter-dairy—a fact of almost daily experience. The productiveness of the cow does not depend on her breed so much as upon her food and management, her temperament and health, and the activ- ity and energy of the organs of digestion and secretion. 80 JUDGING OF STOCK. These latter, it is true, depending upon the structure of the chest and other parts, are far better developed, and more permanently fixed, in some races than in others, and are derived more or less by descent, and capable of being transmitted. The breed, therefore, cannot be wholly disregarded, inasmuch as it is an element in forming a judgment of the merits of a milch cow. Cows, of whatever breed, having the best developed external marks of good milkers, will very rarely disap- point the practised eye or the skilful hand; while cows of breeds in highest repute for the dairy, and which do not show these marks, will as certainly fail to answer the expectations of those who select them simply for the breed. Those who would obtain skill in judging of these marks, and by means of them be able to estimate the value of a cow, need not expect to attain this end without long study and practical observation, for which some men have far greater talent than others; being able, while examining a particular mark or favorite characteristic of a milker, to take in all others at a glance, and so, while appearing to form their opinion from one or two important points, actually to estimate the whole development of the animal, while others must examine in detail each point by itself. Long prac tice is required, therefore, to become an adept in the judgment and selection of milch cows; but still much assistance may, unquestionably, be derived by careful attention to the external signs which have been long observed to indicate the milking qualities. It is important, in the first place, to be able to judge of the age of the cow. Few farmers wish to pur chase a cow for the dairy after she has passed her prime, which will ordinarily be at the age of nine or ten years, varying, of course, according to care, feed ing, &c., in the earlier part of her life. 7 RINGS ON THE HORNS. 81 The most usual mode of forming an estimate of the age of cattle is by an examination of the hcrn. At three years old, as a general rule, the horns are per- fectly smooth; after this, a rmg appears near the root, and annually afterward a new one is formed; so that, by adding two years to the first ring, the age is calcu: lated. This is a very uncertain mode of judging. The rings are distinct only in the cow; and it is well known that if a heifer goes to bull when she is two years old, ora little before or after that time, a change takes place in the horn, and the first ring appears; so that a real three-year-old would carry the mark of a four-year-old. The rings on the horns of a bull are either not seen until five, or they cannot be traced at all; while in the ox they do not appear till he is five years old, and then are often very indistinct. In addition to this, it is by no means an uncommon practice to file the horns, so as to make them smooth, and to give the animal the appear- ance of being much younger than it really is. This is, therefore, an exceedingly fallacious guide, and we can- not rely on it without being subject to imposition. y s = Ly Ss SS WN NX ey ti ij)? tj” LZ. = WY LZ MEE thy LEZ 2777 jj ty oy MELEE: 4 ie LG SLE Hb Zs BEY SSS Ea aa, ae SSS ~ == ~ = SSSA. = SS CZ ee ZZ Fig. 15. Teeth at birth. Fig. 16. Second week. The surest indication of the age is given by the teeth. 6 e - ‘ 82 THE TEETH AT VARIOUS AGES. The calf, at birth, will usually have twc incisor or front teeth: in some cases just appearing through the gums; in others, fully set, varying as the cow falls short or excecds her regular time of calving. If she overruns several days, the teeth will have set and attained con- siderable size, as appears in Fig. 15. During the sec- ond week, a tooth will usually be added on each side, and the mouth will generally appear as in Fig. 16; and, before the end of the third week, the animal will gener: ally have six incisor teeth, as shown in Fig. 17; and in a week from that time the full number of incisors will have appeared, as seen in Fig. 18. Fig. 17. Third week. These teeth are temporary, and are often called milk- teeth. Their edge is very sharp; and, as the animal begins to live upon more solid food, this edge becomes worn, showing the bony part of the tooth beneath, and indicates, with considerable pre:zision, the length of time they have been used. The centre or oldest teeth show the marks of age first, and often become some what worn before the corner teeth appear. At eight weeks, the four inner teeth are nearly as sharp as be- WEARING AWAY. 83 fore. They appear worn not so much on the outer edge or line of the tooth, as inside this line; but, after this, the edge begins gradually to lose its sharpness, and to present a more flattened surface ; while the next Fig. 19. Five to eight months. Fig. 20. ‘Ten months. outer teeth wear down like the four central ones; and at three months this wearing off is very apparent, till at four montlis all the incisor teeth appear worn, but Fig. 21. Twelve months. Fig. 22. Fifteen months. the inner ones the most. Now the teeth begin slowly to diminish in size by a kind of contraction, as well as 84 THE PERMANENT INCISORS. wearing down, and the distance apart becomes more and more apparent. From the fifth to the eighth month the inner teeth will usually appear as in Fig. 19; and at ten months this change shows more clearly, as in Fig. 20, and the spaces between them begin to show very plainly, till at a year old they ordinarily present the appearance of Fig. 21; and at the age of fifteen months that shown in Fig. 22, where the corner teeth are not more than half the original size, and the centre ones still smaller, The permanent teeth are now rapidly growing, and preparing to take the place of the milk-teeth, which are gradually absorbed till they disappear, or are pushed out to give place to the two permanent central incisors, which, at a year and a half, will generally present the appearance indicated in Fig. 23, which shows the inter- nal structure of the lower jaw at this time, with the cells of the teeth, the two central ones protruding into the mouth, the two next pushing up, but not quite Fig. 23. Eighteen months. Fig. 24. Two years past grown to the surface, with the third pair just percep- tible. These changes require time; and at two years past the jaw will usually appear as in Fig. 24, where _ THE UNCERTAIN PERIOD. 85 four of the permanent central incisors are seen. After this the other milk-teeth decrease rapidly, but are slow to disappear ; and at three years old the third pair of permanent teeth are but formed, as in Fig. 25; and at four years the last pair of incisors will be up, as in Fig. 26; but the outside ones are not yet fully grown, Z Z Z Z Z = Wh Fig. 25. Three years past. Fig. 26. Four years past. and the beast can hardly be said to be full-mouthed till the age of five years. But before this age, or at the age of four years the two inner pairs of permanent.teeth are beginning to wear at the edges, as shown in Fig, 26, while at five years old the whole set becomes some- What worn down at the top, and on the two centre ones a darker line appears in the middle, along a line of harder bone, as appears in Fig. 27. Now will come a year or two, and sometimes three, when the teeth do not so clearly indicate the exact age, and the judgement must be guided by the extent to which the dark middle lines are worn. This will de- pend somewhat upon the exposure and feeding of the animal; but at seven years these lines extend over all the teeth. At eight years another change begins, 8 86 SSOUNDNESS OF CONSTITUTION. which cannot be mistaken. A kind of absorption begins with the two central incisors, slow, at first, but percep- tible, and these two teeth become smaller than the rest, while the dark lines are worn into one in all but the Fig. 27. Five years past. : Fig. 28. Ten years past. corner teeth, till at ten years four of the central incisors have become smaller in size, with a smaller and fainter mark, as seen in Fig. 28. At eleven the six inner teeth are smaller than the corner ones; and at twelve all become smaller than they were, while the dark lines are nearly gone, except in the corner teeth, and the inner edge is worn to the gum. After being satisfied with regard to the age of a cow, we should examine her with reference to her soundness of constitution, A good constitution is indicated by large lungs, which are found in a deep, broad, and promi- nent chest, vroad and well-spread ribs, a respiration some- what slow and regular, a good appetite, and if in milk a strong inclination to drink, which a large secretion of milk almost invariably stimulates. In such cows the digestive organs are active and energetic, and they make an abundance of good blood, which in turn stimulates A UNION TO BE RELIED ON. 87 the activity of the nervous system, and furnishes’ the milky glands with the means of abundant’ secretion. Such cows, when dry, readily take on fat. When activ: ity of the milk-glands is found united with close ribs, small and feeble lungs, and a slow appetite, often attended by great thirst, the cow will generally possess only a weak and feeble constitution; and if the milk is plentiful, it will generally be of bad quality, while the animal, if she does not die of diseased lungs, will not take on fat readily when dry and fed. Other external marks of great milkers have already been given in part. They should be found united, as far as possible; for, though no one of them, however well developed, can be taken as a sure indication of extraordinary milking powers, several of them united may, as a general rule, be implicitly relied on. In order to have no superfluous flesh, the cow should have a small, clean, and rather long head, tapering tow- ards the muzzle. A cow with a large, coarse head will seldom fatten readily, or give a large quantity of milk. A coarse head increases the proportion of weight of the least. valuable parts, while it is asure indication that the whole bony structure is too heavy. The mouth should be large and broad; the eye bright and sparkling, but of a peculiar placidness of expression, with no indica- tion of wildness, but rather a mild and feminine look. These points will indicate gentleness of disposition. Such cows seem to: like to be milked, are fond of being caressed, and often return caresses. The horns should be small, short, tapering, yellowish, and glisten- ing. The neck should be small, thin, and tapering tow- ‘ards the head, but thickening when it approaches the shoulder; the dewlaps small. The fore quarters should be rather small when compared with the hind quarters. The form of the barrel will be large, and each rib 88 GOOD SIGNS.—THE MILK-VEINS. should project further than the preceding one, up to the loins. She should be well formed across the hips and in the rump. The spine or back-bone should be straight and long, rather loosely hung, or open along the middle part, the result of the distance between the dorsal vertebra, which sometimes causes a slight depression, or sway back. By some good judges this mark is regarded as of great importance, especially when the bones of the hind quarters are also rather loosely put together, leav- ing the rump of great width, and the pelvis large, and the organs and milk-vessels lodged in the cavities largely developed. The skin over the rump should be loose and flexible. This point is of great importance; and as, when the cow is in low condition, or very poor. it will appear somewhat harder and closer than it other- wise would, some practice and close observation are required to judge well of this mark. The skin, indeed, all over the body, should be soft and mellow to the touch, with soft and glossy hair. The tail, if thick at the setting on, should taper and be fine below. But the udder is of special importance. It should be large in proportion to the size of the animal, and the skin thin, with soft, loose folds extending well back, capable of great distension when filled, but shrinking to a small compass when entirely empty. It must be free from lumps in every part, and provided with four teats set well apart, and of medium size. Nor are the milk-veins less important to be carefully observed. The principal ones under the belly should be large and prominent, and extend forward to the navel, losing themselves, ap- parently, in the very best milkers, in a large cavity in the flesh, into which the end of the finger can be insert- ed; but, when the cow is not in full milk, the milk vein, at other times very prominent, is not so distinctly THE NETWORK OF VEINS. 89 traced: and hence, to judge of its size when the cow is dry, or nearly so, this vein may be pressed near its end, or at its entrance into the body, when it will immedi- ately fill up to its full size. This vein does not carry the milk to the udder, as some suppose, but is the chan- nel by which the blood returns ; and its contents consist of the refuse of the secretion, or what has not been taken up in forming milk. There are, also, veins in tle udder, and the perineum, or the space above the udder, and between that and the buttocks, which it is of spe- cial importance to observe. These veins should be largely developed, and irregular or knotted, especially those of the udder. They may be seen in Figs. 29, 30, 31, &c. They are largest in great milkers. The knotted veins of the perineum, extending from above downwards in a winding line, are not readily seen in young heifers, and are very difficult to find in poor cows, or cows of only a medium quality. They are easily found in very good milkers, and, if not at first apparent, they are made so by pressing upon them at the base of the permeum, when they swell tp, and send the blood back towards the vulva. They form a kind of thick network under the skin of the perineum, raising it up somewhat, in some cases near the vulva, in others lower down and nearer to the udder. It is important to look for these veins, as they often forma very important guide, and by some they would be con. sidered as furnishing the surest indications of the milk- ing qualities of the cow. Their full development almost always indicates an abundant secretion of milk; but they are far better developed after the cow has had two or three calves, when two or three years’ milking has given full activity to the milky glands, and attracted a large flow of blood. The larger and more prominent these veins, the better. It is needless to say that in Qe 90 wUENON’S METHOD. observing them some regard should be had to the con. dition of the cow, the thickness of skin and fat by which they may be surrounded, and the general activity and food of the animal. Food calculated to stimulate the greatest flow of milk will naturally increase these veins, and give them more than usual prominence. We come now to an examination of the system of Guénon, whose discovery, whatever may be said of it. las proved of immense importance to agriculture. Gué non was a man of remarkable practical sagacity, a close observer of stock, and an excellent judge. This gave him a great advantage in securing the respect of those with whom he came in contact, and assisted him vastly in introducing his ideas to the knowledge of intelligent men. Born in France, in the vicinity of Bordeaux, in humble circumstances, he early had the care of cows, and spent his whole life with them. His discovery, for which a gold medal was awarded by the agricultural society of Bordeaux, on the 4th of July, 1837, consisted in the connection between the milking qualities of the cow and certain external marks on the udder, and on the space above it, called the perineum, extending to the buttocks. To these marks he gave the name of milk-mirror, or escutcheon, which consists in certain perceptible spots rising up from the udder in different directions, forms, and sizes, on which the hair grows upwards, whilst the hair on other parts of the body grows downwards. To these spots various names have leen given, according to their size and position, as tufts, fringes, figures or escutcheons, which last is the most common term used. The reduction of these marks into a system, explaining the value of particular forms and sizes of the milk-mirror, belongs, so far as I know, ex- elusively to Guénon, though the connection of the milk ing qualities of the cow and the size of the ovals with PROVING TOO MUCH. 91 downward-growing hair on the back part of the udder abov2 the teats was observed and known in Massachu- setts more than forty years ago, and some of the old farmers of that day were accustomed to say that when these spots were large and well developed the cow would be a good milker. Guénon divided the milk-mirror into eight ¢lasses, and each class into eight orders, making im all no less than sixty-four divisions, which he afterwards increased by sub-divisions, making the whole system complicated in the extreme, especially as he professed to be able to judge with accuracy, by means of the milk-mirror, not only of the exact quantity a cow would give, but also the quality of the milk and the length of time it would continue. He tried to prove too much, and the. conse- ‘quence was that he was himself frequently at fault, notwithstanding his excellent knowledge of other gene- ral characteristics of milch cows, while others, of less knowledge, and far more liable to err in judgment, were inclined to view the whole system with distrust. My own attention was called to Guénon’s method of judging of cows some twenty or more years ago, and since that time I have examined many hundreds, with a view to ascertain the correctness of its main features, inquiring, at the same time, after the views and opinions of the best breeders and judges of stock, with regard to their experience and judgment of its merits; and the result of my observation has been, that cows with the most perfectly-developed milk-mirrors, or escutcheons, are, with rare exceptions, the best milkers of their breed, and that cows with small and _ slightly-developed mirrors are, in the majority of cases, bad milkers. I say the best milkers of their breed; for I do not believe that precisely the same sized and formed milk- mirrors on a Hereford or a Devon,and an Ayrshire or a 92 REGARD TO THE BREED.—EXCEPTIONS. native, will indicate anything like the same or equal milking properties. It will not do, in my opinion, to disregard the general and well-known characteristics of the breed, and rely wholly on the milk-mirror. But ] think it may be safely said that, as a general rule thie best-marked Hereford will turn out to be the best milker among the Herefords, all of which are | oor milkers; the best-marked Devon the best among the Devons, and the best-marked Ayrshire the best among the Ayrshires; that is, it will not do to compare two animals of entirely distinct breeds, by the milk-mirrors alone, without regard to the fixed habits and education, so to speak, of the breed or family to which they belong. There are cows with very small mirrors, which are, nevertheless, very fair in the yield of milk; and among those with middling quality of mirrors instances of rather more than ordinary milkers often occur, while at the same time it is true that now and then cases occur where the very best marked and developed mirrors are found on very poor milkers. I once owned a cow of most extraordinary marks, the milk-mirror extending out broadly upon the thighs, and rising broad and very distinctly marked to the buttocks, giving every indica tion, to good judges, of being as great a milker as ever stood over a pail; and yet, when she calved, the calf was feeble and half nourished, and she actually gave too little to feed it. But I believe that this exception, and most others which appear to be direct contradictions, could be clearly explained by the fact, of which I was uot aware at the time, that she had been largely over- fed before she came into my possession. I mention this case simply to show how impossible it is to esti- mate with mathematical accuracy either the quantity, the quality, or the duration ot the milk, since: it is APPARENT CONTRADICTION. 93 affected by so many chance circumstances, which cannot always be known or estimated by even the most skilful judge; as the food, the treatment, the temperament, accidental diseases, inflammation of the udder, premature calving, the climate and season, the manner in which she has been milked, and a thousand other things which interrupt or influence the flow of milk, without materi- ally changing the size or the shape of the milk-mirror. M. Magne, who appears to me to have simplitied and ° explained the system of Guénon, and to have freed it from many of the useless details with which it is en- cumbered in the original work, while he has preserved all that is of practical value, very justly observes that we often see cows, equally well formed, with precisely the same milk-mirror, and kept in the same circum- stances, yet giving neither equal quantities nor similar qualities of milk. Nor could it be otherwise; for, assuming a particular tuft on two cows to be of equal value at birth, it could not be the same in the course of years, since innumerable circumstances occur to change the activity of the milky glands without chang: ing the form or size of the tuft; or, in other words, the action of the organs depends not merely on their size and form, but, toa great extent, on the general con- dition of each individual. ; To give a more distinct idea of the milk-mirror, it will be necessary to refer to the figures, and the explana- tions of these I translate literally from the little work already referred to, the Choix des Vaches Latieéres, or, the Choice of Milch Cows. The different forms of milk-mirrors are :epresented by the shaded part of figures 29, 30, 31, etc.; but it is necessary to premise that upon the cows themselves they are always partly concealed by the thighs, the udder, and the folds of the skin, which are not shown, 94 VARIATION IN SIZE. and so they are not always so uniform in nature as they appear in the cuts. Their size varies as the skin is more or less folded or stretched, while we have supposed in the figures that the skin is uniform or free from folds, but not stretched out. In order to understand the differences which the milk-mirrors present in respect to size, according to the state of the skin, the milk-mirror is shown in two ways in Figs. 52 and 53. In Fig. 53 the proportions are preserved the same as in the other mirrors represented, but an effort is made to represent the folds of the skin; while in Fig. 52 the mirror is Just as it would have been had the folds of the udder been smoothed out, and the skin between the udder and the thighs stretched out; or, in other words, as if the skin, covered with up growing hair, had been fully extended. This mirror, but little developed, just as shown in Fig. 53, was observed on a very large Norman cow. It is usually very easy to distinguish the milk-mirrors by the upward direction of the hair which forms them. They are sometimes marked by a line of bristly hair growing in the opposite direction, which surrounds them, forming a sort of outline by the upward and downward growing hair. Yet, when the hair is very fine and short, mixed with longer hairs, and the skin much folded, and the udder voluminous and pressed by the thighs, it is necessary, in order to distinguish the part enclosed between the udder and the legs, and examine the full size of the mirrors, to observe them attentively, and to place the legs wide apart, and to smooth out the skin, in order to avoid the folds. The mirrors may also be observed by holding the back of the hand against the perineum, and drawing it from above downwards, when the nails rubbing against GUENON EXPLAINED. 98 the up-growing hair, make the parts covered by it very perceptible. - As the hair of the milk-mirror has not the same direc: tion as the hair which surrounds it, it may often be dis. tinguished by a difference in the shade reflected by it. It is then sufficient to place it properly to the light to see the difference in shade, and to make out the part covered by the upward-growing hair. Most frequently, however, the hair of the milk-mirror is thin and fine, and the color of the skin can easily be seen. If we trust alone to the eye, we shall often be deceived. Thus, in Figs. 52 and 53, the shaded part, which extends from the vulva to the mirror £, represents a strip of hair of a brownish tint, which covered the peri- neum, and which might easily have been taken fora part of the milk-mirror. In some countries cattle-dealers shave the back part of the cows. Just after this operation the mirrors can neither be seen nor felt; but this inconvenience ceases: in a few days. It may be added that the shaving, designed, as the dealers say, to beautify the cow, is generally intended simply to destroy the milk-mirror, and to deprive buyers of one means of judging of the milking qualities of the cows. It is not necessary to add that the cows most care- fully shaven are those which are badly marked, and that it is prudent to take it for granted that cows so shorn are bad milkers. Milk-mirrors vary in position, extent, and the figure they represent. They may be divided, according to their position, into mirrors or escutcheons, properly so called, or into lower and upper tufts, or escutcheons. The latter are very small in comparison with the former, and are situated in close proximity to the vulva,as seen at § in Figs. 38, 39, 40, etc.. They are very common on cows 96 GUENON EXPLAINED. of bad milking races, but are very rarely seen on the best milch cows. They consist of one or two ovals, or small bands of up-growing hair, and serve to indicate the continuance of the flow of milk. The period is short in proportion as the tufts are large. They must not be confounded with the escutcheon proper, which is often extended up to the vulva. They are separated from it by bands of hair, mure or less large, as in Figs. 40, 42, &e. . The mirrors shown in Figs. 38 to 42, and 29 to 35, &c., exist, more or less developed, on nearly all cows, and indicate the quantity of milk, which will be in pro- portion to their size. Sometimes they form only a smal! plate on the posterior surface of the udder, as in Fig. 49. In other cases they cover the udder, the inner surface of the legs and the thighs, the perineum, and a part of the buttocks, as in Figs. 29, 30, 81, &e. Two parts may be distinguished in the lower tufts: one situated on the udder, the legs, and the thighs, as at’ M M, Fig. 30; and the other on the perineum, extend- ing sometimes more or less out upon the thighs, as at P P, in the same figure. The first part is represented by itself, in Figs. 37 and 49. We shall call the former mammary, and the latter perinean. The former is sometimes large, extending over the milky glands, the thighs, and the legs, as shown in Figs. 29 to 37; and sometimes circumscribed, or more or less checked over with tufts of downward-growing hair, as in Figs. 43 to 52. It is sometimes terminated towards the upper part of the udder by a horizontal line, straight, as in Fig. 37, or angular, as in Fig. 49; but more frequently it continues without interruption over the perineum, and constitutes the perinean part. This presents a large band, Fig. 30, straight, as in Fig. 43, and bounded on the sides by two parallel lines, FORMS OF THE MILK-MIRROR. BEES Ze \ ie 98 GUENON EXPLAINED. as seen in the same figures, or by curved lines, as in Fig. 34. It sometimes rises scarcely a fourth part up the perineum, as in Fig. 38; at others, it reaches or passes beyond that part, forming a straight band, as in Figs. 35 and 43, or is folded into squares, as in Figs. 31 and 36, or truncated, Fig. 38, or terminated by one or several points, Figs. 32, 33, 41, 50. _ In some cows this band extends as far as the base of the vulva, Figs. 40 and 48; in others, it embraces more or less of the lower part of the vulva, Figs. 29, 30, 39, and 47. Milk-mirrors are sometimes symmetrical, as in Figs. 29, 30, 34, 35, 37, and 38: sometimes without sym- metry, as in Figs. 42, 45, and 50. When there is a great difference in the extent of the two halves, it almost always happens that the teats on the side where the mirror is best developed give, as we shall see, more milk than those of the opposite side. We will remark here that the left half of the mirror is almost always the largest; and so, when the perinean part is folded into a square, it is on this side of the body that it un- folds, as in Figs. 31, 36, and 42. Of three thousand cows in Denmark, M. Andersen found only a single one whose escutcheon varied even a little from this rule. We have observed the contrary only in a single case, and that was on a bull. The perinean part of the mirror formed a band of an inch to an inch and a half in breadth, irregular, but situated, in great measure, on the right side of the body. Stretching towards the upper part of the perineum, it formed a kind of square, with a small projecting point on the right, Fig. 51. The mirrors having a value in proportion to the space they occupy, it is of great importance to at- tend to all the rows of down-growing hairs, which diminish its extent of surface, whether these tufts are 99 FORMS OF THE MILK-MIRROR. 100 REAL EXTENT OF THE MJRROR. in the midst of the mirror, Figs. 45, 46, and 47, or form indentations on its edges, as in Figs. 42, 44, 45, 46, and 48. These indentations, concealed in part by the folds of the skin, are sometimes seen with difficulty ; but it is important to take them into account, since in a great many cows they materially lessen the size of the mir. ror. We often find cows whose milk-mirror at first sight appears very large, but which are only medium milkers; and it will usually be found that lateral indent ations greatly diminish the surface of up-growing hair. Many errors are committed in estimating the value of such cows, from a want of attention to the real extent of the milk-mirror. All the interruptions in the surface of the mirror indicate a diminution of the quantity of milk, with the exception, however, of small oval or elliptical plates which are found in the mirror, on the back part of the udders of the best cows, as in Figs. 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, and 40. These ovals have a peculiar tint, which is occasioned by the downward direction of the hair which forms them. In the best cows these ovals exist with the lower mirrors very well developed, as in Figs. 29, 30, and 32. In fine, we should state that in order to determine the extent and significance of a mirror it is necessary to consider the state of the perineum as to fat, and of the fulness of the udder. In a fat cow, with an in flated udder, the mirror would appear larger than it really is; whilst in a lean cow, with a loose and wrinkled udder, it appears smaller. Fat will cover faults, a fact to be kept in mind in selecting a cow. In bulls, Fig. 51, the mirrors present the same pecu- liarities as in cows; but they are less varied in their form, and especially much less in size. This will easily 101 FORMS OF THE MILK-MIRROR. 40. Tig. Ox 102 MILK-MIRRORS ON CALVES. be understood from the explanation of mirrors giver. on a preceding page. In calves the mirrors show the shapes they are after. wards to have, only they are more contracted, because the parts which they cover are but slightly develageel They are easily seen after birth; but the hair which then covers them is long, coarse, and stiff; and when this hair falls off, the calf’s mirror will robes that of the cow, but be of less size. With calves, however, it should be stated, in addition to what has already been said, that the milk-mirrors are more distinctly recognized on those from cows that are well kept, and that they will generally be fully devel- oped at two years old. Some changes take place in the course of years, but the outlines of the mirror appear prominent at the time of advanced pregnancy, or, in the case of cows giving milk, at the times when the udder is more distended with milk than at others. The classification adopted by Magne appears still further to simplify the whole method, and to bring it within the easy reach and comprehension of every one who will examine the figures and the explanations con- nected with them. He divides cows, according to the quantity they give, into four classes: First, the very good; second, the good; third, the medium; and fourth, the bad. In the first class he places cows both parts of whose milk-mirror, the mammary and the perinean, are large, continuous, uniform, covering at least a great part of the perineum, the udder, the inner surface of the thighs, and extending more or less out upon the legs, as in Figs. 29 to 33, with no interruptions, or, if any small ones, oval in form, and situated on the posterior face of the udder, Figs. 29, 30, and 32. Such mirrors are oad on most very good cows. FORMS OF THE MILK-MIRROR. 103 © — ae BE a ee = —— —S— << —— om ae EEE => 104 FIRST-RATE COWS. but may also be found on cows which can scarcely be called good, and which should be ranked in the next class. But cows, whether having very well-developed mirrors or not, may be reckoned as very good, and as giving as much milk as is to be expected from their size, feed, and the hygienic circumstances in which they are kept, if they present the following characteristics: Veins of the perineum large, as if swollen, and visible on the exterior, as in Figs. 29—32, or which can be easily made to appear by pressing upon the base of the perineum ; veins of the udder large and knotted, milk- veins large, often double, equal on both sides, and forming zig-zags under the belly. To the signs furnished by the veins and by the mir. ror may be added also the following marks: A uniform, very large and yielding udder, shrinking much in milk- ing, and covered with soft skin and fine hair; good constitution, full chest, regular appetite, and great pro- pensity to drink. Cows rather inclining to be poor than fat. Soft, yielding skin, short, fine hair, small head, fine horns, bright, sparkling eye, mild expression, feminine look, with a fine neck. Cows of this first class are very rare. They give, even when small in size, from ten to fourteen quarts of milk a day, and the largest sized from eighteen to twenty-six quarts a day, and even more. Just after calving, if arrived at maturity and fed with good, wholesome, moist food in sufficient quantity and quality, adapted to promote the secretion of milk, they can give about a pint of milk for every ten ounces of hay, or its equivalent, which they eat, They continue in milk for a long period. The best never go dry, and may be milked even up to the time of calving, giving from eight to twelve quarts of milk a day. The Dutch cow. Fig. 54, was giving daily FORMS OF THE M1LK-MIRROR. 105 — Ss LOL Mien guar ! y Mild ¥ig-49. / Vy <= SSS SSS == 5 SESSE ss = 106 SECOND-RATE COWS. twenty-two quarts of milk, a year after calving. But even the best cows often fall short of the quantity of milk they are able to give, from being fed on food that is too dry, or not sufficiently varied, or not rich enough in nutritive qualities, or deficient in quantity. The second class is that of good cows; and to this belong the best commonly found in the market and among the cow-feeders of cities. They have the mammary part of the milk-mirror well developed, but the perinean part contracted o1 wholly wanting, as in Figs. 34 and 37; or both parts of the mirror are moderately developed, or slightly indented, as Figs. 35 and 36. Figs. 38, 39, 40, and 41, belong also to this class, in the lower part; but they denote cows which, as the upper mirrors, § § 8, indi- cate, dry up sooner when again in calf. These marks, though often seen on many good cows, should be considered as certain only when the veins of the perineum form, under the skin, a kind of network, which, without being very apparent, may be felt by a pressure on them; when the milk-veins on the belly are well developed, though less knotted and less prominent than in cows of the first class; in fine, when the udder is well developed. and presents veins which are suffi- ciently numerous, though not very large. It is necessary, then, as in the preceding class, to have a mistrust of cows in which the mirror is not accompanied by large veins. This remark applies especially to cows which have had several calves, and are in full milk. They are medium or bad, let the milk- mirror be what it may, if the veins of the belly are not large, and those of the udder apparent. The general characteristics which depend on form and constitution combine less than in cows of the pre 107 CLASS. THE FIRST COW OF A YUM LIBS CZ WOME ee 4 3 LOL CitzzAUH try <<“ yyy y, Yf. Good Milch Cow. Fig. 54. A ks of good health and excellent s the mar ceding clas look. ine seven to ten or ini ith those of a gentle and fem constitution w from and the large of this class give eleven quarts of milk a day, They can be made to thirteen to seventeen quarts. Small cows st from just after calv t of milk, three fourths of ap give ng, m 108 THIRD CLASS.—BAD COWS. for every ten ounces of hay consumed, if well cared for and fed in a manner favorable to the secretion of milk. They hold out long in milk when they have no upper mirrors or tufts. At seven or eight months in calf, they may give from five to eight quarts a day. The third class consists of middling cows. When the milk-mirror really presents only the lower or mammary part slightly developed or indented, and the perinean part contracted, narrow, and irregular, as in Figs. 42 to 47, the cows are middling. The udder is slightly developed or hard, and shrinks very little after milking. The veins of the perineum are not apparent, and those which run along the lower sides of the abdomen are small, straight, and sometimes unequal. In this case the mirror is not symmetrical, and the cow gives more milk on the side where the vein is largest. These cows often have large heads, and a thick and hard skin. Being ordinarily in good condition, and even fat, they are beautiful to look at, and seem to be well formed. Many of them are nervous and restive, and not easily approached. Cows of this class give, according to size, from three or four to ten quarts of milk. They very rarely give, even in the most favorable circumstances, half a pint for every ten ounces of hay which they consume. The milk diminishes rapidly, and dries up wholly the tourth or fifth month in calf. The fourth class is composed of bad cows. As they are ordinarily in good condition, these cows are often the most beautiful of the herd and in the markets. They have fleshy thighs, thick and hard skin, a large and coarse neck and head, and horns large at the base. The udder is hard, small, and fleshy, with a skin covered with long, rough hair. No veins are to be seen either on the perineum or the udder, while those ANOTHER CLASSIFICATION. L109 of the belly are very slightly developed, and the mir rors are ordinarily small, as in Figs. 48, 49, and 50. With these characteristics, cows give only a few quarts of milk a day, and dry up a short time after calving. Some such can scarcely nourish their calves, even when they are well cared for and well fed. Sickly habits, chronic affections of the digestive organs, the chest, the wumb, and the lacteal system, sometimes greatly affect the milk secretions, and cause ‘cows troubled with them to fall from the first or second to the third, and sometimes to the fourth class. The above classification is very similar to that of Pabst, a German farmer of large experience and obser- vation of stock, who, with a view to simplify the method of Guénon, and render it of greater practical value to the farmer, made five divisions or classes, con- » sisting of, Ist, Very good or extraordinary ; 2d, Good or good middling; 3d, Middling and little below mid- dling; 4th, Small; and, 5th, Very bad milkers. These classifications, adopted by Magne, Pabst, and other good breeders and judges of cows, appear to me to be far more simple and satisfactory than the more extended and complicated classification of Guénon him- self. Without pretending to be able to judge with any accuracy of the quantity, the quality, or the duration, which any particular size or form of the mirror will indicate, they give to Guénon the full credit of his important discovery of the escutcheon, or milk-mirror, as a new and very valuable element in forming our judgment of the milking qualities of a cow; and simply assert, with respect to the duration or continuance of the flow of milk, that the mirror that indicates the ereatest quantity will also indicate the longest dura tion. The mirror forms, in other words, an important additional mark or point for distinguishing good milk 10 110 SPECIAL CASES. ers; and it is safe to lay it down as a rule that, in the selection of 111lch cows, as well as in the choice of young animals as breeders, we should, by all means, examine and consider the milk-mirror, but not limit or confine ourselves exclusively to it, and that other and ‘ong-known marks should be equally regarded. But there are cases where a knowledge and careful examination of the form and size of the mirror becomes of the greatest importance. It is well known that cer- tain sigus or marks of great milkers are developed only as the capacities of the animal herself are fully and completely developed by age. The milk-veins, for instance, are never so large and prominent in heifers and young cows as in old ones, and the same may be said of the udder, and the veins of the udder and per- ineun; all of which it is of great importance to observe in the selection of milch cows. Those signs, then, which in cows arrived at maturity are almost sufficient in themselves to warrant a conclusion as to their merits as milkers, are, toa great extent, wanting in younger animals, and altogether in calves, of which there is often doubt whether they shall be raised; and here a knowledge of the form of the mirror is of immense advantage, since it gives, at the outset, and before any expense is incurred, a somewhat reliable means of judging of the future milking capacities of the animal or, if a male, of the probability of his transmitting milking qualities to his offspring. It will be seen, from an examination of the points of a good milch cow, that, though the same marks which indicate the greatest milking qualities may not indicate any great aptitude to fatten, yet that the signs waich indicate good fattening qualities are included amung the signs favorable to the production of milk, such as soundness of constitution, indicated by good organs of BUYING DAIRY STOCK. LLll digestion and respiration, fineness and mellowness ot the skin and hair, quietness of disposition, which inclines the animal to rest and lie down in chewing the cud, and other marks which are relied on by graziers in selecting animals to fatten. In buying dairy stock the farmer generally. finds it for his interest to select young heifers. They give the promise of longer usefulness. But it is often the case that older cows are selected with the design of using them for the dairy for a limited period, and then feeding them for the butcher. In either’ case, it is ad- visable, as a rule, to choose animals in low or medium condition. The farmer cannot ordinarily afford to buy fat ; it is more properly his business to make it, and to have it to sell. Good and well-marked cows in poor condition will rapidly gain in flesh and products when removed to better pastures and higher keeping, and they cost less in the original purchase. It is unnecessary to say that regard should be had to the quality of the pasturage and keeping which a cow has previously had, as compared with that to which she is to be subjected. The size of the animal should also be con- sidered with reference to the fertility of the pastures into which she is to be put. Small or medium-sized animals accommodate themselves to ordinary pastures far better than large ones. Where a very large cow will do well, two small ones will usually do better ; while the large animal might fail entirely where two small ones would do well. It is better to have the whole herd, so far as may be, uniform in size; for, if they vary greatly, some may get more than they need, and others will not have enough. This, however, can not always be brought about. . CATTLE. POLLED 112 CHAPTER IV FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY COWS. No branch of dairy farming can compare in import ance with the management of cows. The highest success will depend very much upon it, whatever breed be selected, and whatever amount of care and attention be given to the points of the animals; for experience will show that very little milk comes out of the bag that is not first put mto the throat. It is poor econ- -omy, therefore, to attempt to keep too many cows for the amount of feed we have}; for it will generally be found that one good cow well bred and well fed will yield as much as two ordinary cows kept in the ordi- nary way, while a saving is effected both in labor and room required, and in the risks on the capital invested. If the larger number on poorer feed is urged for the sake of the manure, which is the only ground on which it can be put, it is sufficient to remark that it is a very expensive way of making manure. It is not too much to say that a proper regard to profit and economy would require many an American farmer to sell off nearly half his cows, and to feed the whole of his hay and roots hitherto used into the remainder. A certain German farmer was visited, one day, by some Swiss from over the border, who desired to buy of him all the milk of his cows for the purpose of makirg cheese. Not being able to agree upon the 10* 114 CAUSES AND EFFECTS. terms, he finally proposed to let them take the entire charge of his cows, and agreed to furnish feed amply sufficient, the Swiss assuming the whole care of feeding it out, and paying a fixed price by measure for all the milk. “I found myself, at once,” says he, “under the necessity of selling almost half my cows, because the Swiss required nearly double the quantity of fodder which the cows had previously had, and I was well sat- isfied that all the produce I could raise on my farm would be far from sufficient to feed in that way the number of cows I had kept. I was in despair at find- ing them using such a quantity of the best quality of feed, though it was according to the strict letter of the contract, especially as I knew that I had given my cows rather more than the quantity of food recommended by men in whom I had perfect confidence. Thus, while Thaér names twenty-three pounds of hay, or its equiv- alent, as food sufficient for a good-sized cow, I gave mine full twenty-seven pounds.. But, if the change effected in the management of my cows was great, the result was still more striking. The quantity of milk kept (increasing, and it reached the highest point when the cows attained the condition of the fat kine of Pharaoh’s dream. The quantity of milk became double, triple, and even quadruplé, what it had been before; so that, if I should compare the product with that previously obtained, a hundred pounds of hay produced three times more milk than it had produced with my old inode of feeding. Such results, of course, attracted my attention to this branch of my farming. It became a matter of pleasure; and my observations were followed up with great care, and during several years I devoted a large part of my time to it. I even went so far as to procure scales for weighing the food and the animals, in order to 2stablish exact data on the most positive basis.” A FARMER’S CONCLUSIONS. 118 The conclusions to which he arrived were, that an animal, to be fully fed and satisfied, requires a quantity of food in proportion to its live weight; that no feed could be complete that did not contain a sufficient amount of nutritive elements; hay, for example, being more nutritive than straw, and grains than roots. He found, too, that the food must possess a bulk sufficient to fill up to a certain degree the organs of digestion or the stomach; and that, to receive the full benefit of its food, the animal must be wholly satisfied, as, if the stomach is not sufficiently distended, the food cannot be properly digested, and of course many of the nutri: tive principles it contains would not be perfectly assim- ilated. An animal regularly fed eats till it is satisfied, and no more than is requisite. A part of the nutritive elements in hay and other forage-plants is needed to keep an animal on its feet, — that is, to keep up its con- dition, — and if the nutrition of its food is not sufficient for this the weight decreases, and if it is more than sufficient the weight increases, or else this excess is consumed in the production of milk or in labor. About one sixtieth of their live weight in hay, or its equiva lent, will keep horned cattle on their feet; but, in order to be completely nourished, they require about one thirtieth in dry substances, and four thirtieths in water, or other liquid contained in their food. The excess of nutritive food over and above what is required to sus- tain life will go in milch cows generally to the produc: tion of milk, or to the growth of the foetus, but not in all cows to an equal extent; the tendency to the secre- tion of milk being far more developed in some than in others. With regard to the consumption of food in propor tion to the live weight of the animal, however far it may apply as a general principle, it should, I think, 116 NUTRITIVE ELEMENTS OF FOOD. be taken with some qualifications. The proportion 1s probably not uniform as applied tu all breeds indiscrim- inately, though it may be more so as applied to animals of the same breed. Bakewell’s idea was that the quan- tity of food required depended much on the shape of the barrel; and it is well known that an animal of a close, compact, well-rounded barrel will consume less than one of an opposite make. The variations in the yield of milch cows are caused — more by the variations in the nutritive elements of their food than by a change of the form in which it is given. “ A cow, kept through the winter on mere straw,” says a practical writer on this subject, “will cease to give milk; and, when fed in spring on green forage, will give a fair quantity of milk. But she owes the cessation and restoration of the secretion to respectively the dimimution and the increase of her nourishment, and not at all to the change of form, or of outward sub- stance, in which the nourishment is administered. Let cows receive through winter nearly as large a propor- tion of nutritive matter as is contained in the clover, lucerne, and fresh grasses, which they eat in summer, and, no matter in what precise substance or mixture that matter may be contained, they will yield a winter’s produce of milk quite as rich in caseine and butyr- aceous ingredients as the summer’s produce, and far more ample in quantity than almost any dairyman with old-fashioned notions would imagine to be possible. The great practical error on this subject consists not in giving wrong kinds of food, but in not so propor- tioning and preparing it as to render an average ration of it equally rich in the elements of nutrition, and es- pecially in nitrogenous elements, as an average ration of the green and succulent food of snmmer.” Keeping too much stock for the quantity of good ' MOIST FEED.— DAIRYMAN’S MOTTO. 117 and nutritious food which we have for it is one of the greatest mistakes a dairyman can make. If in winter his cows are not properly fed they will come out thin and weak in spring, if not positively diseased, and a long time will be required, when at pasture, to bring them back to a profitable condition. It 1s a hard struggle for a cow reduced in flesh and ir blood to fill up the wasted system with the food which would otherwise have gone to the secretion of milk; but, if she is well fed, well housed, well littered, and well supplied with pure, fresh water, and with roots, or other moist food, and properly treated to the luxury of a frequent carding, and constant kindness, she comes out ready to commence the manufacture of milk under favorable circumstances. Keep the cows constantly in good condition, ought, therefore, to be the motto of every dairy farmer, posted up over the barn-door, and over the stalls, and over the milk-room, and repeated to the boys whenever there is danger of forgetting it. It is the great secret of suc- cess, and the difference between success and failure turns upon it. Cows in milk require more food in pro- _ portion to their size and weight than either oxen or young cattle. In order to keep cows in milk well and economically, regularity is next in importance to a full supply of wholesome and nutritious food. The healthy animal stomach is a very nice chronometer, and it is of the utmost importance to observe regular hours in feeding, cleaning, and milking. This is a point, also, in which very many farmers are at fault — feeding whenever it. happeus to be convenient. The cattle are thus kept in a restless condition, constantly expecting food when the keeper enters the barn, while, if regular hours are strictly adkered to. they know exactly when they are 118 COURSE OF FEEDING. - to be fed, and they rest quietly till the time arrives. Go into a well-regulated dairy establishment an hour before the time of feeding, and scarcely an animal will rise to its feet; while, if it happens to be the hour of feeding, . the whole herd will be likely to rise and seize their food with an avility and relish not to be mistaken. With respect to the exact routine to be pursued, no rule could be prescribed which would apply to all cases ; and each individual must be governed much by circum- stances, both in respect to the particular kinds of feed at different seasons of the year, and the system of feed- ing. I have found in my own practice, and in the prac- tice of the most successful dairymen, that, in order to encourage the largest secretion of milk in stalled cows, one of the best courses is, to feed in the morning, either at the time of milking— which I prefer— or imme- diately after, with cut feed, consisting of hay, oats, millet, or corn-stalks, mixed with shorts, and Indian, lin- seed, or cotton-seed meal, thoroughly moistened with water. If in winter, hot or warm water is far better than cold. If given at milking-time, the cows will gen- erally give down the milk more readily. The stalls and mangers ought always to be well cleaned out first. Roots and long hay may be given during the day; and at the evening milking, or directly after, another gen- erous meal of cut feed, well moistened and mixed, as in the morning. No very concentrated food, like grains alone or oil-cakes, should, it seems to me, be fed early in the morning on an empty stomach, though it is sanctioned by the practice in the London milk-dairies. The processes of digestion go on best when the stom- ach is sufficiently distended ; and for this purpose the bulk of food is almost as important as the nutritive qualities. The flavor of some roots, as cabbages and turnips, is more apt to be imparted to the flesh and ECONOMY IN WARMTH. . 119 milk wher. fed ou an empty stomach than otherwise. After the cows have been milked, and have finished their cut feed, they are carded and curried down, in well-managed dairies, and then either watered in the stall, which in very cold or stormy weather is far pref- erable, or turned out to water in the yard. When they are out, if they are let out at all, the stables are put in order; and, after tying them up, they are fed with long hay, and left to themselves till the time of next feed- ing. This may consist of roots, such as cabbages, beets, carrots, or turnips, sliced, or of potatoes, a peck, or, if the cows are very large, a half-bushel each, and eut feed again at the evening milking, as in the morn- ing, after which water in the stall, if possible. The less cows are exposed to the cold of winter, the better. They eat less, thrive better, and give more milk, when kept housed all the time, than when exposed te the cold. Caird mentions a case where a herd of cows, which had been usually supplied from troughs and pipes in the stalls, were, on account of an obstruction in the pipes, obliged to be turned out twice a day to be watered in the yard. The quantity of milk instantly decreased, and in three days the falling off became very considerable. After the pipes were mended, and the cows again watered as before, in their stalls, the flow of milk returned. This, however, will be zov- erned much by the weather; for in very mild, warm days it may be judicious not only to let them out, but to allow them to remain out for a short time, to ex- ercise. Any one can arrange the hour for the several process- es named above, to suit himself; but, when once fixed, let it be rigidly and regularly followed. If the regular and full feeding be neglected for even a day, the yield of milk will immediately decline, and it will be very 120 REGULARITY.—CHANGE. difficult to restore it. It may safely be asserted, as the result of many trials and long practice, that a larger flow of milk follows a complete system of regularity in this respect than from a higher feeding where this sys- tem is not adhered to. One prime object which the dairyman should keep constantly in view is, to maintain the animal in a sound and healthy condition. Without this, no profit can be expected from a milch cow for any considerable length of time; and, with a view to this, there should be an occasional change of food. But, in making changes, great care is required to supply an equal amount of nourishment, or the cow falls off in flesh, and eventu- ally in milk. We should therefore bear in mind that the food consumed goes not alone to the secretion of milk, but also to the growth and maintenance of the bony structure, the flesh, the blood, the fat, the skin, and the hair, and in exhalations from the body. These parts of the body consist of different organic con- stituents. Some are rich in nitrogen, as the fibrin of the blood, albumen, &c.; others destitute of it, as fat ; some abound in inorganic salts, phosphate of lime, salts of pot- ash, &c. To explain how the constant waste of these substances may be supplied, Dr. Voelcker observes that the albumen, gluten, caseine, and other nitrogenized principles of food, supply the animal with materials required for the formation of muscle and cartilage ; they are, therefore, called flesh-forming principles. “Fats, or oily matters of the food,” says he, “ are used to lay on fat, or for the purpose of sustaining respiration. “Starch, sugar, gum, and a few other non-nitrogenized substances, consisting of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, supply the carbon given off in respiration, or they are used for the production of fat. “Phosphates of lime and magnesia in food principally FEEDING FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES. 121 furnish the animal with the materials of which the bony skeleton of its body consists. “Saline substances—chlorides of sodium and potas: sium, sulphate and phosphate of potash and soda, and some other mineral matters occurring in food — supply the blood, juice of flesh, and various animal juices, with the necessary mineral constituents. “The healthy state of an animal can thus only be pre- * served by a mixed food; that is, food which contains all he proximate principles just noticed. Starch or sugar alone cannot sustain the animal body, because neither of them furnishes the materials to build up the fleshy parts of the animal. When fed on substances in which an in- sufficient quantity of phosphates occurs, the animal will become weak, because it does not find any bone-pro- ducing principles in its food. Due attention, therefore, ought to be paid by the feeder to the selection of food which contains all the kinds of matter required, nitro- verized as well as non-nitrogenized, and mineral sub- stances; and these should be mixed together in the proportion which experience points out as best for the . different kinds of animals, or the panewae purpose for which they are kept.” “On the nutrition of cows for dairy purposes,” Dr. Voelcker still further observes that “milk may be re- garded as a material for the manufacture of butter or of cheese ; and, according to the purpose for which the milk is intended to be employed, whether for the manu- facture of butter or the production of cheese, the cow should be differently fed. “Butter contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and no nitrogen. Cheese, on the contrary, is rich in nitro- gen. Food which contains much fatty matter, or sub- stances which in the animal system are readily con verted into fat, will tend to increase the proportion of 11 122 FOR MILK, BUTTER, AND CHEESE. cream in milk. On the other hand, the proportion of caseine or cheesy matter in milk is increased by the use of highly nitrogenized food. Those, therefore, whe desire much cream, or who produce milk for the manu- facture of butter, select food likely to increase the pro-_ portion of butter in the milk. On the contrary, where the principal object is the production of milk rich in curd,— that is, where cheese is the object of the farmer, —clover, peas, and bean-meal, and other plants which abound in legumine,—a nitrogenized organic com- pound, almost identical in properties and composition with caseine, or the substance which forms the curd of milk, — will be selected.” And so the quality, as well as the quantity, of butter in the milk, depends on the kind of tood consumed, and on the general health of the animal, though there is a great difference in breeds of cows in this regard, and we should bear this in mind when selecting cows for different purposes. Succulent food in which water abounds — the green grass of irrigated meadows, green clover, brewers’ refuse, distillers’ refuse, etc. — increases the quantity, rather than the quality, of the milk; and by feeding these substances the milk-dairyman studies his own interest, and makes thin milk, without diluting it with water, though, in the opinion of some, this may be no more léptumate than watering the mile But, though the yield of roilk may be increased ie sneer or watery food, it should be given so as not to interfere with the health of the cow. Food 1ich in starch, gum, or sugar, which are the respiratory elements, an excess of which goes to the production of fatty matters, increases the butter in milk. Quietness promotes the secretion of fat in animals and increases the butter. Cheese will be increased by food rich in albumen, such as the legumino’s plants. SUMMER FOOD FOR COWS. 12% The most natural, and of course the healthiest food for milch cows in summer, is the green grass of the pastures; and when these fail from drought, or over- stocking, the complement of nourishment may be made up with green clover, green oats, barley, millet, or corn- fodder, and cabbage-leaves, or other succulent vegeta- bles; and if these are wanting, their place may be partly supplied with shorts, Indian-meal, linseed or cot ton-seed meal. Green grass is more nutritious than hay, which always loses more or less of its nutritive qualities in curing; the amount of the loss depending chiefly on the mode of curing, and the length of ex- posure to sun and rain. But, apart from this, grass is more easily and completely digested than hay, though the digestion of hay may be greatly aided by cutting and moistening, or steaming; and by this means it is rendered more readily available, and hence far better adapted to promote a large secretion of milk —a fact too often overlooked by many even intelligent farmers. - That green grass is better adapted than most other kinds of food to promote a large flow of milk, may be be seen, from the following table, from which it will appear that greater attention should be given to the proper constituents of food for milch cows. Two cows were taken in the experiment. Milk i B ; Nitrogen in Food of two cows. ene Bee ia) food in 2 five days. 1 (ON COS See eit pen on anne Pica 114 lbs. 3.50]bs.| 2.32108 2. Barley and hay,. . . 107 3.43 3.89 Shade ULE AVY 52 5. oe 102 3.20 3.34 4. ae molasses, cea: 106 3.44 3.89 5. eighth linseed, and 108 3,48 | 4.14 ay, e 6. Beans and hay, . 108 3.72 5.27 124 AUTUMN FOOD FOR COWS, Here grass produced the largest flow of milk, but of a quality less rich than bean-meal and hay, which pro. duced the richest quality; one hundred and eight peunds making more butter than one hundred and four: teen pounds of grass-made milk. In autumn, the best feed will be the grasses of the pastures, so far as they are available, green-corn fod. der, cabbage, carrot and turnip leaves, and an addition of meal or shorts. Towards the middle of autumn, the cows fed in the pastures will require to be housed reg- ularly nights, especially in the more northern latitudes, and put, in part at least, upon hay. But every farmer knows that it is not judicious to feed out the best part of his hay when his cattle are first put into the barn, and that he should not feed so well in the early part of winter that he cannot feed better as it advances. At the same time, it should always be borne in mind that the change from grass to a poor quality of hay or straw, for cows in milk, should not be too sudden. A- poor quality of dry hay is far less palatable in the early part of winter, after the cows are taken from grass, than at a later period; and, if it is resorted to with milch cows, will inevitably lead to a falling off in the milk, which no good feed can afterwards wholly restore. It is desirable, therefore, to know what can be used instead of his best English or upland meadow hay, and yet not suffer any greater loss in the flow of milk, or condition, than is absolutely necessary. In some see: tiuns of New England, the best quality of swale hay will be used; and the composition of that is as variable as possible, depending on the varieties of grasses of which it was made, and the manner of curing. But in other sections, many will find it necessary to use straw, and other substitutes; and it may be desirable ta know how much is required to form an equivalent in NUTRITIVE EQUIVALENTS. 125 nutrition to good meadow or English hay. The follow ing brief table of nutritive equivalents wll be conve: nient for reference: Percentage of Nitrogen. Nutritive 8 8 equivalent. ” Dried. Undried. Io Neadow Way,” <<<. iten lene 100 yo ako 1.15 2 Red Clover-hay, . . . . 75 1.70 1.54 De WUVO-StTAWs s+, 9. ue 479 0.30 0.24 BONE-SITAW ree, ei, els 383 0.36 0.30 Se Wiheab-straw; sso e se 426 0.36 0.27 GQoeBanloy-straw, a. ey ens 460 0.30 0.25 7. Pea-straw, . Reet 64 1.45 ey) The following is the composition of these several substances, in which their relative value will more distinctly appear: Starch, Gum, | Gluten, Albu- Saline Water. Woody fibre. Sugar. men, ete. Fatty matter. cen 14 3 40 dell 2to 5 5 to 10 14 25 40 Sie) 3 to 5 g) 12 to 15 | 45 38 1.3 4 12 45 35 1.3 0.8 6 12 to 15 50 30) 13 2 to 3 5) 12 to 15 50 30 IES 5) 10 to 16 25 45 12.3 1.5 4 to 6 From these tables it will be seen that, taking good English or meadow hay as the standard of comparison, and calling that one, 4.79 times the weight of rye-straw, or 3.83 times the weight of oat-straw, contains the same amount of nutritive matter; that is, it would take 4.79 umes as much rye-straw to produce the same result as good meadow hay. The more elaborate nutritive equivalents of Boussin- gault will be found to be very valuable and suggestive, and the following table is given in this connection for the sake of convenient reference. Le —) ott eo TABLE OF EQUIVALENTS. *297}19Nf0g 0} Surp1090% *Zulpoos ul sjyuoutsedxe Aq pouryjqo se ‘sanjea [vuovlg 126 (*1VOILAYOTHT, GNV ‘1VOILOVUd) “20URSqNs partpun jo sz.tnd OOL Ul uaso1jIN ‘SAQTVA TVOILA 10 = 7 (a6 9-¢ SE IZF%Z OFT! Gs OI-L 89 4rP OL) ge GL-LL 8S j80'F TL O09 = SAP 9 T) go GI-G €6 |f€0°9 YT! eg = coy OFT! OL $F |FIS OFT) 1z GI-E FE | 8G CL €Z = = €8¢€ GI-S OFE,00°6 FT! GIES VPS FL 9FL! Zee = = 699 FI6E9ZL OT — wr 919 3 7A CEL GIS CHHIOS'ZL 97 T] Ege GI-L LOG OFFS OF LT] GLP = = Ilé 6°L1/80°9 OFT] CL 2 = €8 GOT s 00L Z x ) =] aome,f =] = Bats = rf eoieitcs Pimp ett ice ee £4 EG ae el ie es fo ate | to Se j|@8osd) ¢€ iy ee alt a a = ° TREAT “] ‘saINasa a | zt |3 » f meal a day. Their produce in but- ter was kept for thirteen weeks. Two of them were but two years old, having calved the same spring. All the milk of one of them was taken by her calf six weeks out of the thirteen, and some of the milk of ‘the other was taken for family use, the quantity of which was not measured. These heifers could not be esti- mated, therefore, as more than equal to one cow m full milk. And yet from these cows no less than three hundred and eighty-nine pounds of butter were made in the thirteen weeks. Another pound would have made an average of thirty pounds a week for the whole time. It appears from these, and other similar instances of successful soiling, or stall-feeding in summer on green crops cut for the purpose, that the largely increased quantity of the yield fully counterbalances the slightly deteriorated quality. And not only is the quantity yielded by each cow increased, but the same extent of land, under good culture, will carry double or treble the number of ordinary pastures, and keep them in better condition. There is alsoa saving of manure. But with us the economy of soiling is the exception, and not the rule. In adopting this system of feeding, regularity is required as much as in any other, and a proper variety of food. A succession of green crops should be provided, as near as convenient to the stable. The first will naturally be winter rye, in the Northern States, as that shoots up with great luxuriance.' This may be followed by winter wheat, spring rye, spring wheat, oats and barley, millet, and the different varie- ties of corn sown or planted somewhat in the order named. In midsummer clover and the meadow grasses 144 STILL-SLOPS.—SWILL MILK. may be fed green as soon as they bloom, or a little be- fore, while, for late feeding, barley, sown in July or August, is excellent, as it will remain green, and, if several sowings are made, may be used till the ground freezes in November. Rye and barley sown together in August will yield a Jarge growth under favorable conditions, and the rye will live over and produce a second crop of fodder the following year. Grain should be fed with these crops. In the vicinity of large towns and cities, where the object is too often to feed for the largest quantity, without reference to quality, an article known as dis- tillers’ swill, or still-slop, is extensively used. This, if properly fed in limited quantities, in combination with other and more bulky food, may be a valuable article for the dairyman; but, if given, as it too often is, with- out the addition of other kinds of. food, it soon affects the health and constitution of the animals fed on it. This swill contains a considerable quantity of water, some nitrogenous compounds, and some inorganic mat- ter, in the shape of phosphates and alkaline salts found in the different kinds of grain of which it is made up, as Indian corn, wheat, barley, rye, &c. Where this forms the principal food of milch cows, the milk is of a very poor quality —blue in color, and requiring the addition of coloring substances to make it salable. It contains, often, less than one per cent. of butter, and seldom over one and three tenths or one and a half per cent., while good, salable milk ought to contain from three to five per cent. It will not coagulate, it is said, in less than five or six hours, while good milk will invariably coagulate in one hour or less, under the same conditions. Its effect on the system of young children is therefore very destructive, causing diseases of various kinds, and, if continued, probably death. 4 7 ‘ ke i STRUCTURE OF THE UDDER. 145 Minxkmne.—The manner of milking exerts a more powerful and lasting influence on the productiveness of the cow than most farmers are aware of. That a slow and careless milker soon dries up the best of cows, every practical farmer and dairyman knows ; but a care- ful examination of the beautiful structure of the udder will serve further to explain the proper mode of milking, to obtain and keep up the largest yield. “The udder of a cow,” says a writer in the Rural Cyclopedia, “is a unique mass, composed of two symmetrical parts, simply united to each other by a cellular tissue, lax, and very abundant; and each of these parts comprises two divisions or quarters, which consist of many small granules, and are connected together by a compact laminous tissue; and from each quarter proceed systems of ducts, which form successive unions and confluences, somewhat in the manner of the many affluents of a large river, until they terminate in one grand excretory canal, which passes down through the elongated mam- millary body called the teat. Its lactiferous or milk tubes, however, do not, as might be supposed, proceed exactly from smaller to larger ducts by a gradual and regular enlargement, because it would not have been proper that the secretion of milk should escape as it was formed; and therefore we find an apparatus adapted for the purpose of retaining it for a proper time. This apparatus is to be found both in the teat and in the in- ternal construction of the udder. The teat resembles a funnel in shape, and somewhat in office ; and it is pos- sessed of a considerable degree of elasticity. It seems formed principally of the cutis, with some muscular fibres, and it is covered on the outside by cuticle, like every other part of the body; but the cuticle here not only covers the exterior, but also turns upwards, and lines the inside of the extremity of the teat, as far as it 13 10 = 146 MANNER OF MILKING. is contracted, and there terminates by a frilled edge, the rest of the interior of the teats and ducts being lined by mucous membrane. But, as the udder in most animals is attached in a pendulous manner to the body, and as the weight of the column of fluid would press with a force which would, in every case, overcome the resistance of the contractions of the extremity, or prove oppressive to the teat, there is in the internal arrangement of the udder a provision made to obviate this difficulty. The various ducts, as they are united, do not become gradually enlarged so as to admit the ready flow of milk ir a continual stream to the teat, but are so arranged as to take off, in a great measure, the extreme pressure to which the teat would be other- wise exposed. Each main duct, as it enters into another, has a contraction produced, by which a kind of valvular apparatus is formed in such a manner as to become pouches or sacks, capable of containing the great body of the milk. In consequence of this arrangement, it is necessary that a kind of movement upwards, or lift, should be given to the udder before the teat is drawn, to force out the milk; and by this lift the milk is dis- placed from these pouches, and escapes into the teat, and is then easily squeezed out ; while the contractions, or pouches, at the same time eee in a certain degree, the return or reflux of the diaaeced milk.” The first requisite of a good milker is, of course, the utmost cleanliness. Without this, the milk is unen- durable. The udder should, therefore, be carefully cleaned before the milking commences. The milker may begin gradually and gently, but should steadily increase the rapidity of the operation till the udder is emptied, using a pail sufficiently large to hold all, with out the necessity of changing. Cows are very sensi- tive, and the pail cannot be changed, nor can the EFFECT OF CARELESS MILKING. 147 milker stop or rise during the process of milking, with- out leading the cow more or less to withhold her milk. The utmost care should be taken to strip to the last drop, and to do it rapidly, and not in a slow and negligent manner, which is sure to have its effect on the yield of the cow. If any milk is left, it 1s reabsorbed into the system, or else becomes caked, and diminishes the tend- erey to secrete a full quantity afterwards. Milking as dry as possible is especially necessary with young cows with their first calf, as the mode of milking, and the length of time to which they can be made to hold out, will have very much to do with their milking qualities as long as they live. At the age of two or three years the milky glands have not become fully developed, and their largest development will depend very greatly upon the man- agement after the first calf. Cows should’ have, therefore, the most milk-producing food; be treated with constant gentleness; never struck, or spoken harshly to, but coaxed and caressed; and in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred they will grow up gentle and quiet. But harshness is worse than useless. Nothing - does so much to dry a cow up, especially a young cow. The longer the young cow, with her first and sec- ond calf, can be made to hold out, the more surely will this habit be fixed upon her. Stop milking her four months before the next calf, and it will be dif ficult to make her hold out to within four or six weeks of the time of calving afterwards. Induce her, if possible, by moist and succulent food, and by care- ful milking, to hold out even up to the time of calv- ing, if you desire to milk her so long, and this habit will be likely to be fixed upon her for life. But do not expect to obtain the full yield of a cow the first year after calving. Some of the very best cows are 148 GENILE TREATMENT. slow to develop their best qualities ; and no cow reaches her prime till the age of five or six years. The extreme importance of care and attention to these points cannot be over-estimated. The wild cows grazing on the plains of South America are said to give only about three or four quarts a day at the height of the flow; and many an owner of large herds in Texas, if is said, has too little milk for family use, and sometimes receives his supply of butter from the New York market. There is, therefore, a constant tendency to dry up in milch cows; and it must be guarded against with special care, till the habit of yielding a large quantity, and yielding it long, becomes fixed in the young animal, when, with proper care, it may easily be kept up. If gentle and mild treatment is observed and perse- vered in, the operation of milking appears to be one of pleasure to the animal, as it undoubtedly is; but if an opposite course is pursued, — if, at every restless move- ment, caused, perhaps, by pressing a sore teat, the animal is harshly spoken to,—she will be likely to learn to kick asa habit, and it will be difficult to overcome it ever afterwards. To induce quiet and readiness to give down the milk freely, it is better that the cow should » be fed at milking-time with cut feed, or roots, placed within her easy reach. I have never practised milking more than twice a day, because in spring and summer otker farm-work was too pressing to allow of it; but there is no doubt that, for some weeks after calving, and in the height of the flow, some cows ought, if possible, to be milked regularly three times a day, —at early morning, noon, and late at night. It is found that cows thus milked give a larger quantity of richer milk than if milked only twice, as the fats are absorbed in a full udder; and in young cows, no doubt, it has a tendency to promote the ~ DAIRY-MAIDS.—WARM BARN. 149 development of the udder and milk-veins. MATILS.—CLEANLINIFSS. 207 the rising of the particles, tend to secure a cream free from the cheesy matter, and such cream will make a quality of butter both more delicate to the taste, and less likely to become rancid, than any other. It has already been intimated, in another connection, that neither the largest quantity nor the best quality of milk is given by the cow till after she has had two or three calves, or has arrived at the age of five or six years. It may also be said, what cannot fail to have attracted the attention of observing dairymen, that in very dry seasons the quantity of milk yielded will gen- erally be less, though the quality will be richer, than in moist and mild seasons. Hence it may be inferred that moist climates are much more favorable to the production of milk than dry ones; and this also has been frequently observed and admitted to be a well-known fact. From these facts it may be stated that dry and warm weather increases the quantity of butter, but it is also true that cooler weather produces a greater amount of cheese. A state of pregnancy, it is obvious, must reduce the quality of the milk, and cause it to yield less cream than before. In the treatment of milk the utmost cleanliness: is es- pecially requisite. The pails, the strainers, the pans, the milk-room, and, in short, everything connected with the dairy, must be kept neat and clean to an extent which few but the very best dairy-women can appreciate. The smallest portion of old milk left to sour in the strainers or pans will be sure to taint them, and impart their bad flavor to the new milk put into them. Every one is familiar with the fact that an exceedingly small quantity of yeast causes an active fermentation. The process is a chemical one, and another familiar instance of it is in the distillation of liquors and the brewing of beer. where the malt creates a very active fermentation. In 208 ADULTERATIONS.—SWILL MILK. a similar manner, the smallest particle of sour milk will taint a large quantity of sweet. The milk-room should be removed from dampness, and all gases which might be injurious to the milk by infecting the atmosphere. If the state of the atmos. phere and the temperature, as has been stated, affect it, all contact with foreign substances to which it is liable in careless and slovenly milking, and all air rendered impure by vegetables and innumerable other things kept in a house-cellar, will be much more liable to taint and injure it. Milk appears to absorb odors from ob- jects near it, to such an extent that a piece of catnip lying near the pan has been known to impart its flavor to it. Milk, as sold in most large cities, is often adulterated to a great extent, but most frequently with water. Not unfrequently, too, a part of the cream is first taken off, and water afterwards added; in which case the use of burnt sugar is very common for coloring the milk, the blueness of which would otherwise lead to detection. The adulteration of pure milk from the healthy cow by water, though dishonest, and objectionable in the high- est degree, is far less iniquitous in its consequences than the nefarious traffic in “swill-milk,’ or milk pro- duced from cows fed entirely on “stillslops,’ from which they soon become diseased, after which the milk contains a subtle poison, which is as difficult of detec- tion by any known process of chemistry as the miasma of an atmosphere tainted with yellow fever or the chol- era. The simple fact is sufficiently palpable, that no pure and healthy milk can be produced by an unhealthy and diseased animal ; and that no animal can long remain healthy that is fed on an unnatural food, and treated in the manner too common around the distilleries of many large cities. THE SPECIFIC-GRAVITY JEST. 209 It is evident, from the well-known influence which “ stillslops” and other exceedingly succulent food have in increasing the amount of water in the milk, that adul- teration may be effected by means of the food, as well as by addition of water to the milk itself. It is evident, too, on a moment’s reflection, that the specific gravity of pure milk must vary exceedingly, as it comes from different cows, or from the same cow at different times. This variation reached to the extent of twenty-three degrees in the milk of forty-two different cows, or from one thousand and eight to one thousand and thirty-one ; but so great a variation is very rare, and not to be expected. No reliable conclusion, as to whether a particular specimen of milk has been adulterated or not, can there- fore be drawn from the differences in specific gravity alone. A radical difficulty attending this test arises from the fact that the specific gravity both of water and cream is less than that of pure milk. If, therefore, the hydrometer sinks deeper into the fluid than would be expected in ordinary pure milk, how is it possible, unless the variation is very large, to tell whether it is due to the richness of the milk in cream, or to the water? I have, for instance, two instruments, each labelled “TLactometer,” but both of which are simple hydrometers (Fig. 71), or specific gravity testers, one of which is graduated with the water-mark 0 and that of pure milk 20°; the water-mark of the other being 0, hke the first, and that of pure milx 100°. Both are the same in principle, the only difference being in the graduation. On the former, graduated for pure milk at 20°, it is difficult to tell with accuracy the small variations in 18* 14 210 VARIATION IN SPECIFIC GRAVITY. the percentage of water or cream, the divisions on the scale are so minute, while the latter marks them sc that they can be read off with greater ease and pre cision. For the purpose of showing the difference in the spe- cific gravity in different specimens of pure milk, taken from the cows in the morning, and allowed to cool down to about 60°, 1 used the latter instrument with the fol- lowing results: The first pint drawn from a native cow stood at 101°, the scale being graduated at 100° for pure milk. The last pint of the same milking, being the strip- pings of the same cow, stood at 86°. The mixture of the two pints stood at about 934°. The milk of a pure-bred Jersey stood at 95°, that of an Ayrshire at 100°, that of a Hereford at 106°, that of a Devon at 111°, while a thin cream stood at 66°. All these specimens of milk were pure, and milked at the same time in the morning, carefully labelled in separate vessels, and set upon the same shelf to cool off; and yet the variations of specific gravity amounted to 25°, or, taking the average quality of the native cows’ milk at 934°, the variations amounted to 172°. But, knowing the specific gravity, at the outset, of any specimen of milk, the hydrometer would show the amount of water added. This cheap and simple instru- ment is therefore of frequent service. The lactometer is a very different instrument, and measures the comparative richness of different speci- mens of milk. It is of very great service both in the butter and cheese dairy, for testing the comparative value of different cows for the purposes for which they are kept. This instrument is very simple and cheap, and the practical dairyman can tell by it what cows he ean best part with without detriment to his business : : q 4 { 4 { THE LACTOMETER. 21) No cow should be admitted to a herd kept for butter. making without knowing her qualities in this respect. Many would find, on examination, that some of their cows, though giving a good quantity, were compara- tively worthless to them. Such was the experience of John Holbert, of Chemung, New York, who, in his statement to the state agricultural society, says: “I find, by churning the milk of each cow separately, that one of my best cows will make as much butter as three of my poorest, giving the same quantity of milk. I have kept a dairy for twenty years, but I never until the past season knew that there was so much difference in cows.” m} TAK )mnnmnn) Ty) Mth | Fig. 72. Lactometer. The simplest form of the lactometer is a series of graduated glass tubes (Fig. 72), or vials, of equal diam- eter; generally a third of an inch inside, and about eleven inches long. The tubes are filled to an equal height, each one with the milk of a different cow, and allowed to stand for the cream to rise. The difference in thickness of the column of cream will be very per- ceptible, and it will be greater than most people imag- ine. The effect of different kinds of food for the pro duction of butter may be studied in the same way. 212 MODES OF PRESERVING MILK. This form of the lactometer was invented by Sir Joseph Banks. Various means are used for the preservation of milk. One of these is by concentrating it by boiling. Where this is followed, as it is by some dairymen, as a regular business, the milk is poured, as it comes from the dairy, into long, shallow, copper pans, and heated to a temper- ature of a hundred and ten degrees, Fahrenheit. A lit- tle sugar is then mixed in, and the whole body of milk is kept in motion by stirring for some three or four hours. The water is evaporated, leaving the milk about one fourth of its original bulk. It is now put into tin cans, the covers of which are soldered on, when the cans are lowered into boiling water. After remaining a while, they are taken out and hermetically sealed, in which condition the milk will keep for months. Con- centrated milk may thus be taken to sea or elsewhere. Another form is that of solidified milk, in which state it is easily and perfectly soluble in’ water; and when so dissolved with a proper proportion of water, it assumes its original form of milk, and may be made into butter. A statement by Dr. Dorémus, in the New York Wedical Journal, explains the process, as follows : To one hundred and twelve pounds of milk twenty eight pounds of Stuart’s white sugar were added, and a trivial portion of bicarbonate of soda, —a teaspoonful, —merely enough to insure the neutralizing of any acid- ity, which, in the summer season, is exhibited even a few minutes after milking, although inappreciable to the organs of taste. The sweet milk was poured into evaporating pans of enamelled iron, imbedded in warm water heated by steam. A thermometer was immersed in each of these water-baths, that, by frequent imspec- tion, the temperature might not rise above the point which years of experience have shown advisable. To SOLIDIFIED MILK. 21% facilitate the evaporation, by means of bloweis and other ingenious apparatus a current of air is established between the covers of the pans and the solidifying milk. Connected with the steam-engine is an arrange- ment of stirrers, for agitating the milk slightly, while evaporating, and so gently as not to churn it. In about three hours the milk and sugar assumed a pasty con- sistency, and delighted the palates of all present. By constant manipulation and warming, it was reduced to a rich, creamy-looking powder, then exposed to the air to cool, weighed into parcels of a pound each, and by a press, with the force of a ton or two, made to assume the compact form of a tablet (the size of a small brick), in which shape, covered with tin-foil, it is. presented to the public. “Some of the solidified milk which had been grated and dissolved in water the previous evening was found covered with a rich cream; this, skimmed off, was soon converted into excellent butter. Another solution was speedily converted into wine-whéy by a treatment pre- cisely similar to that employed in using ordinary milk. It fully equalled the expectations of all; so that solidi fied milk will hereafter rank among the necessary appendages to the sick room. In fine, this article makes paps, custards, puddings, and cakes, equal to the best milk; and one may be sure it is an unadulterated article, obtained from well-pastured cattle, and not the produce of distillery slops; neither can it be watered. For our steamships, our packets, for those travelling by land or by sea, for hotel purposes, or use in private families, for young or old, we recommend it cordially as a sub- stitute for fresh milk.” A pound of this solidified milk, it is said, will make five pints when dissolved in water. Another favorite form in which milk is used is that 214 HOW TO MAKE ICE-CREAM. known as ice-cream, a cheap and healthy luxury during the summer months. It is frozen in a simple machine made for the purpose, in the best form of which the time of the operation is from six to ten minutes. The richest quality of ice-cream is made from cream, in the following manner: To one quart of cream use the yolks of three eggs. Put the cream over the fire till it boils, during which time the eggs are beaten up with half a pound of white sugar, powdered fine; and wher the cream boils stir it upon the eggs and sugar, then let it stand till quite cold, then add the juice of three or four lemons. It is then ready to put into the freezer. The heat of the cream partially cooks the eggs, and the stirring must be continued to prevent their cooking too much. | A somewhat simpler receipt, given by the confec- tioners, is the following: To half a pound of powdered sugar add the juice of three lemons. Mix the sugar and lemon together, and then add one quart of cream. This is less rich and delicate than the preceding, but is quite rich enough for common use, and some trouble is saved. The following receipt makes a very good ice-cream. Two quarts of good rich milk; four fresh eggs; three quarters of a pound of white sugar; six teaspoons of Bermuda arrow-root. Rub the arrow-root smooth in a little cold milk, beat the eggs and sugar together, bring the milk to the boiling point, then stir in the arrow-root; remove it then from the fire, and immedi- ately add the eggs and sugar, stirring briskly, to keep the eggs from cooking, then set aside to cool. If flavored with extracts, let it be done just before putting it in the freezer. Ifthe vanilla bean is used, it must be boiled in the milk. The preparation must be thoroughly sooled before the freezing is proceeded with. The ice-cream by this receipt may be produced at a ie oe MILK OF SPAYED COWS. 215 vost not exceeding twenty-five cents a quart, calling the milk five cents a quart, and the eggs a cent apiece, and including the cost of labor. It is quite equal to that commonly furnished by the confectioners at seventy- five cents a quart. The arrow-root may be dispensed with. The freezer is a cheap and simple machine. After the cream has frozen in the machine, it should stand an hour or two to harden before it is used. To secure a more uniform flow and a richer quality of milk, cows are sometimes spayed, or castrated. The milk of spayed cows is pretty uniform in quantity, and this quantity will be, on an average, a little more than before the operation was performed. But few instances have come under my observation, and those few have resulted satisfactorily, the quality of the milk having been greatly improved, the yield becoming regular for some years, and varying only by the differ- ence in the succulence of the food. The proper time for spaying is about five or six weeks after calving, or at the time when the largest quantity of milk is given. There seem to be some advantages in spaying for milk and butter dairies, where the raising of stock is not attended to. The cows are more quiet, never being hable to returns of seasons of heat, which always more or less affect the milk both in quantity and quality. They give milk nearly uniform in these respects, for several years, provided the food is uniformly succulent and nutritious. Their milk is influenced like that of other cows, though tv less extent, by the quality and quantity of food; so that in winter, unless the animal is properly attended to, the yield will decrease somewhat, _ but will rise again as good feed returns. This uniform. ity for the milk-dairy is of immense advantage. Besides, the cow, when old, and inclined to dry up, takes on fat 216 ANALYSES OF MILK. with greater rapidity, and produces a juicy and tender beef, superior, at the same age, to that of the ox. The operation of spaying is simple, and may be performed by any veterinary surgeon, without much risk of injury. The milk of the cow has often been analyzed. It was found by Haidlen to consist of Waterline, Sn <. fete Olen Magnesia, oo 6 a ells ar Bitters) 92 es fue tOe rons: oars +. -<) ee eee Caseine, . . . . . 48.2 | Chloride of Petunia: . . 144 Sugarofmilk, . . . 48.9 | Sodium and Soda, -. . . 166 Phosphate of lime, . . DESH 1000. _ But its composition, as already intimated, varies exceedingly with the food of the animal, and is influenced by an infinite variety of circumstances. — Skim-milk is much more watery than whole milk. It was found by one analysis to contain about 97 per cent. of water and 3 per cent. of caseine. Swill-milk, or milk from cows fed on “ still-slops,” in New York, was found by analysis to contain less than 1.5 per cent. of butter, some saat as having even less than one per cent. The colostrum, or milk of the cow just after calving, contains a large proportion of cheesy matter. Its amount of caseine was found by careful analysis to be 15.1 per cent., of butter 2.6, mucous matter 2, and water 80.3, there being only a trace of sugar of milk. The measures for milk in common use in this country are those used for wine and beer. The wine quart is about one fifth less than the beer quart, and is that most commonly used in England. ee a es CH APE Rev hae BUTTER AND THE BUTTER-DAIRY. ** Slow rolls the churn — its load of clogging cream At once foregoes its quality and name. From knotty particles first floating wide, Congealing butter ’s dashed from side to side.’ BuTTER, as we have seen, is the oily or fatty con stituent of all good milk, mechanically united or held in suspension by the solution of caseine or cheesy matter in water. It is already formed in the udder of the cow, and the operations required after it leaves the udder, to produce it, effect merely the separation, more or less complete, of the butter from the cheese and the whey. This being the case, it is natural to suppose that butter was known at an early date. The wandering tribes, accustomed to take on their journeys a supply of milk in skins, would find it formed by the agitation of travelling, and thus would be suggested the first rude and simple process of churning. But it is not probable that the Jews possessed a knowledge of it; and it is pretty well settled, at the present time, that the passages in our English version of the Old Testament in which it is used are errone- ously translated, and that wherever the word butter occurs the word milk, or sour, thick milk, or cream, should be substituted. And so in Isaiah, “ Milk and honey shall he eat,” instead of “butter;” and in Job (29: 6), “ When I washed ~ny feet in milk,” instead of 19 918 HISTORY.—CREAM THAT RISES FIRST. “butter.” And the expression in Prov. (30: 33), «Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter,” would be better translated, according to the best critics, “the pressing of the milker bringeth forth milk,” or the “ pressing of milk bringeth forth cheese.” Ir the oldest Greek writers milk and cheese are spoken of, but there is no evidence that butter was known to them. The Greeks obtained their knowledge of it from the Scythians or the Thracians, and the © Romans obtained theirs from the Germans. In the time of Christ it was used chiefly as an oint ment in the baths, and as a medicine. In warm lati- tudes, as in the southern part of Europe, even at the present day, its use is comparatively limited, the deli- cious oil of the olive supplying its place. I have already stated that all good milk of the cow contained butter enclosed in little round globules held in suspension, or floating in the other substances. As soon as the milk comes to rest after leaving the udder, these round particles, being lighter than the mass of cheesy and watery materials by which they are sur- rounded, begin to rise and work their way to the sur- face. The largest globules, being comparatively the lightest, rise first, and form the first layer of cream, which is the best, since it is less filled with caseine. The next smaller, rising a little slower, are more entangled with other substances, and bring more of them to the surface; and the smallest rise the slowest and the last, and come up loaded with foreign sub- stances, and produce an inferior quality of cream and butter. The most delicate cream, as well as the sweet- est and most fragrant butter, is that obtained by a first skimming, only a few hours after the milk is set. Of three skimmings, at six, twelve, and eighteen hours after the milk is strained into the pan, that first obtained: MILK AND WATER. 219 will make more and richer butter than th> second, and that next obtained richer than the third, and so on. The last quart of milk drawn at a milking, for reasons already stated, will make a more delicious and savory butter than the first; andif the last quart or two of a milking is set by itself, and the first cream that rises taken from it after standing only five or six hours, it will produce the richest and highest-flavored butter the cow is capable of giving, under like circumstances as to season and feed. The separation of the butter particles from the others is slower and more difficult in proportion to the thick- ness and richness of the milk. Hence in winter, on dry feeding, the milk being richer and less watery, the cream or particles of butter are slower and longer in rising. But, as heat rarefies milk, the difficulty is over- come in part by elevating the temperature. The same effect is produced by mixing a little water into the milk when it is set. It aids the separation, and consequently more cream will rise in the same space of time, from the same amount of rich milk, with a little water in it, than without. Water slightly warm, if in cold weather, will produce the most perceptible effect. The quantity of butter will be greater from milk treated in this way; the quality, slightly deteriorated. It must be apparent, from what has been said, that butter may be produced by agitating the whole body of the milk, as soon as it is brought in from the cow- house or yard, as well as by letting it stand for the cream torise- This course is preferred by some practical dairymen, and is the general practice in some of the countries most celebrated for superior butter. The general treatment of milk and the management of cream have been already alluded to in a former chap- ter. It has been seen that the first requisites to suc- 220 CLEANLINESS.—GOOD BUTTER. cessful dairy husbandry are good cows, adapted to the special object of the dairy, whether it be milk, but- ter, or cheese, and abundant and good feeding ; and that, with both these conditions, an absolute cleanliness in every process, from the milking of the cow to bringing the butter upon the table, is indispensably necessary. Cleanliness may, indeed, with propriety be regarded as the chief requisite in the manufacture of good but- ter; for the least suspicion of a want of it turns the appetite at once, while both milk and cream are so ex- ceedingly sensitive to the slightest taint in the air, in everything with which they come in contact, as to impart the unmistakable evidence of any negligence, in the taste and flavor of the butter. It is safe to say, therefore, that good butter depends more upon the manufacture than upon any other one thing, and perhaps than all others put together. So im- portant is this point, that a judicious writer remarks that “in every district where good butter is made it is univer. sally attributed to the richness of the pastures, though it is a well-known fact that, take a skilful dairymaid from that district into another, where good butter is not usually made, and where, of course, the pastures are deemed very unfavorable, she will make butter as good as she used to do. And bring one from this last district into the other, and she will find that she cannot make better butter there than she did before, unless she takes lessons from the servants, or others whom she finds there ;” and a French writer very justly observes that “the particular nature of Bretagne butter, whose color, flavor, and consistence, are so much prized, depends neither on the pasture nor on the particular species of cow, but on the mode of making:” and this will hold- to a considerable extent, in every country where but ter is made. THE DAIRY-ROOM. 221 Many things, indeed, concur to produce the best re- sults, and it would be useless to underrate the import- ance of any; but, with the best of cows to impart the proper color and consistency to butter, the sweetest feed and the purest water to secure a delicate flavor, the utmost care must still be bestowed by the dairymaid upon every process of manufacture, or else the best of milk and cream will be spoiled, or produce an article which will bring only a low price in the market, when, with greater skill, it might have obtained the highest. From what has been said of the care requisite to pre- serve the milk from taint, it may be inferred that atten- tion to the milk and dairy room is of no small importance. In very large butter-dairies, a building is devoted ex- clusively to this department. This should be at a short distance from the yard, or place of milking, but no further than is necessary to be removed from all impur- ities in the air arising from it, and from all low, damp places, subject to disagreeable exhalations. This is of the utmost importance. It should be well ventilated, and kept constantly clean and sweet, by the use of pure water; and especially, if milk is spilled, it should be washed up immediately, with fresh water. No matter if it is but a single drop; if allowed to soak into the floor and sour, it cannot easily be removed, and it is sufficient to taint the air and the milk in the room, though it may not be perceptible to the senses. In smaller dairies, economy dictates the use of a room in the house; and this, in warm climates, should be on the north side, and used exclusively for this purpose. I have known many to use a room in the cellar as a milk-room; but very few cellars are at all suitable. Most are filled with a great variety of articles which never fail to infect the air. . But, if a house-cellar is so built as to make it a suita 1s 222 PURE AIR.—THE MILK-STAND. ble place to set the milk, as where a large dry and airy room, sufficiently isolated from the rest, can be used, a greater uniformity of temperature can usually be se- cured than on the floor above. The room, in this case, should have a gravel or loamy bottom, uncemented, but dry and porous. The soil is a powerful absorbent of the noxious gases which are apt to infect the atmos- phere near the bottom of the cellar. Milk should never be set on the bottom of a cellar, if the object is to raise the cream. The cream will rise in time, but rarely or never so quickly or so completely as on shelves from five to eight feet from the bottom, around which a free circulation of pure air can be had from the latticed windows. It is, perhaps, safe to say that as great an amount of better cream will rise from the same milk in twelve hours on suitable shelves, six feet from the bottom, as would be obtained directly on the bottom of the same cellar in twenty-four hours. . THE PANS.—THE SKIMMER. 223 One of the most convenient forms for shelves in a dairy-room designed for butter-making is represented in Fig. 738, made of light and seasoned wood, in an oc- tagonal form, and capable of holding one hundred and seventy-six pans of the ordinary form and size. It is so simple and easily constructed, and so economizes space, that it may readily be adapted to other and smaller rooms for a similar purpose. If the dairy- house is near a spring of pure and running water, a small stream can be led in by one channel and taken out by another, and thus keep a constant circulation under the milk-stand, which may be so constructed as to turn easily on the central post, so as often to save many footsteps. The pans designed for milk are generally made of tin. That is found, after long experience, to be, on the whole, the best and most economical, and subject to-fewer objections than most other materials. The seamless pressed pans are much the best, as there are no crevices in which milk will remain to become tainted, and thus injure a fresh mess when strained into them. No dairywoman who has once used the seamless pans will be willing to use the old-styles, which are so much harder to cleanse. Pans should be washed first in warm water, and afterwards scalded. Milk that is slightly acid is curdled by hot water, and inclines to adhere to the tin or wash-cloth, while if cooler water is used no such trouble will occur. Owing to the great amount of labor required in washing enough small pans for large dairies, and to the difficulty of controlling the temperature of milk in ordinary dairy-rooms, small pans have been very largely superseded by large ones capable of holding the milk of an entire milking, or deep pails set in cold water. The pans usually have some arrangement by which 224 THE FERGUSON BUREAU. cold water can be run in pipes through, under, or around the milk. Numerous systems of milk-setting in large vessels have been recently patented, and suitable apparatus put upon the market, though some dairymen use com- mon deep tin pails set in home-made wooden tanks into which running water or ice is introduced for keeping the milk cool and sweet while the cream is rising. Much rivalry has grown up between the manufacturers of the different milk-setting apparatus, all claiming that theirs is the best, leaving dairymen as greatly puzzled in making a choice as they are in choosing among the different breeds of dairy cows. The choice of system or apparatus should depend somewhat upon the conditions and circumstances under which each dairyman labors. The large open pans, with pipes for cooling the milk, furnish a quality of cream much like that raised in small pans set in the open air. One difficulty experienced has been to secure rapid and uniform cooling in large bodies of milk, that in the middle of the pans being sometimes found warm and sour, when nearer the edges it is cool and sweet. For dairies of moderate size the Ferguson Bureau Creamery, Fig. 74, gives much satisfaction. It is in- tended that one or two pans will hold all the milk of a milking, and by keeping ice in the chamber over the pans the milk is soon cooled to the proper temperature, about 62 degrees, and retained there till the cream is risen, usually from 86 to 48 hours. Milk set in the bureau is in the same condition as if set in a dairy- room kept at a June or September temperature, and the cream is firm, and can be churned in the same size churn as if raised in a large room; while by the deep can water-setting methods the cream is about twice as bulky, requiring large churns or more frequent churn- CONTROLLING CONDITIONS. 225 ing. It is acknowledged by the best dairymen that no better butter can be made by any process than can be IWE_ORIP > — — — — SS i | ‘Aromvaig nueaimg aosnsio4g ou, “pL Si ——S—— made from cream raised in shallow tin pans set in the open air, provided all the conditions are favorable ; but the conditions of temperature are difficult to control in extreme hot or cold weather. Less ice is required in the bureau than by the deep setting methods, as the temperature need not be reduced below 62 degrees. 226 DEE. SS Brn Nae. In butter factories, and in very large private dairies where power churns are used, some method of deep setting is usually practised. Some use large tin pails set in large tanks of running water, or water in which ice is floating, the milk being allowed to stand till the cream is risen, the time depending largely on the tem- perature of the water. Where the saving of time or room is an object, deep setting creamers are chosen. There are several kinds on the market, all being good, and each claiming some points of su- periority over others. The Cooley is one of the earliest inven- tions, and the only one that entirely sub- merges the milk; the manufacturers claim- ing that in no other way can milk be fully protected from all at- mospheric and elec- tric influences. If sufficient ice be used in the water the cream will all rise between milkings, so that the setting may only continue twelve hours at most, and in trial tests the cream- ing has often been completed in six hours or less. The cream is dipped off in dippers shaped like an in- verted cone, or the milk is drawn off through a faucet at the bottom of the can, the cream line being visible through a strip of glass set in the side of the can. The cream may then be drawn out through the same faucet. The Stoddard Creamery, Figs. 75 and 76, differs from a Se STODDARD CREAMERY. DOK the Cooley in cooling without sinking the cans below the water, though all cans must be so adjusted that the water in the tank will be above the level of the milk ‘in the cans, otherwise the top of the cream might remain warm and become sour, while that below the water would be sweet. immu ei Fig. 77. It also differs in having a simple device for drawing off the cream from the surface throughafunnel and tube, which can be pushed down by the bail till the cream is all discharged through the faucet at the bottom, as shown in Fig. 77. If any sediment collects upon the bottom of the can it goes into the skimmed milk, in- stead of into the cream, where it would be liable to injure the flavor of the butter. 228 SURFACE SKIMMING.—ICE. The pails or cans for setting milk by the cold-water method are usually about eight inches in diameter by eighteen or twenty inches deep. The smaller the can the quicker the milk is cooled. As a can only half full would sink with difficulty, some manufacturers supply a can of less diameter to hold a half can, which is often found convenient. In deep setting it is deswable to secure a tempera- ture of forty to forty-five degrees as soon as practi- cable, and to accomplish this broken ice should be placed in the water in sufficient quantity. Milk should be set for cream as soon as practicable after being drawn, and should in no case remain to become cool in the stable. Cream begins to rise immediately after the milk is drawn, and any agitation, as in straining or carrying, retards the separating pro- cess, and inclines to remingle the two, and prevent later perfect separation. Milk that is carted several miles can never be made to yield a full amount of cream by any ordinary dairy methods. The chemist may be able to separate the cream or fat, but the dairyman cannot. Ice is becoming a necessity in the dairy, and dairy- men should lay up a liberal supply, especially if either of the modern methods of setting is followed. Excellent butter has been made by the use of a cold well, into which the cream is let down to cool, also the. butter after salting ; but unless much care is taken the risks are too great. The cream vessel must be covy- ered, to keep out dirt; and if the cream happens to be spilled into the water, — not a rare occurrence, — the water will be spoiled for a long time, if, indeed, not permanently. Ice is safer, and may be cheaper than the well, con- ‘SS ile —— BITTER CREAM.—RIPENING. 229 sidering the trouble and risk of using it for a dairy- room. Bitter cream may be due to an unhealthy condition of one or more cows in the herd, or it may result from setting the milk in a cold, damp place, as in a cellar in winter. Some claim that bitter cream is due to a ferment that will work and develop at a temperature below that favorable to souring. To prevent this some dairymen have made a practice of adding a little sour milk to the warm milk when setting it for the cream to rise. The acid fermentation being started first destroys or overpowers the bitter ferment. But. with the more modern methods of milk setting in ice- water, or properly tempered ais, there is little complaint of bitter cream. The cream, after being taken off, is usually kept in large tin pails, which are set in an apartment in the creamer, or it may be left in the open air to ripen for churning. Opinions differ regarding the length of time cream should be kept before churning; but most dairymen prefer to have it slightly sour before going to the churn. Good butter can be made in many ways, and it would be folly to condemn all ways but one. Milk, cream, and butter are all extremely sensitive to impure surroundings, and yet a great deal of butter passes for very good that has not been entirely free from un- favorable conditions. Setting milk, or churning cream and handling butter in a kitchen where other work is being done, is always attended with more or less risk, yet the product is not sure to be injured by such sur- roundings. It is far better, however, to take no risks, but see that every utensil used from beginning to end is perfectly sweet, and the atmosphere constantly pure. 230 STRAINING.—SALT. The cows themselves cannot be too clean, nor can the milk be brought to the dairy without the need of straining. Wire strainers are well, so far as they go, but I would never risk setting milk for fine butter till it had been run through two thicknesses of some kind of cloth, after passing the wire strainer. Nor should the cloth be so small as to require the running of a large quantity of milk through a small space, for filters hecome foul after much use. It is a good plan to throw a large handful of oleae fine salt into the cream-pail when the first mess of cream is putin. The salt tends to both preserve the cream and ripen it. The cream should be gently, but thoroughly, stirred every time a new lot is added, and it is well to let it stand several hours after the last addition before put- ting it in the churn. It is wasteful of time and stock to churn sour and sweet cream immediately after mixing. To get the most butter in a reasonable time, cream should be alike all through the mass when the churning is begun. In large dairies, churning is done daily, and better butter can thus be made than if the cream is kept sev- eral days after it is fit to churn. Churns of many thousand kinds have been invented and patented, many of them being quite complicated ; but the simplest and plainest will make as good butter - as any. The old dash-churn, in the hands of one who knows how to use it, will make perfect butter, but it is not as easy to use as some of the more modern styles. A barrel turning end over end, or a rectangular box revolving in any direction, will make good butter from good cream, the concussion produced by the cream 2? CHURNS.—CHUBNING. Dail falling upon the sides of the plain surface being suf- ficient, without any of the friction or grinding motion attending the use of complicated inside floats or stirrers. One of the easiest churns to use is the swing-churn, Fig. 78, made by the Vermont Farm Machine Com- pany, who also make the Cooley Creamers. They are > Fig. 78. Swing Churn. made of all sizes, to suit the small dairy or large cream- ery with steam power. | In selecting a churn one should be sure to have it so large that the cream will never more than half fill it. Churns that are too full cause a deal of trouble and delay, and bad-flavored butter is often the result of their use. In achurn but half full the cream will fall with force, while if much too full it will revolve, but without any useful motion. A full churn may revolye for hours, without advancing the operation at all. 232 THINNING CREAM. — THE THERMOMETER. As a lively motion is necessary, the cream*must not be too thick or stiff, as it may be when open pans are used. When put in the churn, cream should be of such consistency as to slop freely when the churning begins. If too thick for this it must be thinned with milk or water of the proper temperature. Water is prefer- able, as it reduces viscosity, and thus hastens the sep- aration. Cream that is too warm-may come too quick, while, if too cold, separation will be retarded, perhaps prevented entirely. A half-hour is better than five or ten minutes, if the best butter and largest quantity are desired. If separation is delayed beyond an hour it is certain that something is wrong with the cream, and the butter, if it ever comes, will probably be of infe- rior quality. Churning cream a long time when too cold beats it into a froth, ike beaten eggs, and no subsequent management can restore it or make it into good butter. The habitual use of the dairy thermom- eter will prevent much of this trouble. Indeed no dairyman should be without a good dairy thermom: eter. The best are of glass, without the usual tin case. It should be graduated above 212°, so that it can be washed in hot water without danger of break- ing. Always know the temperature of cream before be- ginning to churn, and know that it is right, varying from 58° in summer to 65° in winter; but as separa- tion approaches, the mass should be at about 62°, as, if much colder or warmer, the butter will not handle well. If too cold, the granules cannot be made to ad- here when salting, and, if too warm, the whole mass will soon become greasy under the worker. Whatever style of churn may be used the churning should stop while the butter is in small particles, or - 1 eee TEMPERATUBE.—SALTING. 233 before it is gathered into a compact mass in the butter- milk, as when compacted there will be too much butter- milk mixed with it, and which it will be difficult to work out. If the churning is stopped when the butter particles are not larger than millet seed or wheat, it can be quickly freed from most of the milk by rinsing in brine or clear water, the former being preferable, though clear water of the proper temperature will take out the buttermilk if changed once or twice. Water is very useful for hardening butter that is a little too soft, or warming it if too cold. Butter is salted to suit the taste of consumers and to enhance its keeping quality. Pure butter fat is not preserved by salt more than is rendered lard, but ordi- nary butter contains small quantities of other matter that may be rendered less destructive if moderately salted. The more buttermilk left in the more salt will be required, and the poorer the product will be. The aim should be to so churn and handle the butter that but little salt will be needed. If the churning is stopped when the butter is in small pellets or granules, and it is then thoroughly rinsed, there should be no call for more salt than will suit the taste. The amount of salt demanded by consumers varies from less than a half ounce to more than an ounce per pound of butter. That which is classed as “fancy,” and which brings the highest prices, contains the least salt. Butter containing the highest or most delicate flavor is easily spoiled for high-priced customers by a little oversalting. One dairyman’s butter, which has sold at the highest prices, contains but two-fifths of an ounce to the pound. Butter issometimes salted in the churn, but the work can generally be better done in some kind of a butter-worker. One of the simplest and yet one of the best is shown in the illustration, Fig. 79. 934 BUTTER WORKERS. It can be made of any size desirable, and is largely used in creameries where large quantities of butter are made. It must be of hard, odorless wood, and with as few joints as practicable. In small dairies it may be placed in a common sink, where the buttermilk alllitiivis.. \, maay run off; but in ~~ JZ ereameries it is usu- Lg ly set in a stout. frame, with the short- est legs at the narrow ge uit arr Fig. 79. The Butter-Worker. end, so that the but- . termilk and brine may be caught in a pail set for the purpose. Tosalt the butter, take it from the churn with paddle or ladle, and place it in the worker, first weigh- ing it, unless the weight can be closely estimated by the eye. In dairies properly managed there will be very little variation in the amount churned each regu- lar churning-day. The salt must also be weighed or measured, for guess-work in this matter is risky, though some judgment is required, as the butter may vary some- what in the amount of moisture present. If the churn- ing has been carried too far, and much buttermilk has been mixed in with the butter, more salt will be re- quired, as more will be worked out and run to waste in the buttermilk. Spread the butter out upon the worker, and sprinkle over the desired quantity of salt. Press it in slightly with the lever, and when the mass is flattened out so the worker is covered, take the paddle and double the sheet over upon itself and press out again. Repeat the pressing and doub- ling till the salt is worked evenly through the entire mass. If the butter comes from the churn too milky, this pressing and folding may be done in part before adding . = +o. ras OBJECT OF WORKING.—OVERWORKING. 235 the salt. Unless the churning and rinsing is very nicely done this will be advisable, as it will save salt, and one can judge better how much salt to use. There are but two objects in working butter, one to free it from buttermilk, the other to salt it evenly. If the butter comes from the churn as it should, there will be little to do but to work the salt in. If a sheet of butter is spread out an inch thick under the lever, and the salt spread and pressed upon the surface evenly, and then doubled and pressed out again to an inch, and the doubling is repeated six times, there can be no particle of butter in the mass over one thirty- second of an inch from the salt. Overworking is a very common fault in many dairies. The habit is often formed by having butter come from the churn full as it can hold of buttermilk. Such butter must be worked and then oversalted, and set away for some hours, to be then reworked, the strength of the salt going off in the buttermilk, and often leaving the butter too fresh for the taste, and with buttermilk enough in it still to spoil it in a short time. The best butter salt is fine and dry, and with the erystals of uniform size, so they will all dissolve in a short time. If salt is coarse, or has coarse particles, or packs hard after standing, so that it has to be pounded and sifted as it is used, itis not fit for the butter dairy. As good salt can be made in New York State as is made anywhere, but not all Americans will make as good goods as they know how. ‘The English “‘ Higgin” salt is one of the best, being fine, dry, even, and pure. Butter properly churned and salted may be put in shape for market immediately, thus avoiding much labor and delay, and with better results as to quality. 236 EXPEDITION. Setting butter away in a cold room in winter, to be brought back, warmed up, and reworked the following day, is a practice that should be avoided by all butter- makers, especially weak or overworked women. The warming can scarcely be done evenly in an entire day, and butter that is soft on the outside and hard in the middle is difficult to work; beside, all unnecessary exposure of butter to the atmosphere is to be avoided. Cold butter exposed in warm, impure air will lose its good flavor, and absorb bad ones very rapidly. The highest-priced butter is, much of it, put up ‘in small, neat prints, of suitable size for the table butter- dish. Some makers find it necessary to use a uniform stamp as a “trade mark,” — often the maker’s initials © neatly cut in monogram. ‘The prints usually contain a quarter of a pound, or a half pound at most. Figs. 80 and 81 show a convenient mould, that will do up two pounds at one operation, delivering the butter marked off into eight squares, containing a quarter of a pound each, which may be readily separated by a knife as it goes to the table of the purchaser. These cakes can be closely packed in large cases for shipment, the butter being first wrapped in linen cloth dipped in brine, or in parchment paper prepared specially for the purpose, and sold by dealers in dairy supplies. Creamery apparatus, churns, butter-workers, and other wooden utensils required in the dairy may be made at home by ingenious persons who are handy with tools; but since dairy furnishing has grown to a commercial business, most dairymen will find better goods in market than they would be likely to make. The Vermont Farm Machine Company and_ the Moseley and Stoddard, Manufacturing Company are the leading New England manufacturers, and can fur- nish everything needed in large or small dairies. Though butter may look more attractive when put up in neat printed cakes, it is not rea improved rather injured i = oa ——- SS = eS [ ]jHeaeaAQ Y aS a weijTa AZ == ——— ANN | \ey [OZ NM \ ——> 7 \ Val \ \ \ i 3 y ) ‘A Hi a aS SS SS SSS ee SSS SSS a SS SSS SSS Ss SES = SS required. The small cakes also expose a larger surface to the injurious action ne atmosphere. Printed 238 LARGER PACKAGES BEST. butter is not intended for long keeping, the buyers usually demanding a fresh supply weekly, or oftener. As print butter has brought prices above the market quotations, many dairymen have presumed that the extra price is chiefly due to the printing, and so the market is generally crowded with quantities of print butter of only ordinary quality; and so far has this trade been pushed that print butter, unless made by those who have first gained a reputation for making a choice article, has come to be looked upon with more or less distrust. Consequently, it is better for those who have a reputation to make to put their butter in larger packages, thus saving labor, reducing the cost of shipment, and ensuring better returns. Print butter must be sold and used at once, or it soon becomes of little value; but if packed in five or ten- pound boxes, or larger tubs, it will not require to be forced upon the market with such great haste as if printed. One of the most salable packages for family use in summer is the five-pound box, either round or square. The square boxes pack best in the larger shipping cases, but cost a little more to manufacture. Whatever kind of box or tub is used it must be pre- pared by soaking in brine or coating with some prepa- ration, to prevent the taste of the wood from imparting a bad flavor to the butter. All wooden butter utensils must be thoroughly wet when in use. They may be wet quickly in hot water, but will then need cooling in cold. Butter moulds are better kept constantly in strong brine. Then they will never check and spoil by shrinking. Never put any wooden butter utensils in the sun to dry. Wood is unfit for milking-pails, as when the wood is dry it may absorb particles of milk within its pores, where it will remain, become tainted, SELL OFTEN.—COLORING. 239 and taint a fresh mess of milk whenever it is used. Tin is used in place of wood for milk or cream pails. No better butter is sold than can be made in the months of June and September; but since dairymen have more thoroughly learned the requisites for good butter, and have learned to supply themselves with the necessary apparatus, and at the same time learned to feed their herds uniformly well the entire year through, it has been discovered that butter made in January, to be used in January, is, or may be, better than June or September butter kept till January. It is certain that a radical change has taken place in the public mind or public taste in this regard, and this change calls for immediate sales, instead of stor- ing for a future market. It also stimulates winter dairying, and thus gives the dairyman a steady business. It encourages better feeding, warmer housing in win- ter, and more attention to the comfort and cleanliness of the cattle at all times. It has also called for arti- ficial coloring, and coloring oils are now sold which, used in the minute quantities required, are perfectly harmless; but when farmers learn to feed and care for their cows so as to render their winter milk as nearly like summer milk as it is possible to have it, and when city consumers learn that uncolored butter cannot be of the same uniform shade summer and winter, and that pale butter in winter is not changed in the least for the bet- ter by artificial coloring, except to the eye, there may be less call for the use of coloring preparations. The present tendency is decidedly towards associ- ated butter-making. A few of the most highly-skilled butter-makers can make a little finer article, and obtain a higher price than is possible with the creamery, where the milk of many patrons is mingled in a common mass; but the 240 ASSOCIATED DAIRYING. number of those highly-skilled makers is so small that their product has little influence upon the market, while the creameries are sending out so high and uniform a grade that the public is well supplied, and the demand for the fancy dairies is greatly curtailed. The success of the creamery depends upon a good butter-maker, and the cordial support of a large num- ber of patrons. The creamery should be run to near its full capacity summer and winter, and the butter- maker should be constantly occupied. Two methods are employed for supplying the creamery. One is for each patron to carry his milk to the factory once or twice a day, the other to set the milk at home, the cream only being carried by a collector, who comes as often as need be, daily in summer, perhaps every other day in winter. The method to choose will depend upon the char- acter of the country, especially the distance to be travelled. If the distance is long, and the roads hilly or bad, it will be hetter to collect the cream only. In this case all the patrons must set their milk by a uni- form process, so that a measured quantity of cream will represent the same value, or nearly so, at which- ever farm it may be taken. This method costs a little more for apparatus, but saves greatly in the expense of transportation. Unless patrons are very near the factory, it is not practicable to carry the milk, as it is liable to spoil before reaching its destination. When the milk is carried to the factory, the cream is sometimes separated by a centrifugal machine, which revolves the milk at a very high rate of speed, throw- ing the heavier milk off into one apartment, while the lighter cream is gathered by itself in another. These machines are not adapted to farm use, but only to creameries, where much milk is received. CHAPTER 1X, THE CHEESE-DAIRY. *¢ Streams of new milk through flowing coolers stray, And snow-white curds abound, and wholesome whey.”” Mixx, if allowed to become sour, will eventually curdle, when the whey is easily separated; and this simple mode was probably the universal method of making cheese in ancient times. Cheese, as already explained, is made from caseine, an ingredient of milk held in solution by means of an alkali, which it re- quires the presence of an acid to neutralize. This, in modern manufacture, is artificially added to form the curd; but the acidity of milk, after standing, acts in the same manner to produce coagulation. This is due to the change of the milk-sugar into lactic acid. Cheese has been made and used as an article of food trom a very early date. It was well known to the early Jewish patriarchs, and is frequently mentioned in the earliest Hebrew records. “ Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?” says Job; and David was sent to “carry ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand in the camp.” Most of the ancient nations, indeed, barbarous as well as civilized, made it a prominent article of food. But cheese, as made by the ancients, was found to be hard and brittle, and not well flavored, and means were devised to produce the sume effect while the milk still remained sweet. It was 21 16 942 CHEESE.—ITS RICHNESS. observed that acids of various kinds would answer, and vinegar was used; and cream of tartar, muriatic acid, and sour milk, added to sweet, produced a rapid coagulation. In Sweden, Norway, and other countries, a handful of the plant known as butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris) is somes times mixed with the food of the cow, to cause the milk to coagulate readily. A few hours after milking, the curd is formed without the addition of an acid. Milk taken into the stomach of the calf was found to curdle rapidly, even while sweet ; and hence the use of rennet, which is simply the stomach of the calf, prepared by washing, salting, and drying, for preservation. This acts the most surely, and, if properly prepared and preserved, is the least objectionable, of any article now known; and is, in fact, the natural mode of curdling the milk as it enters the stomach, preparatory to the process of diges- tion. Besides this, it is generally the cheapest and most available for the farmer. The richness of cheese depends very much upon the amount of butter or oily matter it contains. It may be made entirely of cream, or from whole or unskimmed milk, to which the cream of other milk is added, or from milk from which a part of its cream has been taken, or from ordinary skim-milk, or from milk that has been skimmed three or four times, so as to remove nearly every particle of cream, or from butter-milk. The acid used in curdling milk acts upon the caseine alone, and not upon the butter particles, which are imbedded in the curd as it hardens, and thus increase its richness and flavor without adding to its con. sistency, which is due to the caseine. It is evident, therefore, that cheese made entirely of cream cannot have the firmness and consistence of ordinary cheese. It is only made for immediate use, and cannot be long kept. It is, in fact, little more than PROCESS OF MAKING. 243 thick, dried, sweet cream, from which all the milk has been pressed. On the other hand, skim-milk cheese has the opposite fault of being too hard and tough, and destitute of flavor and richness. The best quality of cheese is made from full milk, or from milk to which some extra cream is added, as in the English Stilton, renowned for its richness and flavor. The Gloucester, Cheshire, Cheddar, Dunlop, and the Dutch Gouda, are made of whole milk, as are the best qualities made in this country. The process of making cheese is both chemical and mechanical. The heating of the milk at the time of adding the acid or rennet hastens the chemical action, and facilitates the separation of the whey; at the same time great nicety is required, for, if over-heated, the oily particles will run off with the whey. On the complete separation of the whey from the curd, and the amount of butter particles retained in the latter, the taste or flavor and keeping qualities of the cheese depend. If properly made, the taste improves by keeping, but the chemical changes effected by age are not very well understood. The practical process of manufacture most common in the best dairies of this country will appear in the fol- lowing statements of successful competitors at agricul- tural exhibitions. The first was made, by request, to the New York State Agricultural Society, and appeared in its transactions, by A. L. Fish, of Herkimer county, one of the finest dairy regions of that state. The value of his statement is enhanced by the fact that his cows averaged seven hundred pounds of the first quality of cheese each in 1844, and seven hundred and seventy-five pounds each in 1845. In his mode of manufacture, “ the evening’s and morning’s milk is com- monly used to make one cheese. The evening’s is 244 AMERICAN CHEESE. strained into a tub or pans, and cocled to prevent souring. The proper mode of cooling is to strain the milk into the tin tub set in a wooden vat, described in the dairy-house, and cool by fillmg the wooden vat with ice-water from the ice-house, or ice in small lumps, and water from the pump. The little cream that rises over night is taken off in the morning, and kept till the morning and evening milk are put together, and the cream is warmed to receive the rennet. It is mixed with about twice its quantity of new milk, and warm water added to raise its temperature to ninety-eight degrees: stir it till perfectly limpid, put in rennet enough to curdle the milk in forty minutes, and mix it with the mass of milk by thorough stirring; the milk having been previously raised to eighty-eight or ninety degrees, by passing steam from the steam generator to the water in the wooden vat. In case no double vat is to be had, the milk may be safely heated to the right temperature, by setting a tin pail of hot water into the milk in the tubs. It may be cooled in like manner by filling the pail with ice-water, or cold spring-water where ice is not to be had. It is not safe to heat milk in a kettle exposed directly to the fire, as a slight scorching will communicate its. taint to the whole cheese and spoil it. If milk is curdled below eighty- four degrees, the cream is more liable to work off with the whey. An extreme of heat will have a like effect. The curdling heat is varied with the temperature of the air, or the liability of the milk to cool after adding rennet. The thermometer is the only safe guide in determining the temperature; for, if the dairyman depend: upon the sensation of the hand, a great liability to error will render the operation uncertain. If, for instance, the hands have previously been immersed in cold water, the milk will feel warmer than it really is; > ty = =e PRACTICAL DETAILS.’ 245 if, on the contrary, they have recently been in warm water, the miik wiil feel coider than it really is. To satisfy the reader how much this circumstance alone will affect the sensation of the hand, let him immerse one hand in warm water, and at the same time keep the other in a vessel of cold water, for a few moments; then pour the water in the two dishes together, and immerse both hands in the mixture. The hand that was previously in the warm water will feel cold, and the other quite warm, showing that the sense of feeling is not a test of temperature worthy of being relied upon. A fine cloth spread over the tub while the milk is curd- ling will prevent the surface from being cooled by cir- culation of air. No jarring of the milk, by walking upon a springy floor, or otherwise, should be allowed while it is curdling, as it will prevent a perfect cohesion of the particles. “When milk is curdled so as to appear like a solid, it is divided into small particles to aid the separation of the whey from the curd. This is often foo speedily done to facilitate the work, but ata sacrifice of quality and quantity.” To effect the fine division of the curd for the easy separation of the whey, Mr. Fish uses a wire network, made to fit into the tub, the meshes of fine wire being about a half-inch square, and the outer rim of coarse and stronger material. A cheese-knife is also used, about half as long as the diameter of the tub, and firmly fastened to the lower end of a long screw which passes through one end of the blade as it lies horizontally, leaving the blade at right angles with the screw, which has a coarse thread, and passes through a piece of wood on the top of the tub, held firm by notches at the ends laid on the edges of the tub. ‘ By turning a crank, the knife passes down through the curd in revolutions, 21% 246 HOW TO MAKE SAGE CHEESE. cutting it into layers of the thickuess of the threads of the screw. The following is the statement of Mrs. Williams, of Windsor, Massachusetts, who received the first premium at the Franklin County Fair, in 1857, for exceedingly rich, fine, and delicately-flavored cheeses of seventy-five pounds each. Her method, which is the result of her own experience and observation, corresponds almost exactly, as the committee remark, with the English mode of making the famous Cheddar cheese, which is much the same as.the Cheshire. Mrs. Wilhams says: “ My cheese is made from one day’s milk of twenty- nine cows. I strain the night’s milk into a tub, skim it in the morning, and melt the cream in the morning’s milk: I warm the night’s milk, so that with the morn- ing’s milk, when mixed together, it will be at the tem- perature of ninety-six degrees; then add rennet sufh- cient to turn it in thirty minutes. Let it stand about half or three quarters of an hour; then cross it off and let it stand about thirty minutes, Soriane upon it very care- fully with a skimmer. When the curd begins to settle, dip off the whey, and heat it up and pour it on again at the temperature of one hundred and two degrees. After draining off and cutting up, add a teacup of salt to four- teen pounds. ~ “The process of making sage cheese is the same as ths other, except adding the juice of the sage in a small quantity of milk.” Another successful competitor in the same state says: “We usually make but one curd ina day. The night’s milk is strained into pans till morning, when the cream that will have risen is taken off, and the milk warmed to blood heat, when the cream is again returned to the milk and thoroughly mixed. This prevents the melt ing of the cream that would otherwise run off with ie tee a TY eae PRACTICAL STATEMENT.—RENNET. 247 the whey. The whole is then immediately laded into a tub with the morning’s milk, and set for the cheese, with rennet sufficient to form the curd in about thirty min- utes ; and here much care is thought to be necessary in cutting and crossing the curd, and much moderation in dipping and draining the whey from it, that the white whey (so called) may not exude from it. “When sufficiently drained, it is taken and cut witha sharp knife to about the size and form of dice, when it is salted with about one pound of fine salt to twenty- five of curd. It is then subjected to a moderate press: ure at first, gradually increasing it for two days, in the mean time turning it twice a day, and substitute dry cloths. It is then taken from the press and dressed all over with hot melted butter, and covered wi‘h thin cot- ton cloth, and this saturated with the melted butter. It is then placed upon the shelf, and turned and rubbed daily with the dressing until ripe for use.” One of the most important processes in the manufac- ture of good cheese is the preparation of the rennet. This is made of the inner lining or mucous membrane of the stomach of the young sucking calf, sometimes ealled the bag or maw; and the use of it was undoubt: edly suggested, originally, by observing the complete and rapid coagulation or curdling of milk in the stom. ach of a calf newly killed. “Coagulation is the first pro- cess of digestion in the fourth stomach of the calf. There are humerous glands scattered in and about the stomach that secrete a fluid which readily and almost immedi- ately accomplishes this coaégulation. They are always full of it; even after the animal is dead they remain filled with it; and if the stomach is preserved from putrefaction, this fluid retains its coagulating quality for a considerable period; therefore dairy-women usually take care of the maw or stomach of the calf, and pre. 248 RENNET IN THE SCOTCH DAIRIES. serve it by salting it, and then, by steeping it, or por tions of it, in warm water, they prepare what they call arennet. After the maw has been salted a certain time, it may be taken out and dried, and then it will retain the same property for an indefinite period. A smali piece of the maw thus dried is steeped over night ina few teaspoonfuls of warm water, and this water will turn the milk of three or four cows.” It is important that rennet enough should be pre- pared at once for the whole season, in order to secure as great a uniformity in strength as possible. The object should be to produce a prompt, complete, and firm or compact coagulation of all the cheesy matter. Mr. Aiton, in his admirable treatise on the Dairy Hus- bandry of Scotland, gives the simple method of prepar- ing the rennet in the dairy districts, as follows: “ When the stomach or bag — usually termed the yirning — is taken from the calf’s body, its contents are examined, and if any straw or other food is found among the curdled milk, such impurity is carefully removed; but all the curdled milk found in the bag is carefully pre- served, and no part of the chyle is washed out. A considerable quantity of salt— at least two handfuls — is put into and outside the bag, which is then rolled up and hung near a fire to dry. It is always allowed to hang until it is well dried, and is understood to be improved by hanging a year or longer before being infused. “ When rennet is wanted, the yirning with its contents is cut small, and put into a jar with a handful or two of salt; and a quantity of soft water that has been boiled and cooled to sixty-five degrees, or of new whey taken off the curd, is poured into it. The quantity of water or whey necessary is more or less, according to the quality of the yirning: if it is that of a new-dropped RENNET IN AMERICAN DAIRIES. 249 calf, a Scotch chop pin, or at most three English pints, will be enough; but if the calf has been fed four or five weeks, two quarts or more may be used; the yirn ing of a calf four weeks old yields more rennet than that of one twice that age. When the infusion has remained in the jar from one to three days, the liquid is drawn off and strained, after which it is bottled for use; and if a dram-glass of any ardent spirit is put into each vottle, the infusion may either be used immediately, or kept as long as may be convenient.” The mode of preparing rennet in the dairy districts of this country is various; but that adopted by Mr. Fish, of Herkimer, New York, already quoted, is simple and easy of application. He says: “ Various opinions exist as to the best mode of saving rennet, and that is generaily adopted which, it is supposed, will curdle the most milk. I have no objection to any mode that will preserve its strength and flavor so that it will be smelled and tasted with good relish when put into the milk.. Any composition | not thus kept I deem unfit for use, as the coigulator is’ an essential agent in cheesing the curd, and sure to impart its own ‘aver. “The rennet never should be taken from the calf till the excrement shows the animal to be in perfect health. It should be emptied of its contents, salted, and dried, without any scraping or rinsing, and kept dry for one year, when it will be fit for use. It should not be allowed to gather dampness, or its strength will evap- ovate. To prepare it for use, into ten gallons of water, blood warm, put ten rennets ; churn or rub them often for twenty-four hours ; then rub and press them to get the strength; stretch, salt, and dry them, as before. They will gain strength for a second use. Make the liquor as salt as it can be made, strain and settle it, sep. arate it from the sediment, if any, and it is fit for use. 250 ANNATTO FOR COLORING. Six lemons, two ounces of cloves, two ounces of cinna mon, and two ounces of common sage, are sometimes added to the liquor, to preserve its flavor and quicken its action. If kept cool in a stone jar, it will keep sweet any length of time desired, and a uniform strength is secured while it lasts. Stir it before dipping off. To set milk, take of it enough to curdle milk firm in forty minutes ; squeeze or rub through a rag annatto enough to make the curd a cream color, and stir it in with the rennet.” It will be seen that he adopts the practice of removing the contents of the stomach. This, it appears to me, is the best calculated to promote cleanliness and purity, so important in making a good-flavored cheese. But in Chesiire, so celebrated for its superior cheese, the contents of the stomach are frequently salted by themselves, and after being a short time exposed to the air are fit for use; while the well-known and highly- esteemed Limburg cheese is mostly made with rennet prepared as in Ayrshire, the curd beimg left in the stomach, and both dried together. The general opinion is that rennet, as usually prepared, is not fit to use till nearly a year old. Perhaps the plan of making a liquid rennet from new and fresh stomachs, and keeping it in bottles corked tight till wanted for use, would tend still further to secure this end. The use of annatto to color the cheese artificially is somewhat common in this country, though probably not so much so as in many other countries. Annatto, or annotto, is made from the red pulp of the seeds of an evergreen tree of the same name, found in the West Indies and in Brazil, by bruising and obtaining a precip- itate. A variety is made in Cayenne, which comes into the market in cakes of two or three pounds. It is bright yellow, rather soft to the touch, but of considerable THE CHEESE-PRESS. 251 solidity. The quantity used is rarely more than an ounce to one hundred pounds, and the effect is simply to give the high coloring so common to the Gloucester and Cheshire cheeses, and to many made in this coun. try. This artificial colormg is continued from an idle prejudice, somewhat troublesome to the dairyman, expensive to the consumer, and adding nothing to the taste or flavor of the article. The annatto itself is so universally and so largely adulterated, often by poison: ous substances, such as lead and mercury, that the prac- tice of using it by the cheese-maker, and of requiring the high coloring by the consumer, might well be discon- tinued. The common mode of application is to dissolve it al | B I Fig. 82. Cheese-press. in hot milk, and add at the time of putting in the rennet, or to put it upon the outside, in the manner of paint. The cheese-presses in most common use are very dif 252 THERMOMETER.—TEMPERATURE. ferent in construction, and each possesses. doubtless, some peculiar merits. The self-acting press, Fig. 82, is _ the favorite of some. Another form of this is seen in Fig. 83. Fig. 83. Self-acting cheese-press. One of the most extensive and experienced dealers in cheese, in one of the largest dairy districts of New Yorh, —Mr. Harry Burrill, of Little Falls, — has placed in my hands the following simple directions for cheese: making. The cheese-tub should be so graduated that it may be correctly known what quantity of milk is used. Thia is requisite, in order that the proper proportions, both of coloring matter and rennet, may be used. The tem perature should be ascertained by the thermometer. Experience proves that when the dairy has been at PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. 252 seventy degrees the best temperature at which to run the milk will be eighty-four degrees; but, as the temperature of the dairy at different times of the year will be found to vary above or below seventy degrees, the temperature of the milk must be proportionally regulated by the simple addition of cold water, to lower it; but, to in- crease the temperature, heat the milk in the usual man- ner, although it is absolutely necessary to avoid heating it beyond one hundred and twenty degrees. After having brought the milk to the required tempera- ture, and added the coloring, for every quarter hundred weight of cheese mix one pint of new sour whey with the - requisite proportion of rennet; and, having arrived at the formation of a good curd, which will be the invari- able result of a strict adhesion to the foregoing rules, let it be carefully cut up with three-bladed knives, as fine as possible; then dip off half the whey, and heat a portion of it to the temperature of ninety-five degrees, and return it to the whey and curds; then, after stirring it for five minutes, allow the curd to sink, and as quickly as possible dip off the whey. Having done this, press the curd by placing on it a board weighted with from three to five fifty-pound weights, which will gradually and effectually press the remainder of the whey out. When the whey is dipped off, put the curd into white twig basket-vats. made the shape and size of a turned vat, which would contain the sixth of a hundred weight (about three inches deep, and two feet in diameter). It will be necessary to have boards about one inch thick, and two feet four inches in diameter, to go between each of these twig vats, to prevent the whey running from one vat into the other. When it has been pressed, return it again into the cheese-tub, cut it into small pieces, put it into the vats again in dry cloths, press it and return it to the tub again, cutting it into smal) 22 954 FINE COAT.—VARIETIES. pieces, and to every hundred weight of curd add one and one quarter pounds of salt; grind it twice, and stir it so that it shall be properly mixed with the salt; then put it into well-perforated turned vats, taking care to press it thoroughly whilst the vats are filling, to prevent the accumulation of air, to the presence of which is to be attributed the honeycomb appearance so often ob- served in cheese when cut. When the cheese is put into the press let the press- ure gradually upon it. After it has been in press one and a half hours, take it out and examine it, and, should there be any curd pressed over, cut it round and put it into the middle of the cheese, carefully break ing it up in the middle. Wash the ends of the cloths out in a bowl of warm water, squeeze them, and cover the cheese up, and, if there should be any not sufficiently full, it will be necessary either to put a follower upon it, or to put it into a smaller vat; in the evening let them be dry clothed. The following morning salt them all over and dry cloth them, and repeat this three suc- cessive mornings ; after which, put them in vats, placed one on the other, and allow them to stand, if possible, a fortnight, occasionally wiping. them. The cheese will get matured much sooner by these means, and the tendency to cracking and bulging be prevented. The way to get a fine coat upon cheese, after the first coat has been washed and scraped off, is to put the cheese on shelves, nail thick sheeting to the ceiling from one of the shelves to the other, and let it drop closely to the floor. If put over the floor, cover them over with thick sheeting, or rugs. The varieties of cheese are almost infinite in num- ber, and are often dependent on very minute details of practice. The general principles involved are the same in all; butit would be next to impossible to find any TO WHAT VARIETIES ARE OWING. 255 one variety of cheese possessing uniformity through. out, in point of texture, consistency, taste, flavor, and keepmg qualities ;, and it is rare, with the present guess work in many of the operations of cheese-making, to find a lot of cheese made in the same dairy, from the same cows, on the same pastures, and by the same hands, which can be considered a fair sample of what is generally produced. These great differences are due to feeding and treatment of the cows in part, but especially to the temperature of the milk -at the time of curding, which is again in part dependent on the quality and strength of the rennet employed. Nothing is more susceptible to external influences, as has been remarked elsewhere, than milk and cream, both of which are lable to taint trom the feod of the cows, from impurities derived from careless milking, from exposure to foul or impure air in the cellar or milk-room, and from sudden changes in the atmosphere. The most scrupulous cleanliness is, therefore, required to produce a first quality of cheese, even under favor. able circumstances. And when it is considered that it is necessary to observe minutely the temperature of the milk, and that slight differences at the time of forming the curd may make the ditference of mellow: ness or toughness in the ripened cheese, and that the proper temperature is affected by the time taken to bring the curd, which depends on the strength and quality of the rennet, some of which will act in fifteen or twenty minutes, while the same quantity of others requires even two or three hours to produce the same effect, the infinite variety in the qualities of cheese will scarcely be a matter of surprise. A brief statement of the mode of making some of the more important and well-known varieties will be suf- ficient in this connection. The details of cheese-making 256 CHESHIRE CHEESE. in some of the best of the dairies of New England and New York correspond in a remarkable degree with the mode of making Cheddar and Cheshire cheese, both celebrated for their richness and popularity in the mar- ket. Of the latter there are made, it is said, over twelve thousand tons annually; Cheshire taking the lead in cheese-making, and keeping about forty thousand ~ cows. CHESHIRE CHEESE is remarkable for its uniformity, being, in dairies of the best repute, made by fixed rules, and usually by the same persons. If the number of cows is sufficient to make a cheese from one meal, that amount is used; if not, two meals are united. The cows are milked at six o’clock, morning and evening; are kept on rich pastures, and never driven far, great care being taken that nothing shall interfere with the regularity with which every operation connected with this chief source of the wealth and prosperity of the Cheshire farmer is conducted. The milk is brought in large wooden pails into the milk-house, which it is gen- erally contrived shall have a cool north aspect, and immediately strained into pans, and placed upon the floor of the dairy. Each pan is about six inches in depth, and usually made of block-tin. This substance is objected to by some because it is liable, like every other metal, although, pérhaps, in a less degree than either zinc or lead, to be acted upon by the lactic acid, and so produce compounds of a deleterious, char- acter. At six o’clock in the morning the cheese-ladder is put on the cheese-tub, the whole of the night’s milk is again passed through the sieve, and the morning’s milk is then poured upon it, and well agitated to equal. ize the temperature ; in cold weather a pan of hot water is previously put into the tub, to increase the temper ature of the previous night’s meal. TEE “So DETAILS OF MAKING. OG The rennet is next applied, care being taken that the heat of the whole quantity of the milk is about seventy-four degrees; and, almost simultaneously with the rennet, the annatto, — about a quarter of an ounce is sufficient for a cheese of sixty-four pounds, — both of which, in all wellregulated dairies, are stramed through a piece of silk or fine cloth. The rennet is generally made on the previous evening, by a piece of the dried skin about the size of a crown-piece being immersed in hot water, and allowed to stand all night. After the rennet and colormg matter have been thor- oughly mixed with the milk, it 1s covered with the lid of the cheese-tub, and in cold weather with a cloth in addition, to preserve the temperature of the mass until the curd has formed. It is then left undisturbed for about an hour, and frequently longer, to allow the coag- ulation of the milk. After that time a curd-breaker is passed up and down it for about five minutes, and again it is allowed to settle for another half-hour. The whey is then taken out by means of a dish or bowl, the curd being gathered to one side of the tub, and gently pressed by the hand, to allow the whey to separate from it more easily. It is then pressed by a weight of about fifty pounds; afterwards the curd is taken out of the tub and put into a basket, the inside of which is cov- ered with a coarse square cheese-cloth. The four ends of the cloth are then folded over the curd, a tin hoop being. put around the upper edge of the cheese, and within the sides of the vat, upon which a board is placed bearing a weight of about one hundred pounds, varying, of course, with the size of the cheese. This process is repeated two or three times, the curd being slightly broken at each operation. It is next taken out of the oasket for salting or curing, and. either broken down small by hand or in a curd-mill. A certain quantity of 22* Le 258 CHESHIRE CHEESE. salt is then carefully and intimately mixed with the curd, according to the experience, taste, and custom, of the dairymaid. It is then put into the cheese-vat in a coarse cloth, pressed lightly at first foran hour; then taken out and turned, and the pressure increased until the proper degree of consistence is attained. After- wards it is turned every twelve hours for three or four days, remaining in the vat until the curd becomes so dry as not to moisten the cloth. During this time skewers are passed through holes made in the sides of the vat into the body of the cheese, the more effect- ually to aid the expression of the whey, the pressure being still continued. When they are withdrawn, the whey flows through these miniature tunnels, which are in a few moments obliterated by the superincumbent weight. It is the practice of some dairymaids in this county to take the cheese to a cool salting-house, leaving it there for a week or ten days, turning it daily, and rub- bing salt on the upper surface. Others immerse the cheese in a brine almost sufficiently strong to float it, with occasional turning; others, again, after taking the cheese from the press, place it- in a furnace at a mod- erate heat, and keep it closed therein fora night; while some run a hot iron over the whole, or over the edges. The binder —a cloth of three or four inches in breadth ——is then passed tightly round the cheese, and secured by pins, when it is removed to the cheese-room, and placed on a kind of grass, which in Cheshire is called sniggle, the newest or latest-made cheese being put in the warmest situation. Here it remains, being turned over three times a week while it is new, and less often as it becomes matured, care being taken to keep each one of the cheeses separate from all the others. The room selected for a store is always that which can be on, STILTON CHEESE. 259 best protected from the light, and any sudden changes of temperature. The best Cheshire cheese is seldom ripe for the market under one or two years. The Stitton CHEESE is by far the richest of the English dairies. This originated ina small town of that name, in Leicestershire. It possesses “a peculiar deli- eacy of flavor, a delicious mellowness, and a great apt- ness to acquire a species of ariice! decay ; without which, to the somewhat vitiated taste of lovers of Stilton BASES, as now eaten, it is not considered of prime account. Tobein good order, according to the present standard of taste, it must be decayed, blue, and moist.” To suit this taste, an artificial mode is adopted, old and decayed cheese being introduced into the new, or port wine or ale added by means of tasters, or caulking-pins are stuck into them, and left till they rust and produce an appearance of decay in the cheese. “Tt is commonly made by putting the night’s cream to the milk of the following morning with the rennet, great care being taken that the milk and the cream are thoroughly mixed together, and that they both have the proper temperature. The rennet should also be very pure and sweet. As soon as the milk is curdled, the whole of it is taken out, put into a sieve gradually to drain, and moderately pressed. It is then put into a case or box, of the form that it is intended to be; for, on account of its richness, it would separate and fall to pieces were not this precaution adopted. Afterwards it is turned every day on dry boards, cloth-binders being tied around it, which are gradually tightened as occasion requires. Afterit isremoved from the box or hoop, the cheese must be closely bound with cloths and changed daily, until it becomes sufficiently compact to support itself. When these cloths are taken away, each cheese has to be rubbed over with a brush once every day. If 260 ACORN FORM.—GLOUCESTER CHZESE. the weather is moist or damp, this is done twice a day during two or three months. It is occasionally pow dered with flour, and plunged into hot water. This hardens the outer coat and favors the internal ferment ation, and thus produces what is called the ripening of the cheese. Sometimes it is made in a net like a cabbage-net, which gives it the form of an acorn.” The maturity of Stilton cheeses is sometimes has- tened by putting them in a bucket, and covering them over with horse-dung. GLoucESTER CHEESE is likewise quite celebrated for its richness, piquancy, and delicacy of flavor, and justly commands a high price in the market. The manage- ment of the milk up to the time of curding is similar to that of Cheshire; a cheese, often being made of one meal, requires no additional heat to raise it to a proper temperature. After the curd is cut into small squares, the whey is carefully drained off through a hair strainer. The cutting is repeated every thirty minutes till the whey is removed, when it is put into vats and covered with dry cloths, and placed in the press. After remain- inga sufficient length of time, it is put into a curd-mill and cut or ground into small pieces, when it is again packed in fine canvas cloth, and put in the cheese-vat. Hot water or whey is poured over the cloth, to harden the rind and prevent its cracking. “The curd is next turned out of the vat into the cloth, and, the inside of the vat being washed with whey, the inverted curd with the cloth is returned to the vat. The cloth is then folded over, and the vat put into the press for two hours, when it is taken out, and dry cloths applied dur- ing the course of the day. It is then replaced in the press until salted, which operation is generally performed about twenty-four hours after itis made. In salting the cheese, it is rubbed with finely-powdered salt, and this CHEDDAR AND DUNLOP CHEESE, 261 is thought to make the cheese more smooth and sulid than when the salting process is performed upon the curd. The cheese is after this returned to the vat, and put under the press, in which several are placed, the newest at the bottom and the oldest on the top. The salting is repeated three times, twenty-four hours being allowed to intervene between each; and the cheese is finally taken from the press to the cheese-room in the course of five days. In the cheese-room it is turned over every day for a month, when it is cleaned of all scurf, and rubbed over with a woollen cloth dipped in a paint made of Indian red or Spanish brown and small beer. As soon as the paint is dry, the cheese is rubbed once a week witha cloth. The quantity of salt employed is about three and a half pounds; and one pound of annatto is sufficient to color half a ton of cheese.” CHEDDAR CHEESE is another variety in high repute for its richness, and commands a high price in the mar- ket. It is made of new milk only, and contains more fat than the egg. It is, indeed, too rich for ordinary consumption. The milk is set with rennet while yet warm, and allowed to stand still about two hours. The whey first taken off is heated and poured back upon the curd, and, after turning off the remainder, that is also heated and poured back in the same manner, where it stands about half an hour. The curd is then put into the press, and treated very much as the Cheshire up to the time of ripeness. The DunLor CHEESE, the most celebrated of Scot- land, had its origin in Ayrshire, from which it was sent to the Glasgow market, and from which the manufacture soon spread to Lanark, Renfrew, and other adjoining counties. It is manufactured, according to Aiton, in the following manner: When the cows ona farm are not 262 MODE OF MAKING DUNLOP CHEESE. so numerous as to yield milk sufficient to make a cheese every time they are milked, the milk is stored about six or eight inches deep in the coolers, and placed in the milk-house until as much is collected as will form a cheese of a proper size. When the cheese is to be made, the cream is skimmed from the milk in the cool- ers, and, without being heated, is, with the milk that is drawn from the cows at the time, passed through the sieve into the curd-vat. The cold milk from which the cream has been taken is heated so as to raise the temperature of the whole mass to near blood heat; and the whole is coagulated by the means of rennet care- fully mixed with the milk. The cream is put into the curd-vat, that its oily parts may not be melted, and the skimmed milk is heated sufficient to raise the whole to near animal heat. It may be said that the utmost care is always taken to keep the milk, in all stages of the operation, free not only from every admixture or impurity, but also from being hurt by foul air arising from acidity in any milky substance, putrid water, the stench of the barn, dunghill, or any other substance; and likewise to prevent the milk from becoming sour, which, when it happens, greatly injures the cheese. Great care is taken to prevent any of the butyraceous or oily matter in the cream from being melted in any stage of the process. To cool the milk, and to facilitate the separation or rising of the cream, a small quantity of clean cold water is generally mixed with the milk in each cooler. The coaigulum is formed in from ten to fifteen minutes, and nobody would use rennet twice that required more than twenty minutes or half an hour to form a curd. Whenever the milk is completely coagulated the curd is broken, in order to let the serum or whey be sep- arated and taken off. Some break the curd slightly at MR. AITON’S STATEMENT. 263 first, by making cross-scores with a knife or a thin piece of wood, at about one or two inches distant, and inter- secting each other at right angles; and these are renewed still more closely after some of the whey has been discharged. Others break the whole curd more minutely at once with the hand or the skimmer. After the curd has been broken, the whey ought to be taken off as speedily as it can be done, and with as little further breaking or handling the curd as possible. It is necessary, however, to turn the curd, cut it with a knife, or break it gently with the hand. When the curd has consolidated a little, it is cut with the cheese-knife, slightly at first, and more mt- nutely as it hardens, so_as to bring off the whey. When the greater part of the whey has been extracted, the curd is taken up from the curd-boyn, and, being cut into pieces of about two inches in thickness, it is placed in a sort of vat or sieve with many holes. A lid is placed upon it, and a slight pressure, say from three to four stone avoirdupois; and the curd is turned up and cut small every ten or fifteen minutes, and occasionally pressed with the hand so long as it continues to dis- charge serum. When no more whey can be drawn off by these means, the curd is cut as small as possible with the knife, the proper quantity of salt minutely mixed into it in the curd-boyn, and placed in the chessart within a shift of thin canvas, and put under, the press. All these operations ought to be carried on and com- pleted with the least possible delay, and yet without precipitation. The sooner the whey is removed after the coagulation of the milk,so much the better. But, if the curd is soft, from being set too cold, it requires more time, and to be more gently dealt with, as other- wise much of the curd and of the fat would go off with the whey; and when the curd has been formed too hot, 264 CHEESE IN THE SCOTCH DAIRIES. the same caution is necessary. Precipitation, or hand. ling the curd too roughly, would add to its toughness, and expel still more of the oily matter ; and, as has been already mentioned, hot water or whey should be put on the curd when it is soft and cold, and cold water when the curd is set too hot. - Undue delay, however, in any of these operations, from the time the milk is taken out of the coolers until the curd is under the press in the shape of a cheese, is most improper, as the curd in all these stages is, when neglected for even a few minutes, very apt to become ill-flavored. If it is allowed to remain tco long in the curd-vat, or in the dripper over it, before the whey is completely extracted, the curd becomes too cold, and acquires a pungent or acrid taste; or, it softens so much that the cheese is not sufficiently adhe- sive, and does not easily part with the serum. Whenever the curd is completely set, the whey should be taken off without delay; and the dairymaid should never leave the curd-boyn until the curd is ready for the dripper or cheese-vat. The salt is mixed into the curd. After the cheese is put into the press, it remains for the first time about an hour, or less than two hours, until it is taken out, turned upside down in the cheese- vat, and a new cloth put around it every four or six hours until the cheese is completed, which is generally in the course of a day and a half, two, or at most in three days after it was first put under the press. Some have shortened the process of pressing by placing the cheese —after it has been under the press for two hours or so for the first time — into water heated to about one hundred or one hundred and ten degrees, and allowing the cheese to remain in the water about the space of half an hour, and thereafter drying it with a cloth, and putting it again under the press. THE STORE-ROOM. 265 When taken from the press, generally after two or three days from the time they were first placed under it, they are exposed for a week or so to the warmth and heat of the farmer’s kitchen, — not to excite sweating, but merely tc dry them a little before they are placed in the store, where a small proportion of heat is admitted. While they remain in the kitchen they are turned over three or four times every day ; and, when- ever they begin to harden a little on the outside, they are laid up on the shelves of the store, where they are turned over once a day or once in two days for a week or so, until they are dry, and twice every week afterwards. The store-houses for cheese in Scotland are in pro- portion to the size of the dairy,-- generally a small place adjoining the milk-house, or in the end of the barn or other buildings, where racks are placed, with as many shelves as can hold the cheeses made in the season. When no particular place is prepared, the racks are placed in the barn, which is generally empty durmg summer; or some lay the cheeses on the floor of a garret over some part of their dwelling-house. Wherever the cheeses are stored, they are not sweated or put into a warm place, but kept cool, in a place ina medium state, between damp and dry, with- out the sun being allowed to shine on them, or yet a great current of air admitted. Too much air, or the rays of the sun, would dry the cheeses too fast, diminish their weight, and make them crack; and heat would make them sweat or perspire, which extracts the fat, and tends to induce hooving. But when they are kept in a temperature nearly similar to that of a barn, the doors of which are not much open, and but a moderate current of air admitted, the cheeses are kept in a proper shape, —neither so dry as {o rend the skin, nor eo 23 266 DUTCH AND PARMESAN CHEESE. damp as to render them mouldy on the outside; and no partial fermentation is excited, but the cheese is pre- served sound and good. Dutcu CHeese.— The most celebrated of the Dutch cheeses is the Edam, of North Holland, and the Gouda. The manufacture of these and other varieties will be described in a subsequent chapter, on Dairy Husbandry in Holland. The ParMESAN is an Italian cheese, made of one meal ef milk, allowed to stand sixteen hours, to which is added another which has stood eight hours. The cream being taken from both, the skim-milk is heated an hour over a slow fire, and constantly stirred till it reaches about eighty-two degrees, when the rennet is put in and an hour allowed to form the curd. The curd is thoroughly broken or cut, after which a part of the whey is removed, and the curd is then heated nearly up to the boiling point, when a little saffron is added to color it. It then stands over the fire about half an hour, when it is taken off, and nearly all the rest of the whey removed, cold water being added, till the curd is cool enough to handle. It is then surrounded with a cloth, and, after being partially dried, is put into a hoop and remains there two days. It is then sprinkled with salt for thirty days in summer, or about forty in winter. One cheese is then laid above another to allow them to take the salt; after which they are scraped and cleansed every day, and rubbed with lu- seed-oil to preserve them from the attack of insects, and they are ready for sale at the age of six months. AMERICAN CHEESE, as it is called in the English markets, whither large quantities are shipped for sale, is made of almost every conceivable variety and quality, from the richest Cheddar or Cheshire to the poorest skim-milk cheese. The statements of some of the best AMERICAN CHEESE. 267 dairymen have already been given. As a further illus: tration of the mode pursued in other sections of the country, the statement of C. G. Taylor, a successful competitor for the premiums offered by the Illinois State Agricultural Society, may be given as follows: “As the milk is drawn from the cows, it is immedi ately strained into a vat. This vat is a new patent, and is better than any I have ever segn for cheese-making. It is double, a space being left between the two parts. Into the upper vat the milk is stramed, and cold water is applied between it and the lower one. Thus the ani: mal heat is soon expelled, and the milk is prevented from souring before morning. The morning milk is added. Under the lower vat a copper boiler is arranged. The water in the boiler is in perfect con- nection with that remaining all around the upper or milk vat, connected with three copper pipes. With a little wood the water is warmed. Thus the tempera- ture of the milk is soon brought to the desired point to receive the rennet, which is about ninety to ninety- five degrees. Sufficient rennet is applied to the milk to cause it to curdle or coagulate in from thirty to forty minutes. Then the curd is carefully cut, each _ way, into slices of about one inch square. Soon the temperature is slowly increased. In about twenty minutes the curd is carefully broken up with the hand, —increasing the heat, and stirring often. When the curd is sufficiently hard, so as to “squeal” when you bite it, it is scalded. By this time the temperature is up to about one hundred and thirty or one hundred and forty. ‘There are hinges placed in the legs of one end of the vat, which is easily tipped, and through the curd- strainer and whey-gate the whey is soon ru. off. The curd is then dipped into a sink, over which is placed a 268 COMPOSITION OF CHEESE. coarse strainer, and allowed to drain quite dry. It is then broken up fine, and one teacup of ground solar salt added to curd to make twenty pounds of cheese, and well worked in. After the curd is quite cool, it is placed in the hoop, and a light pressure is applied. Ina few minutes more power isneeded. After remaining in press about six hours, it is taken out of the hoop, wholly covered with strong muslin, finely sewed on, and then reversed and replaced in the hoop and press. It is allowed to remain until the next day, when it has to give place for another. “ After pressing thus twenty-four hours, the cheese is placed upon the shelf, and allowed to stand until the cloth is dry. Then a preparation, made from annatto and butter-oil, is applied sufficiently to fill all the interstices of the cloth. It must be turned and thor- oughly rubbed three times a week, until ripe for use. “T use the selfacting press. I know of none in use that is better,—the weight of the cheese being the power.” The statements of skilful and practical dairymen, m different parts of the country, are sufficient to show that good cheese can be produced; but it is believed that a more general attention to all the details of the dairy would add many thousand dollars a year to the wealth of the people, and enable us to compete suc- cessfully with the best dairy countries in the world. The composition of cheese will, of course, differ widely in nutritive value, according to the mode of manufacture, age,etc. A specimen of good cheese was found to contain about 31.02 per cent. of flesh-forming substances, 25.30 per cent. of heat-producing sub- stances, 4.90 per cent. of mineral matter, and 38.78 per sent. of water. The analyses of several varieties will serve as a ccm CHEESE AS FOOD. 269 parison of cheese with other kinds of food. The Ched- dar was a rich cheese two years old, the double Glou- cester one year old, the Dunlop one year oli, the skim: milk one year. Cheddar. | Dbl. Glo’ster. Dunlop. {| Skim-milk, Winther cote gst t% 30.04 35.81 38.46 43.82 @aseimes: sc. Gee 28.98 37.96 | 25.87 45.04 Hitters! ne ber ve. Ne 30.40 PANE 31.86 5.98 ANSI Sauer tet ee OS 4.58 4,25 8.81 5.18 Professor Johnston gives a table of comparison of Cheddar and skim-milk cheese in a dried state, and milk, beef, and eggs, also in a dried state, as follows: Cheddar Skim-milk Milk cheese, dried. | cheese, dried. Beef. Eggs Caseine (curd), . 35 45 80 89 55 Fat (butter), . | 94 48 1 df 40 SVC eae ie ey ra ag wi a a Ey Mineral matter, . 4 7h 9 4 5 100 100 100 100 100 A full-milk cheese differs but little from pure milk, except in the absence of sugar, which, as already seen, is held in solution, and goes off in the whey. .The dif: ference becomes greater in proportion as the cream is removed from the milk before curding, and the nutritive qualities thereby diminished. Cheese is used both as a regular article of food, for which the ordinary kinds of fullmilk cheeses are admirably fitted, and as a condiment or digester, in con- nection with other articles of food; and for this purpose the stronger varieties, such as are partially decayed and mouldy, are best. “When the curd of milk is exposed to the-air in a moist state, for a few days, at a moderate temperature, it begins gradually to decay, to emit a disagreeable odor, and to ferment. When in 23* 270 DIGESTIVE QUALITY OF CHEESE. this state, it possesses the property, in certain circum stances, of inducing a species of chemical change and fermentation in other moist substances with which it is mixed, or is brought into contact. It acts after the same manner as sour leaven does when mixed with sweet dough. Now, old and partially decayed cheese acts in a similar way when introduced into the stomach. Tt causes clemical changes gradually to commence among the particles of the food which has previously been eaten, and thus facilitates the dissolution which necessarily pprocsiee digestion. It is only some kinds of cheese, however, which will effect this purpose. Those are generally considered the best in which some kind of cheese-mould has established itself. Hence, the mere eating of a morsel of cheese after dinner does not necessarily promote digestion. If too new, or of improper quality, it will only add to the quantity of food with which the stomach is probably already over- loaded, and will have to await its turn for digestion by the ordinary processes.” This mouldiness and tendency to decay, with its flavor and digestive quality, are often communicated to new cheese by inoculation, or insertion of a small portion of the old into the interior of the new by means of the cheese-taster. In studying attentively the practice of the most suc- cessful cheese-makers, I think it will be observed that they are particularly careful about the preparation of the rennet, and equally so about the details of pressing. In my opinion, the point in which many American cheese-makers fail of success is in hurrying the press- ing. I think it will be found that the best cheese is pressed two days, at least, and in many zases. still longer. CHAPTER X., THE DISEASES OF DAIRY STOCK. Dairy stock, properly fed and managed, is liable to - few diseases in this country, notwithstanding the sudden changes to which our climate is subject. If pure air, pure water, a dry barn or pasture, and a fre- quent but gradual change of diet, when kept in the stall, are provided for milch cows, nature will generally remedy any derangements of the system which may occur, far better than art. Common sense is especially requisite in the treatment of stock, and that will very rarely dictate a resort to bleeding, boring the horns, cutting off the tail, and a thousand other equally absurd practices, too common even within the memory of men still living. The diseases most to be dreaded are garget, pucr- peral or milk fever, and idiopathic or common fever, commonly called “ horn ail,” and often “ tail ail.” GARGET is an inflammation of the internal substance of the udder. One or more of the teats, or whole see- tions of the udder, become enlarged and thickened, hot, terder, and painful. The milk coagulates in the bag, and causes inflammation where it is deposited, which is accompanied by fever.’ It most commonly occurs in young cows after calving, especially when in too high condition. The secretion of milk is very much lessened, and, in very bad cases, stopped altogether. Sometimes oie GARGET.—SYMPTOMS.—TREATMENT. the milk is thick, and mixed with blood. Often, also, in Sgtere cases, the hind extremities, as the hip-joint, hock, or fetlock, are swollen and inflamed to such an extent that the animal cannot rise. The simplest remedy, in mild cases, is to put the calf to its mother several times a day. This will remove the flow of milk, and often dispel the congestion. Sometimes the udder is so much swollen that the cow will not permit the calf to suck. If the fever increases, the appetite declines, and rumination ceases. In this stage of the complaint, the advice of a scientific veter- inary practitioner is required. A dose of purging medicine and frequent washing of the udder, in mild cases, are usually successful. The physic should con- sist of Epsom salts one pound, ginger half an ounce, nitrate of potassa half an ounce; dissolved in a quart of boiling water ; then add a gill of molasses, and give to the cow lukewarm. Diet moderate; that is, on bran, or if in summer green food. There are various medicines for the different forms and stages of garget, which, if the above medicine fails, can be properly prescribed only by a skilful veterinary practitioner. It is important that the udder should be frequently examined, as matter may be forming, which should be immediately released. Various causes are assigned for this disease, such as exposure to cold and wet, or the want of proper care or attention in parturition. An able writer, Mr. Youatt, says that hasty drying up a cow often gives rise to inflammation and indura- tions of the udder, difficult of removal. Sometimes a cow lies down upon and bruises the udder, and this is another cause. But a very frequent source, and one for which there can be no excuse, is the failure to milk a cow clean. The calf should be allowed to suck often, and the cow should be milked at least twice a day PREVENTION CHEAPER THAN CURE. 273 as clean as possible, while suffering from in pom plaint. ¢ If the udder is hot and feverish, a wash may be used, consisting of eight ounces of vinegar and two ounces of camphoretted spirit; the whole well and thoroughly mixed, and applied just aftgr milking, to be washed off in warm water before milking again. In very bad cases, iodine has often been found most effectual. An iodine ointment may be prepared by taking one drachm of hydriodate of potash and an ounce of lard, and mixing them well togetner. A small portion of the mixture, from the size of a pigeon’s egg, in limited inflammations, to twice that amount, is to be well rubbed into the swollen part, morning and night. When milk forms in the bag before parturition, so as to cause a swelling of the udder, it should be milked away; auda neglect of this precaution often leads to violent attacks of garget. Prevention is always better than cure. The reason most commonly given for letting the cow run dry for a month or two before calving is that after a long period of milking her system requires rest, and that she will give more milk and do better the coming season than if milked up to the time of calving. This‘is all true, and a reason sufficient in itself for drying off the cow some weeks before parturition; but there is another important reason for the practice, which is that the mixture of the old milk with the new secre- tion is liable to end in an obstinate case of garget. To prevent any ill effects from salving, the cow should not be suffered to get too fat, which high feed- ing after drying off might induce. The period of gestation is about two hundred and eighty-four or two hundred and eighty-five days. But ows sometimes overrun their time, and have been 18 274 GESTATION.—SLINKING.—CALVING. knajemets go three hundred and thirteen days, and even more; while they now and then fall short of it, and have been known to calve in two hundred and twenty days. If they go much over the average time, the calf will generally be a male. But cows are sometimes liable to slink their calves; and this usually takes place about {lie middle of their pregnancy. To avoid the evil cor- sequences, so far as possible, they should be watched : and, if a cow is found to be uneasy and feverish, or wandering about away from the rest of the herd, and apparently longing for something she cannot get, she ought to be taken away from the others. If a cow slinks her calf while in the pasture with others, they will be liable to be affected in the same way. In many cases, physicking will quiet the cow’s excite- ment in the condition above described, and prove of es sential benefit. A dose of one pound of Epsom or Glau- ber’s salts, and one ounce of ginger, mixed in a pint of thick gruel, should be given first, to be immediately followed by the salts, in a little thinner gruel. When a cow once slinks her calf, there is great risk in breeding from her. She is liable to do the same again. But when the slinking is caused by sudden fright or over-exertion, or any offensive matter, such as blood or the dead carcasses of animals, this result is not so much to be feared But the cow, when about to calve, ought not to be disturbed by too constant watching. The natural pre- sentation of the foetus is with the head lying upon the fore legs. If in this position, nature will generally do all. But, if the presentation is unnatural, and the labor has been long and_ ineffectual, some assistance is required. The hand, well greased, may be introduced, and the position of the calf changed; and, when in a proper position, a cord should be tied round the fore tn A FALSE PRESENTATIONS.—-MILK FEVER. 275 legs, just above the hoofs; but no effort should be made to draw out the calf till the natural throes are re peated. If the nostril of the calf has protruded, and the position is then found to be unnatural, the head cannot be thrust back without destroying the life of the calf. The false position most usually presehted is that of the head first, with the legs doubled under the belly. A cord is then fixed around the lower jaw, when it is pushed back, to give an opportunity to adjust the fore legs, if possible. The object must now be to save the life of the cow. : ' But the cases of false presentation, though compara, tively rare, are so varied that no directions could be given which would be applicable in all cases. After calving the cow will require but little care, if she is in the barn, and protected from changes of weather. A warm bran mash is usually given, and the state of the udder examined. PUERPERAL OR MILK Fever.— Calving is often at- tended with feverish excitement. The change of power- ful action from the womb to the udder causes much constitutional disturbance and local inflammation. A cow is subject to nervousness in such circumstances, which sometimes extends to the whole system, and causes puerperal fever. This complaint is called dropping after calving, because it succeeds that process. The prominent symptom is a loss of power over the motion of the hind extremities, and inability to stand; some- times loss of sensibility im these parts, so that a deep puncture with a pin, or other sharp instrument, is unfelt. This disease is much to be dreaded by the farmer, on account of the high state of excitement and the local indammation. Hither from neglect or ignorance, the mal- ady is not discovered until the manageable symptoms have passed, and extreme debility has appeared. The 276 MILK FEVER.—SYMPTOMS. animal is often first seen lying down, unable to rise; prostration of strength and violent fever are brought on by inflammation of the womb. But soon a general inflammatory action succeeds, rapid and violent, with complete prostration of all the vital forces, bidding defiance to the best-selected remedies. Cows in very high condition, and cattle removed from low keeping to high feeding, are the most liable to puerperal fever. It occurs most frequ ently during the hot weather of summer, and then it is most daicontae When it occurs in winter, cows sometimes recover. In hot weather they usually die. Milk fever may be induced by the hot drinks often given after calving. A young cow at her first calving is rarely attacked with it. Great milkers are most com- monly subject to it; but all cows have generally more or less fever at calving. A little addition to it, by im- proper treatment or ae will prevent the secretion of milk; and thus the celle nee thrown back into the system, will increase the inflammation. This disease sometimes shows itself in the short space of two or three hours after calving, but often not under two or three days. If four or five days have passed, the cow may generally be considered safe. The earliest sy mptoms of this disease are as follows: The animal is restless, frequently shifting her posi- tion; occasionally pawing and heaving at y * flanks. Muzzle hot and dry, the mouth open, and tongue out at one side; countenance wild; eyes staring. She moans often, and soon becomes very irritable. Delirium follows; she grates her teeth, foams at the mouth, tosses her head about, and frequently injures herself. From the first, the udder is hot, enlarged, and tender; and if this swelling is attended by a suspension of milk, the cause is clear. As the case is inflammatory, its BLEEDING RARELY NECESSARY. 204 treatment must be in accordance; and it is usually subdued without much difficulty. Mr. Youatt says, “The animal should be bled, and the quantity regulated by the impression made upon the circulation, — from six to ten quarts often before the desired effect is pro- duced.” He wrote at a time when bleeding was adopted as the universal cure, and before the general reasoning and treatment of diseases of the human sys- em was applied to similar diseases of animals. The sascs are very rare, indeed, where the physician of the present day finds it necessary to bleed in diseases of the human subject ; and they are equally rare, I appre- hend, where it is really necessary or judicious to bleed for the diseases of animals. A more humane and equally effectual course will be the following: A pound to one and a half pounds of Epsom or Glau- ber’s salts, according to the size and condition of the animal, should be given, dissolved in a quart of boiling water; and, when dissolved, add pulv. red pepper a quarter of an ounce, caraway do. do., ginger do. do.; mix, and add a gill of molasses, and give lukewarm. If this medicine does not act on the bowels, the quantity of ginger, capsicum, and caraway, must be doubled. The insensible stomach must be roused. When purg- ing in an early stage is begun, the fever will more readily subside. After the operation of the medicine, sedatives may be given, if necessary. The digestive function first fails, when the secondary or low state of fever comes on. The food undis- charged ferments; the stomach and intestines are inflated with gas, and swell rapidly. The nervous system is also attacked, and the poor beast staggers. The hind extremities show the weakness; the cow falls, and cannot rise; her head is turned on one side, where it rests; her limbs are palsied. The treatment 24 ‘ 278 THE PULSE.—PRESCRIPTION. in this stage must depend on the existence and degree of fever. The pulse will be the only true guide. If it is weak, wavering, and irregular, we must avoid deplet- ing, purgative agents. The blood flows through the arteries, nnpelled by the action of the heart, and its pulsations can be very distinctly felt by pressing the finger upon almost any of these arteries that is not too thickly covered by fat or the cellular tissues of the skin, especially where it can be pressed upon some hard or bony substance beneath it. The most conve- nient place is directly at the back part of the lower jaw, where a large artery passes over the edge of the jaw- bone to ramify on the face. The natural pulse of a full- grown ox will vary from about forty-eight to fifty-five beats a minute; that of a cow is rather quicker, especially near the time of calving; and that of a calf is quicker than that of a cow. But a very much quicker rate than that indicated will show a feverish state, or inflammation; and a much slower pulsation indicates debility of some kind. Next in importance, as we have already stated, 1s the physic. The bowels must be opened, or the ant mal will fall a victim to the disease. All medicines should be of an active character, and in sufficient quantity ; and stimulants should always be added to the purgative medicines, to insure their operation. Ginger, gentian, caraway, or red pepper in powder, may be given with each dose of physic. Some give a power- ful purgative, by means of Epsom salis one pound, flour of sulphur four ounces, powdered ginger a quarter of an ounce, all dissolved ina quart of cold water, and one half given twice a jay till the bowels are opened The digestive organs are deranged in most forms of milk fever, and the third stomach is loaded with hard, indigestible food. When the medicine has operated, PROPER NURSING.—SIMPLE FEVER. 279 and the fever is subdued, little is required but good nursing to restore the patient. No powerful medicines should be used without dis- cretion; for in the milder forms of the disease, as the simple palsy of the hind extremities,’ the treatment, though of a similar character, should be less powerful, and every effort should be made for the comfort of the cow, by providing a thick bed of straw, and raising the fore quarters to assist the efforts of nature, while all filth should be promptiy and carefully removed. She may be covered with a warm cloth, and warm gruel should be frequently offered to her, and light mashes. An attempt should be made several times a day to bring milk from the teats. The return of milk is an indication of speedy recovery. Milch cows im too high condition appear to have a constitutional tendency to- this complaint, and one attack of it predisposes them to another. SmmpLe Fever. — This may be considered as increased arterial action, with or without any local affection; or it may be the consequence of the sympathy of the sys- tem with the morbid condition of some particular part. The first is pure or idiopathic fever ; the other, symptom- atic fever. Pure fever is of frequent occurrence in cattle. Symptoms as follows: muzzle dry; rumination slow or entirely suspended; respiration slightly accelerated ; the horn at the root hot, and its other extreraity fre- quently cold; pulse quick; bowels constipated; coat staring, and the cow is usually seen separated from the rest of the herd. In slight attacks, a cathartic of salts, sulphur, and ginger, is sufficient. But, if the common fever is neglected, or improperly treated, it may assume, after a time, a local determination, as pleurisy, or inflammation of the lungs or bowels. In such cases the above remedy would be insufficient, and a veterinary 280 “ SYMPTOMATIC FEVER. surgeon, to manage the case, would be necessary. Symptomatic fever is more dangerous, and is commonly the result of injury, the neighboring parts sympathizing with the injured part. Cattle become unwell, are stinted in their feed, have a dose of physic, and in a few days are well; still, a fever may terminate in some local affection. But in both cases pure fever is the primary disease. A more dangerous form of fever is that known as symptomatic. As we have said, cattle are not only subject to fever of common intensity, but to symp. tomatic fever, and thousands die annually from its effects. But the young and the most thriving are its victims. There are few premonitory symptoms of symp- tomatic fever. It often appears without any previous indications of illness. The animal stands with her neck extended, her eyes protruding and-red, muzzle dry, nostrils expanded, breath hot, base of the horn hot, mouth open, pulse full, breathing quick. She is often moaning ; rumination and appetite are suspended ; she soon becomes more uneasy; changes her position often. Unless these symptoms are speedily removed, she dies in a few hours. The name of the ailment, inflam- matory or symptomatic fever, shows the treatment necessary, which must commence with purging. Salts here, as in most inflammatory diseases, are the most reliable. From a pound to a pound and a half, with ginger and sulphur, is a dose, dissolved in warm water or thin gruel. Ifthis does not operate in twelve hours, give half the dose, and repeat once in twelve hours, until the bowels are freed. After the operation of the medicine the animal is relieved. Then sedative medi- cines may be given. Sal ammoniac one drachm, pow- dered nitre two drachms, should be administered in thin gruel, two or three times a day, if required. a ret. ASSISTING NATURE.—PURGATIVES. 281 Typhus fever, common in some countries, is little known here among cattle. TypHord FEVER sometimes follows intense inflamma. tory action, and is considered the second stage of it. This form of fever is usually attended with diarrhcea. It is a debilitating complaint, and is sometimes followed Ly diseases known as black tongue, black leg, or quarter evil, The cause of typhoid fever is involved in obscur- ity. Jt may be proper to say that copious drinks of oat-meal gruel, with tincture of red pepper, a diet of bran, warmth to the body, and pure air, are great essentials in the treatment of this disease. The barbarous practices of boring the horns, cutting the tail, and others equally absurd, should at once and forever be discarded by every farmer and dairyman. Alternate heat or coldness of the horn is only a symptom of this and other fevers, and has nothing to do with their cause. The horns are not diseased any further than a determination of blood to the head causes a sympathetic heat, while an unnatural distribution of blood, from exposure or other cause, may make them cold. In all cases of this kind, if anything is done, it-should be an effort to assist nature to regulate the animal sys- tem, by rousing the digestive organs to their natural action, by a light food, or, if necessary, a mild purga- tive medicine, followed by light stimulants. The principal purgative medicines in use for neat cattle are Epsom salts, linseed-oil, and sulphur. S—: Uff f= Y / dasher, is raised. The mode of operation is so plainly seen in the cut as to need no explanation. Among the more ingenious contrivances used for churning in Holland belongs the churn invented by First. The body 1: somewhat similar to the barrel churn, but is smaller; and it is of uniform diameter throughout, as in Fig. 104. lt is covered with a wooden lid, furnished with a convenient handle, and stands on a low platform, to which it is fixed, when in use, by means of a screw, & The motion is com- municated to the dasher by means of a wheel, or wind- lass, and an endless cord. In the interior of the cylinder is placed a kind of THE HAND BUTTER-MILL. 315 = LCT im | Mil ———— =||I\7 NTN OOO COA I Fig. 104. ventilator, Fig. 105. This consists of eight wooden wings, pierced with holes, and motion is communicated to it by means of the wheel, 6. connected by the Fig. 165. cord to the larger windlass. The wings of the machine, when set. in motion, strike incessantly in the cream, and so powerfully that the whole mass is agitated, and in this manner the separation of the butter particles is soon effected. The motion is so rapid that it is often neces- sary to turn the crank very slowly, especially just as the butter is coming. Vaux’s Hanp Burrer-Mini, Fig. 106, has many ad. vantages. It is less fatiguing to work than the old- 316 THE DOG-POWER CHURN. fashioned churn, and even than Fiirst’s, because the motion of the body required is simple and less exact ing. And again, the churn takes up less room, and is Fig. 106 easily transported, which is an important consideration in churning, on account of the influence of the tempe | II Mm g i ); YE SS x pi S THE DOUBLE DASHER. 317 rature. In summer the heat may delay, or render tha operation difficult, and in winter the coldness presents obstacles. A transportable churn can be moved into a cool place in summer, and a warm one in winter, when it is desirable. The dasher of the churn is also seen separate in the same figure. Tue Doc-power Cuury, Fig. 107, economizes labor, while, at the same time, more butter is obtaimed, or account of the uniformity of the agitation produced. {ft is in use in all the Dutch provinces. The form and siza of the churn are comparatively indifferent; but the tread-wheel and direction of the moving power are the important points. The diameter of the wheel is from ten to twelve feet, and wee rim or outer circumference : is made of boards two feet wide. The weight of the animal turns the wheel and moves the dasher by means of cogs, as shown in the figure. Where there is a sufficient supply of Poe power, a churn rine two dashers is , sometimes attached, as | shown in Fig. 108, in Z which case one dasher = moves down while the other is raised. A large and strong = dog is required, and ey Ue he is easily taught tc keep to his work, by beginning with short trials, and gradually lengthening them. A.steady and uniform step 27* =SSS=>SSS=S= == iE ®.- me) zl gi SW 2s i SS —S—SSs— = => = i x ti) } f BA's 318 THE HORSE-POWER CHURN. iz necessary, and this will soon be acquired. The dog is yometimes left free, and sometimes tied by a line. i i i) ili at r i oe ALN ‘ 7 THE TIME IT TAKES TO CHURN. 319 as shown in Fig. 109. The form of the churn itself is optional in this case, also. The size of the wheel va- ries, but it is seldom less than nine or ten feet in diam- eter, furnished-with cogs on the upper surface, which are from four to six inches long, and play into a smaller wheel, the axle of which is attached to the dasher of the churn. A third and smaller wheel is sometimes introduced, as in Fig. 110. A quick and regular step is required of the animal, and a quiet and docile horse is always preferred. A horse adapted to this work com- mands a good price. Blinders are always used on the horse while churning. Duration oF THE CHuRNING.— In whatever way the churning is performed, the result is always a separation of the fatty particles from the other constituents of the milk. As soon as the churning indicates that the butter particles increase in size and collect together, the motion of the dasher must be hastened till the but- ter has come together in a large mass. Great care should be taken to observe the appearance of this form- ation. The Dutch dairymaids acquire great skill, by long practice and experience, in judging of the proper moment when the separation of the particles has com- pletely taken place. Very great importance is with justice attached to this skill, for it is undoubtedly true that one with this knowledge can get far more and better butter from milk of the same quality, the same quantity, and skimmed at the same time. - The cream taken from the milk of thirty-five cows, after standing twenty-four hours, is generally churned in summer in less than an hour, sometimes in three quarters of an hour. In very hot weather the cream- pot is frequently set into the cool-bath of fresh water for five or six hours before the churning begins, and it churns the easier for it. Cold water is never poured 320 WORKING OF THE BUTTER. into the churn with the cream. In winter,as well as m cold weather in spring and fall, warm water is some. times poured in with the cream. WorKING AND TREATMENT OF Butter.— When the churning is finished, the dairy-woman scoop, Fig. 111, and puts it into a == tub for further working. The tub. mie SA Big 112) ig* a lioad, shallow vessel, open at the top, and having an opening at the @& bottom which is stopped by a & bung. The scoop is pierced with . holes, through which the butter-milk Fig. 112. drains. The butter put into the tub is now rinsed. salted, and formed. The tub is put upon a low, firm table, and the butter is worked by the hands, or by a shallow, rather wide and strong wooden ladle, until the butter is united into one firm and entire mass. Many > dairy-women are accustomed to ~ work the butter out from the mid. dle towards all sides before bring- ing the whole mass together in the tub. Then very clear and pure wh Dis fresh cold water is poured = upon the butter, and AA ii worked through it till all \' the milky particles are entirely removed. After this is done in several workings, the bung is 3 removed from the bottom eer of the tub, and the watery matter runs down througha little strainer, as in Fig. 113. takes out the butter with a wooden ~ SALTING.—PREPARING FOR MARKET-DAY. 32] As a general rule, butter is washed with water and worked over eleven or twelve times; yet the operator must judge whether the butter contains any particles of milk, and must work with water till, as it runs off, it is. no louger whitish, but perfectly clear. Butter some: times becomes too soft from too much working, if it is. all done at once; it is then worked over two or three. times, and allowed to stand in cold water after each working, which preserves its hardness and texture. This whole operation is called the washing of the butter. When the washing is finished, the butter is cut with a blunt, saw-toothed knife, Fig. 114, in every direction, in order to remove all AS aaa hairs, or fibres of any mec hers kind, which by any pos sibility have got into it during the day. It is then: sprinkled over with white, finely-powdered salt, the: quantity of which is regulated by the taste; and this is perfectly worked in, so that the whole is uniformly salted. Most dairy-women determine the quantity of salt by the eye and the taste, and acquire such facility by continued practice that they always get the proper quantity ; but less experienced ones take the salt by weight. The salting is not all done at once, but’is con- tinued three or four days, twelve hours intervening between each application, until all the salt u.2 dissolved, and not a crystal is to be found. If the butter has a speckled and variegated appearance, it is a sign that the salt is not completely worked in, and the neglect must be remedied by working it over still more in the most thorough manner. When the salt is all dissolved, the butter is brought into single balls and got ready for the next market-day, or the whole mass is put intoa particular keg, in order to be taken to market at some subsequent time as firkin-butter. - 21 322 THE BUTTER-MOULDS. Tue Form or Fresh Burrer.— The form of the but ter is made by taking a suitable quantity and press- ing it into a mould, and then taking it out by knocking on the mould. Many different forms of butter-moulds are in use in the different sections of Holland, such as are shown in Figs. 115, 116, and others. F Fig. 115. The figures impressed on the butter are given by the mould, where it is deeply engraved ; or they are made after the butter is taken out of the mould, and for this pur- pose a peculiar instrument is used, Fig. 117, a kind of flat wooden spoon, with a short, convenient handle, and long grooves in the broad, flat surface. Each region has its own peculiar stamp, or special figures, which are given to lump-butter, to which particular attention is paid by the purchaser. The butter-dealer knows exactly that in one section butter is stamped in one way, in another section in some other way ; and that the butter of one section, with its peculiar stamp, is worth Fig. 117 more than that of another. The butter-moulds are generally made of linden-wood, but must always be large enough to hold at least a cer- tain prescribed weight of butter; for all lump-butter brought for sale to the weekly market must be of a prescribed weight. This weight is very different, and almost every city has different regulations and market customs: yet, in most places, a~ pound is the legal THE PACKING OF BUTTER. 323 weight. Certain market-masters, or inspectors of but ter, are appointed, and watch that all the butter has its proper weight. If too light, it is forfeited by the seller, who is also punished for fraud. The butter brought to market is generally covered with very clean white cloths, and several sample lumps are put for inspection in a large butter-bowl, basket, or shallow box. Many dairymen are accustomed in spring, when the first grass butter is made, to send their regular custom- ers a few little lumps of fresh May or grass butter. These presents generally have a peculiar form, and on the specimens most carefully prepared some animal is moulded, as a sheep lying down, a dog, &c., with a bunch of green grass or buttercups in its mouth. The dairy- woman herself usually presents this butter in a beauti- ful milk-bowl adorned with grass and flowers, covered with glittering white cloths. THE PackING OF BUTTER IN FiRKINS AND BaRRELS.— {f the butter packed in firkins and barrels is to be kept a long time, experience and knowledge are required to pack it so that it will not be injured. The form and size of these casks are different in different sections and provinces. Where butter-making forms a chief branch of dairy business, the particular form and size which have been used for a long time are adhered to, because dairymen know very well that the public recognizes their choice butter by the form and size of the casks, and buys it the more readily. The greatest anxiety of the Dutch butter-maker is to keep up the old, well-earned reputation which Dutch butter has in every foreign country, both for its intrinsic good qualities, the result of the process of manufacture, and for its extraordinary appearance as an article of commerce. For the proper preservation ot the good qualities of 324 THE CASKS REGULATED BY LAW. butter, it is of the highest importance to have the casks properly made and treated; but the mode of salting and packing the butter in them is also of special import- ance, since this is examined at the sale. The old and customary forms and sizes of butter-casks are, there- fore, of great consequence to the butter-maker, because every butter-dealer and judge of butter recognizes at once, by the external form of the casks, from what sec- tion the butter comes, and makes up his mind on the money value of the article from these appearances. It was not originally known what kinds of wood were best for transporting butter long distances in, and pre- serving its highest qualities; and butter-casks were made of several kinds of wood, as oak, beech, willow, etc. But it was for the interest of the government that Dutch butter should maintain its reputation for extraor- dinary qualities abroad, and the most rigid laws were enacted, prescribing from what wood the casks should be made, ete.; and now only oak is allowed to be used, and the casks are all inspected and stamped according boa Keo Pas By Before the butter is packed the casks are properly cleaned and prepared, for which practice and experience are requisite. Old butter-casks that have been previously used are cleaned of every particle of fat and dirt remaining’ in them, and scoured and washed out as carefully as pos- sible, and are placed for several days in running water before they are used again. If no running water is at hand, quite clean pond or spring water is taken, and al) impure water is carefully avoided. After they have lain in the water five or six days, they are carefully scoured out with good wood-ashes and sand, and again well rinsed. After several scourings and soakings, they are put intoa kettle over a fire and carefully scalded; and TREATMENT OF NEW CASKS. 326 then, when cold, again scoured and rinsed, for whicn the most judicious dairymen use milk instead of water, and they are then placed to dry in the air. They are fit for use only when everything has been done in the most careful manner. But new butter-casks require still more particular and careful treatment before they can be filled with butter without fear of injury. They are got ready for pack ing in several different ways. Some dairymen let them lie in pure water a whole summer and winter long, and wash them out in lye, and then treat them just as they do those that have been used. Others, however, who give the new casks the preference over the old, but who cannot wait for the soaking in lye over summer and winter, treat them in the following manner: They prepare a lye of good American potash, which generally contains the most alkali, in a cask holding some three hundred quarts, taking a pound of potash to twenty pounds of water. Fora cask of the size named fifteen pounds of potash are used, which is prepared by pour- ing boiling water upon it and stirring constantly, add. ing a little more water as the potash dissolves. With this lye, which will be about five degrees ‘strong by Beaumé’s aérometer, the butter-barrels are entirely filled. The barrels stand two hours filled with lye, and are then emptied and exposed to the air to dry, without being scoured out with water or milk. The lye may be used again for other new barrels, even though a part of its strength may be gone. Potash is added, from {ime to time, to keep up the specified degree of strength. A solution of fifteen pounds of coarsely-powdered alum is prepared in about three hundred quarts of hot water, in a vessel as large as the lye-cask. The butter-barrels are also filled full of the solution of alum, and allowed to stand twenty-four hours. This alum solution must 28 326 EFFECT OF LYE ON THE BARRELS. also be of five degrees strength by Beaumé’s scale, ane it can be used over and over by adding more alum now and then. After emptying out the alum and lye, they are dried a day in the sun and air, and then rinsed out in fresh, pure water, when they can be used for packing butter without fear. Some add a little sulphate of iron or green copperas to the alum, when the solution is more powerful; yet the management of the butter: barrels is then more troublesome, and requires more experience. The eifect of the copperas has also the disadvantage that it blackens the barrels, which, though it does not injure them, is not liked by the purchaser. By this treatment the new butter-barrels are much more quickly and cheaply cleansed, and got ready for packing and transporting butter, than by the course pursued with old barrels. The barrels, treated as above, are not only quite water-tight, but the wood is stronger and more durable. By means of the potash-lye and the alum solution the tannin is taken from the oak-wood used in the barrels, which, if it remained, would give a disagreeable taste to the butter. The effect of the pot ash and alum upon the wood of the barrels is quite harmless, and does not impart the least unhealthy quality to the butter. When the old or new barrels have been cleansed and prepared, in either of the ways indicated, suitably for packing the butter, the bottom of the barrel is evenly covered with salt. Then a layer of butter which has been thoroughly washed and salted is made, and another layer of salt, and so alternate layers of salt and butter till the barrel is full, when a little brine of salt and water is poured on top. The butter is now ready to be laid in the cellar, and thence to be sold and exported. When the dairy is not sufficiently large to fill a barrel each day, the butter of several churn SUPPLY OF THE HOME MARKET. 327 ings must be used, and the barrel filled from time to » time as it stands in the cellar. In that case the upper layer of butter is left covered with salt, and the cover of the barrel is closed down tight. -In most large dai- ries a barrel is generally filled at one churning, which is considered better for the quality of the butter. The butter is always uae in so firmly that no space is left. unfilled. In doing up butter for sale at home, or at a neighbor: ing market, the lumps are worked into the form of half a sphere, and put into little bright-hooped boxes, made to fit into larger casks, which can be nicely covered and closed up, as seen in Fig. 119, where the dairy-woman holds a box in her hand. The covered casks are also seen carefully nailed up. Fig. 119 The buyer who wishes to try the butter uses a long iron or steel borer, hollow inside, and furnished with a handle, as also seen in the cut. This not only enables him to test the quality but the uniformity of the butter in the cask. * 828 ARTIFICIAL COLORING OF BUTTEh. CoLorinc or Burrer. — The practice of coloring but ter is founded on the fact that we are accustomed tc form our judgment at once of the qualities of the arti cle from the whiteness or the yellowness of its color. ‘Whiter butter is less attractive generally than yellow summer or grass-made butter. The color has come to be important to the seller, and artificial means are found to regulate it. The coloring is made as follows: About a pound of butter is melted, so that the heavier parts sink to the bottom, when the light, clear fat on the top is poured into another dish. In this fat thus poured off is put a piece of annatto about the size of a walnut, wrapped up ina linen cloth, and it is then again put over the fire. The coloring matter of the annatto strains through the linen cloth, and turns the butter brown red, when it is allowed to cool off. When the butter is to be col- ored, some of this brown red is melted, salted, and mixed very carefully into the butter after washing. The quantity of coloring matter used depends cn the color which the maker wants to impart to his butter, and a little practice soon enables him to take the right quan- tity. Others pour the coloring matter directly upon the butter to attain the same end. In coloring artificially it is important to get a uniform. ity of coior, which is the result of very thorough work- ing. Colored butter must not be marbled. The cream is sometimes colored before churning. The annatto is put into a clean beech-wood lye, and as much of this colored and strained lye is taken as is necessary to produce the desired color in the butter. It is then churned as usual. Turmeric is sometimes psed instead of annatto for coloring butter. 1t has no advantage, however over annatto THE USE OF BUTTER-MILKE. 329 In many sections the butter is colored with an ex tract of saffron in water, or of marigold, or with the juice of carrots, which is applied to the cream before churning. The coloring adds nothing to the quality or the taste. Tt is done for the sake of the looks; but it gives the butter a deceptive appearance. Use or THE Burtrer-miLK.— The butter-milk in the churn is poured into a great cask, which in large dairies, as a general rule, is painted blue outside and white inside, with broad black iron hoops. It stands generally in the kitchen covered with a wooden lid. Butter-milk is used either in cooking, or for calves or swine, or is sold. Batiyion| im the vicinity of large cities have barrels with broad, bright brass hoops, in which they carry their butter-milk to market. It is put into them through a bung-hole, and when full the wooden bung is wound with linen and driven in. In these barrels the butter-milk is carried to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, etc., sometimes by boats on the canals, sometimes on wagons,.and by yokes, and there sold to the grocers at wholesale, to be again sold out by them. The butter. milk thus brings an income by no means inconsierable to well-managed dairies. Tue MaNUFACTURE OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF DurTcH CueEsr. — From time immemorial, cheese, as an article of commerce, which has had a large sale, has brought an extensive income to the cattle-breeders and dairy- men where its manufacture has been largely carried on, as everywhere in West Friesland, North and South Holland, and along the borders of the crooked Rhine in Utrecht. Dairymen are not the only ones who enjoy the advan. tage which grows out of the cheese-trade; but a large 28% s 330 VARIOUS KINDS OF CHEESR. number of other people derive considerable profit from it, and support themselves entirely by it. Even the commonalty of the cities, where the weekly markets for the sale of cheese are regularly held, derive a consid- erable revenue from the small taxes for carriage and market-dues, to which every seller has to submit. The actual difference between the different kinds of cheese made in Holland is due in part to the form and size, and in part to the mode of making. Every sort has also a name derived from its peculiarities, or from the provinces or sections where it is made. The vari eties of cheese best known in the markets in South Holland are the spice cheese, the sweet milk cheese, known also under the name of Gouda cheese, the so- called May cheese, the Council’s cheese, the Jews’ cheese, and the English cheese, made in many places. Further up in North Holland, the North Dutch sweet. milk cheese, as it is commonly called in the province, known in the foreign markets as Edam cheese, is almost exclusively made. A kind of sweet milk cheese is made to a limited extent, called Commissions’ cheese. In West Friesland, Utrecht, and South Holland, but few except sweet milk cheeses are made. In making cheese, the utmost cleanliness is most care- fully observed in all the operations. Whoever is intrusted with this work is required to display the utmost neatness in his whole person, as well as in the dairy-room; and the vats and other utensils are daily scoured, washed with lye, and washed out in water and rinsed. The greatest attention is also paid to the trans- port of cheese to the weekly markets in the cities; and in whatever way his load is carried, whether by wagon or in little boats, the person intrusted with it is always dressed in the so-called cheese-frock, a large white linen, which is used exclusively for this purpose. At Fea lq + 4% s MODE OF MAKiNG SPICE CHEESE. 331 the market itself the cheese is laid on a four-cornered bench, two feet high, and exposed to view in a glitter. ing white linen cloth. But, in order to keep off all dust and impurities, a sail-cloth is raised over the whole, called the cheese-sail; or it is covered with a sail-cloth covering, or sometimes with clean straw. Butin other places it is customary to carry the cheese on wagons, in a white linen cloth, and covered with a woollen cover, ready packed for sale at the markets. CHEESE-MAKING IN SoutH HotLanp.—Spice cheese from skim-milk, and sweet milk or Gouda cheese, are the only kinds made to any extent in South Holland. Spice cheese, which derived its name from the addition of spices, is a firm, flat cheese, of about twenty pounds weight, brought to market generally colored red. It is three quarters of a foot thick, and one and a half feet in diameter, and is made as follows: The skim-milk is poured from the milk-pans into large tubs, and allowed to stand quiet till the cheesy matter has settled to the bottom, which requires, perhaps, half’ a day. Then the thin liquid on top is poured off very carefully, without stirring up the rest, through a strainer, into a large brass kettle, till it is full; but the thicker substance at the bottom is left, and. not put into the kettle. Under this kettle a fire 1s made, and the milk heated to a certain degree, regulated by the judgment of the dairymaid, sufficient to warm other cold milk, but it must not boil. The fire is made in the kitchen, or in the summer-house, or in some other room called the cheese-house. When the milk in the kettle is properly heated, it is poured into the tub of milk which has been heated and allowed to get cold. This tub is an upright vat, open at the top, of uniform diameter, bound with wooden hoops, and generally left of the nat- ural color of the wood: scoured.very bright, but some 232 PREPARATION OF RENNET. times painted blue and the hoops black. It is seen in Fig. 120. When the quantity of milk is large, the dairyman puts in as much rennet as he thinks necessary to curdle the milk completely; but before and during the addition of the = curd the whole is thoroughly stirred, and this stirring is continued until the stick or iatee wooden ladle used for the pur. pose will stand erect in the curd. Then the dairy- woman works the curd with her hands till no further effect of the rennet in curding the milk is to be seen. It is called the cheese-curd. The rennet is prepared in the following manner: The maw or fourth stomach of a newly-killed sucking calf is taken from the other stomachs, carefully cleaned and cut into strips two inches wide, and then hung up in the chimney to be smoked and dried; or, in hot weather in summer, it is hung up in the sun. Well smoked and dried strips will keep a very long time. When these are wanted for use, they are very carefully wasled and purified, and then laid in the salt brine from the butter-barrels, or in lukewarm salt water to soak. The liquid is put into bottles and laid in the cellar. For curding milk as much is taken as is thought to be necessary, which cannot be determined without consid- erable practice and experience. If too little is taken, the cheese is not fat enough; if more than the right quantity, it gives a disgusting acid taste. It is difh- cult, almost impossible, to state exactly how much ren. net should be used with a certain quantity of milk, Salle THE AGE OF RENNET. 333 because this must be determined by its quality and its strength. Something like the following quantity is, however, taken: In a sixty-quart vat are placed about fifty rennets, prepared by drying, washing, and cutting, and a clear salt brine or butter-pickle of twenty to twenty-five degrees strength is added. In smaller quan. tities the proportion of rennet is about one and a half quarts to a rennet, or even less. This dried maw can be bought everywhere in packages of twenty-five pieces each. One great point in cheese-making is to have a suffi- cient quantity of good rennet in store; for the older it grows the more powerful and effective it becomes, and the experienced cheese-makers, studying their own interests, know very well. how difficult, hurtful, and time-wasting, itis to use fresh or new rennet. The asser- tion sometimes made that they use muriatic acid instead of rennet for curding the milk in Holland rests on an error, at least so far as the present methods are con- cerned. In earlier times, and for the poorest kinds, as the Jews’ cheese, muriatic acid was more or less used. At the present time, the rennet for those cheeses is prepared from the stomachs of calves some days old. When the curd has sufficiently come, and has all been thorough- _ ly broken, the dairy- == woman puts a four- ae cornered linen cloth, STE called the cheese- cloth, which is used only for this purpose, and is only loosely woven, upon a small strong ladder laid 334 THE PRELIMINARY PRESSING. over the edges of a low tub, and puts upon the cloth the proper quantity of curd, then ties up the four corners of the cloth, and presses with her whole strength, that the milk may drain off. This work is also done by men who can apply great strength, Fig. 121. The corners of the cheese-cloth are brought together, and the operator presses as hard as he can, in order to remove all the milk from the curd. But, as this is not possible with the hands alone, the whole is placed under a plank-press, and by this means as much of the milk as possible is pressed out. A strong cleat is nailed to a pillar in the wall at a convenient height from the floor,—say two feet,—so that the tub, ladder, and cheese-cloth, can be put under the plank, when the plank is pressed down upon the cloth and curd. At the other end of the plank the operator sits and presses ait! | ii nh | | == = CO down with the whole weight of his body, as seen in Fig. 122. The whey runs into the tub, and is generally used THE CHEESE-MOULDS. 33° as food for swine. The pressure is continued till no more runs off. After the complete removal of the whey, the curd remaining in the cloth has the form of the palms of the hands, and is pressed so firmly that it holds together when the cloth is removed. But it is again broken up, and put for this purpose into the breaking-tub, a low but broad, open tub, with wooden hoops, and made of strong staves, and is here worked over by the bare but cleanly-washed feet of the dairyman, or hired man. This working with the feet is continued, just as in kneading dough, till all is brought to a stiff paste. When it has come to this consistence the forming of the cheese begins. The dairyman has for this purpose a cheese-mould standing before him, and lays on the bottom a layer of cheese without spice, and this is called the blind layer. The cheese tub or mould, Figs. 123 and 124, is ~ used only for this first moulding. It is a wooden vat, made of staves from one to one and a half inches thick, and is nine and a half to twelve and a half inches in diameter, and about ten inches high, bound ‘at the bottom and top with stout hoops. The bottom of oak-wood, put in very carefully, is pierced with holes for letting off any moisture that may remain in the cheese. On the top of =the tuba cover is exactly fitted, tc sink down upon the cheese when the pressure is applied. This cover is of oak, one and a half inches thick, and has a cross: piece three and a half inches thick, which serves as a handle. 336 THE FORM OF THE CHEESE-PRESS. The first layer of cheese is quite firmly pressed down or trodden into the mould with the hands or feet, and then follows a layer of curd mixed with spices. The mixture is made best by putting as much of the pasty curd from the vat into a tub as will form one layer in the mould. Over this the spice is strewn, caraway and some pounded cloves, and the mass is then worked over, when it is placed as a new layer into the mould. Upon the second layer some coarsely-pounded cloves are generally scattered, or they are stuck whole over the surface. After that the second layer is pressed in like the first, and the third follows, and so on till the mould is full. On the uppermost and firmly pressed layer is laid the cover. The mould thus carefully filled is now brought under a press, which, partly on account of its length, is called the “long-press,” and sometimes the “first” or “cheese press,” because the cheese first comes under it. This press is seen in Fig. 125. Jt stands on four short legs, and consists of upright beams fixed upon a platform, anda long beam, acting as a lever, with one end fastened by a rivet or bolt. The other end is loaded with weights to any desirable extent, as appears in the cut. The power of the press ‘may also be increased or diminished by shifting the end of the lever to the lower or upper hole. THE EFFECT OF GREAT PRESSURE. 337 When the mould is put under the press it is set into a shallow, four-cornered wooden box or pan on the foot- board. This pan is furnished with grooves at the side, through which the whey can escape. The pressure may still further be increased by putting a block on the lid of the mould, as appears in the press. It is this power- ful pressure which gives the cheese the high quality for which it is distinguished above others. The whey still remaining in the curd runs off through the holes in the bottom of the mould, when the strong pressure is applied, into the pan, and is caught in another pan which sets under the press. When the cheese has stood two hours under the press, it is taken from the mould, surrounded by a clean linen cloth, and again brought under the press. The change of cloth is repeated once or twice after two or | i i j ia ol. a 338 SALTING IN THE TROUGH. three hours’ pressing, and the cheese is left standing in the press over night. The next morning the cheese is brought under another press, under which it is subjected to still more powerful pressure, and receives its peculiar form. This press is seen in Fig. 126, and consists of a frame resting on four strong uprights, forming a kind of firm table. On the plate of the table lie four or six rollers, whose ends at both sides pass through holes in the standard pieces, and serve merely to assist in taking out the cheese. The pressure is obtained by heavy weights let down and raised by a kind of wind- lass fixed in two perpendic- ular standards. The cheese as it comes under this press is not in the mould, but is simply laid in a pan, as seen in Fig. 127. Before the pressure begins, however, the stamp or mark of the manufacturer, a key, a letter, etc., in iron, is laid upon the cheese, and upon that a square board. The pan and weight are lowered, so that the pressure begins and the stamp is impressed on the cheese, which becomes flatter, smoother, and firmer, than before. The cheese is left under this press till it gets its final form, and the pressure in the pan is increased or diminished, according to circumstances. When the cheese, after being pressed in both ma chines, has received its final form, it is placed in a long trough, called the salt-trough, which is generally in the cow-room behind the cow-stands. It has been already said that the cow-stall is used as a cheese-room in sum. mer, when the cows are out to pasture. In this trough, a space deep and wide enough for the diameter of the cheese, from four to six cheeses can be laid. In the salt-trough the cheeses are salted as long and as thor. oughly asisnecessary. Observation and experience are i TN Fig. 127. COLORING.—SWEET MILK CHEESE. 339 needed here to get the right quantity of salt and the right time, that the cheese may receive a suitably firm crust or rind. When the cheese in the salt-trough is sufficiently salted, it is put over a large tub, where it is properly washed in cold, fresh water, trimmed with a cheese-knife, and colored. For coloring, annatto boiled in water with some potash is used. After the coloring the cheese is rubbed with the beistings, or first milk of a cow newly- calved. The spice cheese gets its red color and firm, smooth rind in the coloring and washing in the beist- ings; and this distinguishes it from other sorts. The colored cheeses are now laid upon shelves made for the purpose in the cow-stall used as a cheese-room, and turned daily till properly dried. When dry they are laid for sale ina cheese or store room. This room is connected with the house, or separated from the other rooms only by a thin board partition. This room, as well as the cow-stall, is kept extraordinarily clean, — scoured and aired, and used for nothing but the keeping of cheese. Fig. 128 represents the cow-stall used as a cheese- room, in which the salt-trough is seen, and the dairyman and dairy-woman are occupied in turning and trimming the cheese. MANUFACTURE OF SWEET MILK CHEESE IN SourTH Hotianp.— The best kind of sweet milk cheese is made in the vicinity of the city of Gouda, and on the pray and Dutch Yssel, from which circumstance it is often known by the name of Gouda cheese. The making of this cheese is less difficult than that of spice cheese, but requires more attention and care, because the rich sweet milk is used for it. It is as fol- lows: The milk as it comes fresh from the cow is strained through a hair-strainer intu a large wooden vat 340 THE CHEESE-ROOM. or tub, or, in some large dairies, into a copper kettle which stands on a peculiar tray or bench. This tray is made of four to five inch seeps and its size is gov: Fig. 128. erned by the quantity of milk of the tubs to be uecd; but these tubs generally hold from one hundred to one hundred and fifty cans. The milk is immediately set with the requisite quantity of rennet, usually one quar- ter of a can to one hundred cans of milk; and if it does not “come” in a quarter of an hour, more rennet is added. When it has properly curdled, it is stirred in all diree tions with a wooden ladle three or four times over, and HOT AND .COLD WATER. 54] somewhat broken up, when it is allowed to stand three or four minutes at rest. It is then gently and constantly stirred again, with the ladle or the hands, and broke By too active stirring one gets more whey than cheese, and very quick stirring must be avoided. The whey 1s then allowed to stand some time, by which the curdled cheese particles collect, and the whey appears on the surface, and can be taken off and poured into a tub made for the purpose. To the mass still remaining in the kettle, which is now almost all cheesy matter, as much hot water is added as is sufficient to warm it prop erly. The addition of hot water must be made with discretion, however, and must not exceed a certain amount, which can be learned only by practice. The more we add, the drier will the cheese become after a while; and, though it may keep the better, and be better for transportation, the taste is unquestionably injured by it. The cold-made cheese is farmore liable to injury from keeping, but is much richer and more palatable, on which account the best is generally eaten fresh. The quantity of hot water to be added for warming the milk must therefore be determined somewhat by the disposi- tion to be made of the cheese. » When the hot water has stood, say half an hour, on the curd, it is taken offand poured into the whey. The curd is now properly brought together by the hands or a ladle, and again thoroughly worked and broken. After standing at rest a short time, the water and whey are turned off again, as completely as possible, in the whey- tub. The mass of curd still remaining in the vat, now called wrongel, is cut up into small pieces, which are _ very carefully worked over, and then pressed into the wooden cheese-mould. In order to get a very fine sep- aration of the curd, only a small quantity is taken at once from the vat, which is rubbed in the hands. and then 20% 842 DETAILS OF PRESSING. pressed into the mould till it is quite full. The cheese mould is in the form of a bowl, made of willow wood with its lower part pierced with holes,’so that the whey can run off when the pressure is applied. The cheese now formed is taken out carefully, rubbed with the hands, and still further worked in the cheese-tub, and igain very firmly pressed into the mould with the hands. To be able to press it into the mould with greater } ower, an implement called the presser is used. It con- sists of a short stick, with a kind of handle or cross: piece on the upper end. On the lower end a disc is fixed which fits into the cheese-mould. In using the instrument, the disc is placed on the cheese to be pressed into the mould, the handle or eross-piece is placed against the chest or shoulders,and the operator presses down at the same time with his hands, thrusting the disc as deeply as possible into the cheese-mould. When pressed enough on one side, it is turned round in the mould, bringing the other side up, and the pressure is again applied as strongly as possible. For saving the whey in cheese-pressing, the mould is set into a pan only a little larger than the mould itself, which catches the whey running out from the mould. When the cheese in the mould is properly pressed by hand, the cover is put upon the mould, which is loaded gradually, in order to bring down the greatest possible pressure. The weight or pressure is greater or less according to the siz» of the cheese; yet during the pressure the cheese must be frequently turned, that it may get the right form. The gradual increase of the pressure goes on for twenty-four hours, when the cheese is taken from the mould to be laid in a tub of salt-brine in the cellar; the cellar must be kept cool. The cheese remains in the brine twenty-four hours, but is turned once in that time. {t is then taken out and put upon a table, the surface “HE LIGHT AND AIR. 343 of which is inclined, the legs of one end being longer than those of the other. On both sides of the inclined table run grooves in the direction of the inclination of the surface, which unite at the lower end, and serve as a way of escape for the brine or pickle into a tub below. Here the cheese is rubbed with salt, and a handful of salt is scattered over the top, when it is left standing for some time “in the salt.” If one side was rubbed in the morning, it is turned at evening; and the other side is served in the same manner as the first. A cheese of from fifteen to sixteen pounds remains standing thus four or five days, according to the temperature. Ifthe heat is great, it must stand the longer in the salt. When sufficiently salted, itis washed off in hot water, and taken to the cheese-room, where itis daily turned on dry, clean shelves. If it is still greasy or dauby on the outside, it is still further washed in water, and dried off with a coarse linen towel. The cheese-room is generally kept closed by day to keep out the light and sun, which are not good for cheese. It is opened in the morning and evening to let in a little cooling air; yet a strong breeze is avoided by opening all the doors and windows at the same time, for the cheese will crack and break open if exposéd to it. Sweet milk cheese is fit for use at the age of four weeks. Strongly salted cheese does not ripen tp so yuickly as that which is salted less; but, if it takes longer, the loss is less, and, on that account, it is pre ferred for sending off to less salted cheese, which, on the other hand, is richer, and has a little better taste. In the daily turning of the cheese, great care is taken to observe any little specks in it where the mites con- ceal themselves. As soonas such places are discovered, a hole is dug out with a knife as deep as they extend into the cheese. The holes are left open till the next 344 EFFECT OF GREAT HEAT. day, when, if no more mites appear, they are stopped up with other cheese. But, if they still appear, some pounded pepper is put into the holes, which destroys them. Rotten or moist spots on the cheese are treated in the same way, but very deep holes have to be made into the cheese, and it is best to cover them with buckwheat-meal, when they dry up very quickly. In very hot weather it sometimes happens that tho cheese swells up and begins to ferment. Then it is laid on the cleanly-scoured pavement of the cheese-room, where it is cooler; or, as many do, pierced pretty deeply with holes with a knitting-needle, which often helps it. With the decrease of the great heat of the sun, the swelling also ceases. The cheese is not injured except in appearance, the taste being improved. But, if the swelling is very considerable, it makes the cheese hol- low. If the milk and cheese dishes are not very cleanly washed and rinsed out, the cheese gets a wrinkled crust, and begins to ferment. Sweet milk cheese, three or four months old, is turned and aired only once a week in dry ete Many cheese-makers also sprinkle the cheeses daily, fora week or two after they are fourteen days old, with beer and vinegar, or with vinegar in which saffron has been extracted, by which it gets not only a beautiful Teno color, Bae is-also protected from flies. THE Use or tHE Wuey oF Sweet MILK Ormco On what remains of the milk devoted to the making of sweet milk cheese in the manner above described, or tlie whey which runs off in the pressing of the cheese, there forms, after it has stood-a few days, a fine creamy skin, which is carefully taken off with a wooden spoon, put in a clean jar, and stirred from time to time. This cream is coll-cted to make butter, and it can be done nace a week. This butter-whey is healthful and good, MAY CHEESE.—NEW MILK’S CHEESE. 345 to be sure; but, on the whole, is not so fine and delicate flavored as good cream butter, and on this account is cheaper. The butter-milk which comes from the churning of the cream of whey is a good food for swine. They greatly relish it. Whey is also sold asa beverage, and is called “ sweet whey.” When fresh and untainted, it is quite an agree- able drink, very cooling, and good for the health in spring, purifying the blood, though somewhat purgative in its effect onthe kidneys. Later in summer, when the heat is very great, whey is thought to be rather injuri- ous to the health than otherwise. It is then used exclusively for swine. May Cuerse.—In the early part of summer, when the grass is best, sweet milk cheese is made in precisely the same way as that described, yet of smaller size and less weight. . This is called May cheese, and is designed for immediate use or sale when ripe, as it will not keep, and easily loses its fine flavor. Jews’ CHEESE.— Another kind of sweet milk cheese is the Jews’ cheese. It differs from common sweet milk cheese in its form, which is flatter and thinner, and partly in being less salted, and of a much looser texture. It is but little made; but some dairies are devoted to it. CounciL’s Currse.— This is made as the common sweet milk cheese, only in much smaller moulds. It has also a peculiar color. It is allowed to get rather old before it is relished, and is then mostly given away. New Miix’s Cueese. — This is made in winter, when tne cows are in the stall. It is not so good as grass cheese, whichis made in summer, when the cows are at pasture, and is less relished,and brings a lower price. When the cows are brought to the barn late in the fall, it can be made of very good quality for a few days, 346 CHEESE-MAKING IN NORTH HOLLAND. but the longer the cow remains in the stall the more the milk loses its good quality for cheese, on which account but few of the larger dairies make cheese at all in winter. To make it appear to buyers: more like grass-made cheese, and to be able to sell it, it is colored with the same material, and it is then often very difficult to dis- tinguish it, since great pains is taken to give the two kinds the same form, hardness of rind, etc. The dairy- men have less to do with this deception than the deal- ers. Hay cheese is rather better in quality for coloring, since it gains in appearance and taste; but it never can equal grass-made cheese in fine qualities. CHEESE-MAKING IN NortH HoLuanp. — In the province of North Holland sweet milk cheese is made almost exclusively. From ancient times this particular branch of farming has been carried to great extent; but it has especially grown in importance since the province gained a firm soil by artificial draining. At the present time North Holland is the head-quarters of the cheese- trade; and it is easily explained in the fact that no other province has more or better cattle. The manu- facture of cheese is almost the only object of keeping cattle, and the North Dutch dairy farmer applies him- self with the greatest possible zeal to the most careful modes of cheese-making, in order to keep up the ancient reputation of his cheeses, both in the domestic and foreign markets, and to secure to himself all of the advantages springing from it. The quantity of cheese which is weekly sold in the markets of Alkmaar, Hoorn, Edam, Purmerend, Meden- blik, Enkhuizen, etc., is enormous. We cite Alkmaar alone as an example, where on the city scales there were weighed no less than 23,859,258 Netherlandish pounds (536,834,830 pounds, American), from 1758 to 1830 NORTH DUTCH CHEESE. 347 Since that time the manufacture has increased, so that trom three to four million Netherland pounds are annually brought to the Alkmaar market. But, besides this, a large quantity of cheese does not come into the market, but is sold atthe dairy without passing through the hands of the traders, and never comes to the city scales. In 1843 there were sold in the North Dutch cheese. markets 22,385,812 pounds, to say nothing of the large quantity sold directly from the dairy. It is easy to see, therefore, how important and extensive an interest the manufacture of cheese has become for this province. Of the twenty-two million pounds annually exported, the value may be estimated as at least three million Dutch guilders. The price and value of the cheese vary, of course, with the markets. The North Dutch cheese differs somewhat in quality and money value, according to the section where it is made; but in general that made in the region about Hoorn is considered the best, as is very natural, since in that vicinity are to be found the finest meadows and pastures in the province. The villages of Ooster- blokker, Westerwoude, Hoogecarspel, and Twisk, are distinguished above all others; and so are the pastures of Beemster, Purmer, and Schermer, almost equally so. The Dutch cheese-maker reckons twelve Nether- land cans of milk to a pound—two end a quarter pounds American— of cheese, according to which a cow in three hundred days would give from eighteen hundred to two thousand cans of milk, or usually from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy-five Netherland pounds of cheese, in a year. THE UTENSILS USED IN CHEESE-MAKING IN Nortu HOt. LAND are nearly the same as those already described for siving the milk for butter, and those used in the to °* 348 VARIETIES OF NORTH DUTCH CHEESE, various processes of cheese-making in South Volland. They are modified to some extent, to be sure, by the taste, the pride, the wealth, or the caprice, of each dairy- man. Many of them are painted, wholly or in part, in oil colors, for the sake of durability as well as cleanli- ness, on which the North Dutch dairyman lays great stress. They do not require much capital. Variety oF Nortd Dutcu CHEESES, AND THE TRADE IN THEM.— The North Dutch cheese is called sweet milk cheese, and also, pretty commonly, white cheese, where it is made; but in Germany it is called Edamer, less because the best is made in the vicinity of this city than because the largest trade in it is carried on there. All sweet milk clicese has not the same weight, form, and size. Many kinds of it come into the market under different names; as, for example, large cheese of 20 to 24 pounds (45 to 54 pounds), Malbollen of 16 pounds (36 pounds), medium of 10 to 12 pounds (22 to 27 pounds), Commission’s of 6 or 7 pounds (14 to 16 pounds), and little ones of 4 pounds (9 pounds), to which belong .the Jews’ cheese. Besides this, the making of English cheese is carried on. Malbollen is but.little made. It is of about twenty pounds weight. Fifty years ago large quantities of it came into market,and were sold mostly in North Brabant and the Rhine provinces. Of the medium cheese the manufacture is pretty extensive at the present time, and it is sold to go to North Brabant chiefly. The price of these sorts is more frequently fluctuating than that of the smaller ones; but less so than that of Commission’s cheese, which is not much made. These varieties in former years were very profit able, since they were made with little labor, being light and spongy from slight pressing and little salting, and were sold green. MAKING OF EDAM CHEESE, 34Y Dairy industry is now chiefly devoted to making the varieties most known and sought for in Germany, the Edam small sweet milk cheeses, which are sent in enormous quantities to all parts of the world.’ There are two varieties of Edam cheese in the market, one with a white, the other with a red rind. The latter is firm, more of a yellowish color inside, and colored out- side. The coloring matter is prepared in France for this special purpose. By this treatment the cheese is better adapted to transportation. The early red rind cheese is the finest and best. It is made in spring from milk fresh and warm from cows just turned to pasture and is exported mostly to Italy, Spain, and America. That made later in summer is not so good, and goes to France; the red rind, made still later in the fall, goes to England and Brabant. Cheese that is injured, or does not keep well, is sold mostly in Hamburg and Brabant. Maxine or Epam Currese.— The Edam is a rich sweet milk cheese, that is made from fresh, unskimmed milk. The milk, while still warm from the cow, is poured into a large tub or a kettle through the strainer. In cold weather, when it has cooled off in standing in the air, it is warmed to a proper degree by adding milk heated by the fire. The rennet is then added. This is pre- pared in the following manner: The maw of the nursing- calf, cut into long strips, is soaked for twenty-four hours in sweet whey, when it is made lukewarm over a slow fire, whey and all, and three times the quantity of cheese-brine, or solution of the salt of the cheese, added. The mass is then allowed to stand four days, whey it is fit for use. An exact determination of the quantity of rennet to be used cannot well be given, since the quantity depends on the quality ; but usually about two hundred cans of milk to one fifth of a can 30 390 THE RENNET.—SETTLING. of rennet is the proportion, taking more or less, accord ing to the strength of the rennet. The milk in the tub to which the rennet has been added is covered over and allowed to stand till it is curdled, or become hard, which usually requires .a quarter of an hour. The curdled milk is then called “olib.? It is now slowly but regularly stirred, with a shallow, long-handled cheese-spoon, in all directions. Some cheese-makers treat the milk in the following manner: They stir the milk, thrusting an inverted cheese-ladle into the curdling mass every two or three minutes after adding the rennet, by which the curdling is much hastened. Now they move the ladle or cheese- stick three or four times with considerable force through the thickening milk, and lay it, inverted, on the surface of the milk, covering the vat for ten or twelve minutes, when the mass is ag.in set in motion, and then again allowed to stand. By this means tlie cheese particles settle to the bottom, and the whey rises to the top. When, after these alternate stirrings and rest of the curdling milk, the solid particles have settled, and the whey is collected on top, the latter is turned off, as care- fully as possible, into the whey-tub. In order the better to settle the cheesy parts, and to cause the whey to come up, the cheese-stick is loaded with weights or stones, by which the whey is separated in the pressure upon the curd. Some minutes after, the whey is again turned off, the whole mass is properly stirred, and the curd is collected with the cheese-stick and worked with the hands, and the whey is again carefully turned off. The curd, now become thick, is taken out of the vat, piece by piece, and broken with the hands as finely as ,pos- sible, in order to fill as much into the cheese-moulds as will just make a cheese. The moulds are set into the theese-vat, and the curd is worked and pressed closely in + TIME OF PRESSING. © 351 with the hand, to remove the whey as much as possible. The cheese is then taken out of the mould, and again very finely crumbled in the vat, and, after the whey is again lurned off through the strainer, is pressed the second time into the mould, so that it is as full of cheese as it can possibly be. It is then turned in the mould so that the upper side goes down, when it is again firmly pressed in. The turning is repeated several times. In the making of large and medium cheeses the presser is used, while space left empty by the press- ure is again filled with curd, so that the mould is always full, and the cheese gets its requisite size. In the smaller or four-pound cheeses, the hands alone are used for this pressmg into the mould. The mould, now pressed full, is put into a tub, properly washed in whey, and cleansed of all remaining fat. By the wash- ing and smoothing the cheese must get a glossy and smooth rind. After this is done, the cheese is again taken out of the mould, wrapped in a clean linen cloth, put in again, and covered over and brought under the press, that it may become harder and firmer, and that the whey may run off. In hot weather the cheese is left under the press five hours, from nine in the morning till two in the after- noon; but, if it is cool, it must stand longer. There are several different objects in view in deciding the con- tinuance of the pressure. Many think two or three hours sufficient, whilst others press five hours. Cheese designed for export is pressed longer, or twelve hours. It takes from three to four hours, usually, from the pouring in of the milk to the bringing of the cheese under the press; but it can be done in two or two and a half hours without injuring the cheese. After the first pressing is finished, the cheese is put tuto another mould, rounder than the first, and with $52 PRACTICAL DETAILS. only one hole in the bottom, to lie in the salt. In many places a long trough is used, in which several such moulds are placed to be salted at the same time; and for this either dry salt or pickle (brine, or salt in solu- tion) is used. The pickle is most commonly used, and is thought best. When one side of the cheese has laid some hours in the brine, it is turned, and the other side is also salted. After a while it is salted or turned in the brine but once a day. Small four-pound cheeses remain nine days in hot weather, and in cold ten or twelve days, in the salt; medium ones of ten to twelve pounds must lie at least three weeks. In very hot weather they are often salted twice a day. The moulds with the salted cheese are placed, several together, into the cheese-vat where the brine is, or on a salting-tray where the brine is collected in a tub beneath. After being finally salted, they are washed perfectly clean with water or warm whey. Many put their cheeses from the brine immediately in a kettle of hot whey for some minutes, and wash them in it. All unevenness or roughness got in pressing in the mould is now scraped off with a knife. After the washing, the cheeses are again perfectly dried, and laid on the shelves in the cheese-room, where they are daily turned, and remain from two to four, and even five weeks. The cheese is now salable; but before it is packed or delivered it is laid for some hours to soak in pure, cold spring or well water, the smallest for three hours, the medium four, and the largest five hours. The cheese is then well cleaned with the cheese- brush, laid on the shelf in the store-room, and turned a week or more, daily. But, in order to give them a fine yellow color, in damp weather, especially, the } oorer ones are, by many dairymen, laid a good ways apart and sprinkled or washed daily with new beer. Wher COLOR OF EDAM CHEESE. 305 the cheese is to be sold, it is properly washed still again in hot whey, and rubbed with a woolen cloth a day before sending to market, with hot or cold linseed-oi, by which the outside of the cheese gets a fine glow; but it must be rubbed till no fat or oil is to be felt. Tur Rep Coior or Epam Cuegse. — After the dairy- man has sold his cheese to the merchant, it is colored by him quite red. It will not be uninteresting to many readers to know some of the details of this peculiar color. [dam cheese is colored with what is called tournesol, which is extracted from a plant (Croton tinctorium). This is an annual, which grows wild in France, in great abundance, in the vicinity of Montpelier, in Langue. doc; and around Aix, in Provence, large commons are sown with it. The seed is sown in March and April. From a white and straight tap root, it sends up a stalk something like six inches high, which divides into many branches. The leaves have very long stems, of a pale yreen color. The fdower-stalks spring up from between the branches, and bear flowers in fan-shaped clusters. The vegetation of the plant continues four months. The preparation of the tournesol is as follows: The plants are collected late in summer, the roots thrown away, and the other parts taken to a mill, where they are ground, and the juice pressed out. Into this juice the rags of old hempen cloth are dipped till they are soaked full, when they are hung up to dry in the sun. When they are dry they are laid on a tray over a tub filled with urine, in which carbonate of lime has been dissolved, so that the edges hang over the rim of the tub on which they rest. The vapor from the solu- tion of lime must penetrate the rags, and this gives them a violet color, when they are taken off and dried again, to be replaced till they are fully colored. 30* 23 354 USE OF THE WHEY. The tournesol rags have become an article of com. merce, for which France receives annually from Holland from 100,000 to 200,000 guilders (from $38,000 to $76,000). To give the Edam cheeses the red rind, they are rubbed with these tournesol rags, from which they get. the dark violet color; and after they are dried they are again rubbed, which gives them a glowing red. It is an excellent peculiarity of the tournesol rags that they not only impart the color to Edam cheese, to which people abroad are so accustomed, but that they keep the insects from the cheese, whilst the coloring matter does not penetrate inside, but remains on the rind. Substitutes for it have been repeatedly sought, but not found; nor have the attempts made to grow the plant in Holland proved successful. Use or THE WHEY OF THE NortH Dutcn Sweet MILK CuEeEseE. — The whey obtained in making cheese in North Holland is collected in large tubs. The sweet, agreeable taste of the whey is soon lost when it is set to obtain the. fatty particles still remaining in it. The cream which forms on it is daily taken off with a skim- mer, put into a cream-pot, and when it is collected in sufficient quantitv it is made into whey butter. CHAPTER XII. LETTER TO A DAIRY-WOMAN. If the earlier chapters of this work I have spoken to farmers and dairymen of the selection, care, and management, of dairy stock. The seventh, eighth, and ninth chapters relate more especially to your depart- ment, and on your application and skill will depend chiefly the successful result of the dairy establishment. Of what avail are costly barns, well-selected cows, and judicious feeding, in the butter and cheese dairy, if the products are to be depreciated in value by the imper- fect modes of preparing them for the market, where the final judgment is passed upon them, and where it is expected the price will be according to their value? You have, doubtless, had a much greater practical knowledge and experience of the details of dairy management thanI have. For this practice and exper- ence I have the utmost respect; but I have not spoken without a knowledge of the subject. I have made many a cheese, and many a pound of butter, while my ob- servations have extended over all the most important dairy districts of the country, and have not been limited to the practices of any one section, which, however good in themselves, may not be the best. I trust, there- fore, you will excuse me for calling your attention to the more important points to which I have alluded ; and, if my conclusions happen to differ from your own, in any 356 A DRUG IN THE MARKET. respect, that you will not discard them as worthless, without first bringing them to the test of careful experiment, when I trust they will be found correct. I have not written to establish any favorite theory, but simply to inculcate truth, and to aid in developing a most important branch of American industry, which, either directly or indirectly, involves the investment of a vast amount of capital, the aggregate profits of which depend so largely on your judgment and skill. I need not remind you that any addition, however small, to the market value of each pound of butt@r or cheese, will largely increase the annual income of your establishment. Nor need I remind,you that these arti- cles are generally the last of either the luxuries or the necessaries of life in which city customers are will- ing to economize. They must and will have a good article, and are ready to pay for it in proportion to its goodness; or, if they desire to economize in butter, it will be in the quantity rather than the quality. Poor butter is a drug inthe market. Nobody wants it, and the dealer often finds it difficult to get it off his hands, when a delicate and finely-flavored article attracts attention and securesa ready sale. Some say that poor butter will do for cooking. But a good steak or mutton- chop is too expensive to allow any one to spoil it by the use of a poor quality of butter; and good pastry-cooks will tell you that cakes and pies cannot be made without good sweet butter, and plenty of it. These dishes rel- ish too well, when properly cooked with nice butter, for any one to tolerate the use of poor butter in them. On page 220 and elsewhere, I have dwelt on the necessity of extreme cleanliness in all the operations of the dairy ; and thisis the basis and fundamental prin- ciple of your business. I would not suppose, for a moment, that you are lacking in this respect. The CARE AND NEATNESS. oon enormous quantities of disgusting, streaky, and tallow- like butter that are daily thrust upon the seaboard markets must be due to the carelessness and negligence of heedless men, to exposure to sun and rain, to bad packing, and to delays in transportation. Many of these evils you may not be able to remove, since you cannot follow the article to the market, and see that it arrives safely and untainted. But you can take greater pains, perhaps, in some of the preliminary processes of making, and produce an article that will not be so lable to injure from keeping and transportation ; and then, if fault is to be found, it does not rest with you. IT will not suggest the possibility that your ideas of cleanliness and neatness may be at fault ; and that what may seem an excess of nicety and scrubbing to you may appear to be almost slovenliness to some others, whose butter receives the highest price in the market, and always finds the readiest sale. Permit me, however. to refer you to pages 300, 324, and 325, where a detailed account is given of the washings in water and washings in alkali; of the scrubbings, and the scourings, and the scaldings, and the rinsings, which the neat and tidy Dutch dairy-women give all the utensils of the dairy, from the pails to the firkins and the casks, and also to their extreme carefulness that no infectious odor rises from the surroundings. I think you will see that it is a physical impossibility that any taint can affect the at mosphere or the utensils of such a dairy, and that many of the details of their practice may be worthy of imita- tion in our American dairies. And here allow me to suggest that, though we may not approve of the general management in any partic: ular section, or any particular dairy, it is rare that there is not something in the practice of that section that is really valuable and worthy of imitation. 858 LETTER TO A DAIRY—-WOMAN. In the best dairies that produce the finest butter for the Philadelphia market, and widely known as Phila- delphia butter, the use of a sponge and clean cloth for absorbing and removing the buttermilk is thought to be very important. I have stated my opinion that, under ordinary favor- able circumstances, from twelve to eighteen hours will be sufficient to raise the cream; and that 1 do not believe it should stand over twenty-four hours under any cir- cumstances. This, I am aware, is very different from the general practice over the country. But, if you will make the experiment in the most careful manner, setting the pans in a good, airy place, and not upon the cellar bottom, I think you will soon agree with me that all you get, after twelve or eighteen hours, under the best circumstances, or at most after twenty-four hours, will detract from the quality and injure the fine and delicate aroma and agreeable taste of the butter toa greater extent than you are aware of. The cream which rises from milk set on the cellar bottom acquires an acrid taste, and can neither produce butter of so fine a quality or so agreeable to the palate as that which rises from milk set on shelves from six to eight feet high, around which there is a full and free circulation of pure air. The latter is sweeter, and appears in much larger quantities in the same time than the former. If, therefore, you devote your attention to the making ef butter to sell fresh in the market, and desire to obtain a reputation which shall aid and secure the quick- est sale and the highest price, you will use cream that rises first, and that does not stand too long on the milk, You will churn it properly and patiently, and not with too great haste. You will work it so thoroughly and completely with the butter-worker, and the sponge and cloth, as to remove every particle of butter-milk, never allowing your own or any other hands to touch it. You THE TASTE AND THE EYE. 35d will keep it at a proper temperature when making, and after it is made, by the judicious use of ice, and avoid exposing it to the bad odors of a musty cellar. You will discard the use of artificial coloring or flavoring mat- ter, and take the utmost care in every process of mak- ing. You will stamp your butter tastefully with some mould which can be recognized in the market as yours ; as, for instance, your initials, or some form or figure which will most please the eye and the taste of the customer. You will send it in boxes so perfectly pre- pared and cleansed as to impart no taste of wood to the butter. If all these things receive due attention, my word for it, the initials or form which you adopt will be inquired after, and you will always find a ready and a willing purchaser at the highest market price. But, if you are differently situated, and it becomes necessary to pack and sell as firkin-butter, let me sug- gest the necessity of an equal degree of nicety and care in preparation, and that you insist, as one of your rights, that the article be packed in the best of oak- wood firkins, thoroughly prepared after the manner of the Dutch, as stated on page 325. A greater attention to these pomts would make the butter thus packed worth several cents a pound more when it arrives in the market than it ordinarily is. Indeed, the manner in which it not unfrequently comes to market is a dis- grace to those who packed it; and it cannot be that such specimens were ever put up by the hands of a dairy-woman. I have often seen what was bouglit for butter open so marbled, streaked, and rancid, that it was scarcely fit to use on the wheels of a carriage. If you adopt the course which I have recommended in regard to skimming, you will have a large quantity of sweet skimmed milk, far better than it would be if allowed to stand thirty-six or forty-eight hours, as is the 360 REAPING THE ADVANTAGE. custom with many. This is too valuable to waste, and it is my opinion that you can use it to far greater profit than to allow it to be fed to swine. There can be no question, | think, that cheese-making should be carried on at the same time with the making of butter, in small and medium-sized dairies. You have seen, in Chapter XI, that some of the best cheese of Hol- land is made of sweet skim-milk. The reputation of Parmesan — a skim-milk cheese of Italy, page 266—is world-vide, and it commands a high price and ready sale. The mode of making these varieties has been described in detail in the ninth and eleventh chapters ; and you can imitate them, or, perhaps, improve upon them, and thus turn the skim-milk to a very profitable account, if it is sweet and good. You will find, if you adopt this system, that your butter will be improved, and that, without any great amount of extra labor, you will make a large quantity of very good cheese, and thus add largely to the profit of your establishment, and to the comfort and prosperity of your family. But, if you devote all your attention to the making of cheese, whether it is to be sold green, or as soon as ripe, or packed for exportation, I need not say that the same neatness is required as in the making of but- ter. You will find many suggestions in the preceding pages on the mode of preparation and packing, which I trust will prove to be valuable and applicable to your circumstances. There is a- general complaint wmong the dealers in cheese that it is difficult to get a superior article. This state of things ought not to ex- ist. I hope the time is not’ far distant when a more general attention will be paid to the details of manu- facture, and let me remind you that those who take the first steps in improvement will reap the greatest advan. tages. CHAP TER: XLT. Iab PIGGERY AS A PART OF THE DAIRY ESTAB- LISHMENT. Tue keeping of swine is incidental to the well-man- aged dairy, and both the farmer and the dairyman unite it, tu some extent, with other branches of farming. In the regular operations of the dairy, however eco: nomically conducted, there will always be more or less refuse in the shape of whey, butter-milk, or skim-milk, which may be consumed with profit by swine, and which might otherwise be lost. Dairy-fed pork is dis- tingnished for its fineness and delicacy; and the dairy refuse, In connection with grains, potatoes, and scraps, is highly nutritious and fattening. There is a wide difference between the profit to be derived from the different breeds. Some are far more thrifty than others, and arrive at maturity earlier. But the choice of a breed will depend, to considerable extent, on the locality and the object in view, whether it be to breed for sale as stock, or for pork or bacon. To get desirable crosses, some breeds must be kept pure, especially in the hands of stock breeders, or those who raise to sell as pure-bred, even though as pure breeds they may not be most profitable to the practical farmer and dairyman. Those who confine themselves to the pure breeds, therefore, do good service to the community of farmers and dairymen, who can avail themselves of the results of their experience and skill 31 362 SUFFOLKS AND SUBSOILERS. 1 think it will generally be conceded that the size of the male is of less importance than his form, his tend- ency to lay on large amounts of fat in proportion to the food he eats, or his early maturity. Smallness of bone and compactness of form indicate early maturity ; and this is an essential element in the calculations of the dairy farmer, wao generally raises fur pork rather than for bacon, and whose profit will consist in fatten: ing and turning early, or, at most, as young as from twelve to fifteen months. A fine and delicate quality of pork is at the present time highly prized in the markets, and commands the highest price. For bacon, a much larger hog is preferred; but there can be little doubt that the cross of the pure Suffoik or Berkshire boar and the large, heavy and coarse sow, not uncom: mon in the Western States, would produce an offspring far superior to the class of hogs usually denominated “subsoilers,” with their long and pointed snouts, and their thin, flabby sides. The principles of breeding, as stated on pp. 70 and 71, and elsewhere in the preceding pages, are equally applicable here, and are abundantly suggestive on many other points. This is the import ant point, the selection of the proper breed and the proper cross: for there is scarcely any class of stock which varies so much in its net returns as this; and there is none which, if properly selected and judiciously managed, returns the investment so quickly. Those who feed for the early market, and desire tu realize the largest profits with the least outlay of time and money, will resort to the Suffolk, the Berkshire, or the Essex, to obtain crosses ‘with sows of the larger breeds, and will breed up more or less closely to these breeds, according to the special object they have in view. The Suffolks are nearly allied to the Chinese, and possess much the same characteristics. Though EARLY MATURITY.—SIZE. 363 generally regarded as too small for profit except to those who breed for stock, their extraordinary fattening qualities and their early maturity adapt them eminently for crossing with the larger breeds. The form of the well-built Suffolk, when not too closely inbred, is a model of compactness, and lightness of bone and offal. Though often too short in the body, a large-boncd female will generally correct this fault, aud produce an offspring suited to the wants of the dairy farmer. The Berkshire is also mixed in with the Chinese, and owes no small part of its valuable characteristics to that race. The Berkshires, as a breed, often attain consider: able size and weight. The improved Essex are the favorites of some, and for early maturity they are difficult to surpass. Same think they require greater care and better feeding than the Berkshire. | What is wanted is to unite, so far as possible, the early maturity and the facility to take on fat of the Suffolk, the Chinese, or the Essex, with a tendency at the same time to lee flesh as well as fat; or, in other words, to attain a good growth and size, and to fatten easily when the time comes to put them down. The Chinese or the Suffolk are but ill adapted for hams and bacon; but, crossed upon the kind of hog already described, the produce will be likely to be valuable. The most judicious practical farmers are now fully satisfied, I think, that the tendency, for the lust ten years, in the Hsien States more especially, has been to bieed too fine; and that the result of this error has been to cover our swine with fat at a very early age, and before they have attained a respectable size. In other words, the flesh and bone have been too far sacrificed to fat. A reaction has already taken place in the opinions on this point, and perhaps some cau- 364 STUDYING THE MARKET. tion may be necessary, that it does not lead too far in the opposite direction. _ Some practical dairymen think that with a dairy of tweuty or thirty cows they can keep from forty to fifty swine, by turning into the orchard or the pasture, in early spring, and as pigs, where they will easily procure a large part of their food, till the close of fall, when they are taken in and fed up gradually at first, but afterward more highly, and fattened as rapidly and turned as soon as possible. . Others say there is no profit in working hogs, and that they should be kept confined and constantly and rapidly growing up to the time of turning them for pork, growing steadily, but not laying on too much fat till fed up to it. I am inclined to think the farmers of the Eastern States confine their swine too closely; and that, while still kept as store-pigs, a somewhat greater range in the orchard, or the pasture, would prove to be good econ- omy, particularly up to the age of eight or nine months. The judicious dairyman will study the taste and demands of the market where his pork is to be sold. If he supphes a city customer, he knows he must raise a fine and delicate quality of pork; and to do this he must select stock that will early arrive at maturity, and that will bear forcing ahead and selling young. If he supplies a market where large amounts of pork are salted and packed for shipping, or for bacon, a, larger and coarser hog, fed to greater age and weight, will turn to better advantage, though I think a strain of finer blood will even then be profitable to the feeder. In either case, the refuse of the dairy is of considerable value, and should be saved with scrupulous care, and judiciously fed. ‘‘ Many a little makes a mick e.” COHEN PATER es ASSOCIATED DAIRIES. In 1850 the cheese product of the United States was estimated at 105,000,000 pounds. In 1860, at 104,- 0 0,000 pounds, and in 1870, at 235,000,000 pounds. In 1850 the price of cheese was from five to seven cents a pound, in 1860 the highest price in New York was 114 cents a pound, and in 1870, 15} cents, with an average price of about 14 cents. In the decade between 1850 and 1860 the average price may be stated at not over seven cents a pound to the farmer. In the following ten years ending with 1870, the average price was not far from seventeen cents. In 1850 our exports were about 12,000,009 pounds, in 1860 about 23,000,001 pounds, and in 1870 about 61,000,000 pounds. : From 1810, the commencement of cheese dairying in New York, and 1825, when the business became quite general, till the year 1860, the growth of dairy hus- bandry in the United States was slow and steady; since this latter date cheese-making has gained commercial im- portance. In 1859 the great bulk of cheese made in Herkimer County was contracted at ten cents a pound, and much of it was so worthless as an article of food, that it had to be thrown into the docks at New York. There was then no 365 366 ORIGIN OF CHEESE FACTORIES. name for American cheese abroad. It found favor with none, and was considered fit only for paupers, and people of the lowest class. In 1855 and thereabouts, the great bulk of Herkimer County cheese was soft, slushy, liable to fall to pieces, easily tainted, and not unfrequently alive with skippers. Now, our cheese is a marketable commodity, offered in standard and uniform lots. The home demand is increas- ing. The foreign demand is not only increasing, but our cheese is finding its way to a better class of consumers. It has achieved a reputation. These contrasts have been produced in a large part by a change of system in the manufacture, introduced by an ebscure farmer of Rome, New York, through the accident of circumstance. Jesse Williams is the man to whom the credit is due, and he may be considered as the parent of American associated dairying. A brief account of the rise of this great interest, as given by Mr. T’. D. Curtis, of Utica, New York, may not be uninteresting. ‘‘ In the winter and spring of 1852 the first cheese fac- tory was built in the town of Rome, Oneida County, New York, by Jesse Williams and his two sons, George and De Witt C. The circumstances leading to its erection were these : — ‘‘ Jesse Williams began the cheese-making business in the spring of 1852 or 1833, and his eighteen or twenty years of experience had enabled him to make a superior article of cheese, which readily sold for seven cents a pound, while his neighbors——some of whom had been equally Jong in the business — sold for five cents a pound. This difference of over one quarter in price was due to the excellent quality of his cheese. . . . . His son George had just married and made cheese one season on an adjoining farm. His wife chiefly attended the dairy, and George looked after the outdoor work. Their success in cheese-making had only been about the same as their ASSOCIATED DAIRY SYSTEM. O01 neighbors. Like them, George sold his cheese for five ’ cents a pound, while his father got seven. ‘Tt was the custom in those days to sell the season’s make of cheese in advance, or as they called it, ‘ con- tract’ it for a certain price per pound. When, in the winter of 1852, Jesse Williams went to Rome and con- tracted his cheese for seven cents a pound, he thought he would do George a favor by contracting his at the same price, lhe guaranteeing that the quality of George’s cheese should equal that of his own. ‘he desire of the father to help the son, who was just beginning in the world, prompted him to assume this responsibility. ‘* When Mr. Williams next met his son, he related what he had done. George shook his head, and told his father he was afraid he had taken a bad job on his hands: But the father urged that he should begin cheese-making first, in the spring, and George s wife could come over and work with him, when he would teach her what he knew about cheese-making. Besides, when she got to work at home, he could run over occasionally and keep her all right, if there should be any need of it. ‘George continued skeptical about the success of such a prospect, and the question was argued at seme length. Finally, the father said: ‘Well, you can bring your milk to me, and I can make it up with mine, when there can be no doubt about the quality of the cheese being the same.” This suggestion was conclusive, and George at once re- plied, ‘That is so; and if you can make up my milk in that way, why can’t you make up the neighbors’ milk also, and have a full business of it?’ ‘‘ Tlere was the germ of the associated dairy system. The other son, De Witt C., was called into the council, and the plan was pronounced feasible. The difference in the price received by their neighbors and that obtained by Jesse Williams for his cheese would constitute a handsome profit, while relieving the neighbors of the trouble and 368 PROGRESS OF CIIEESE FACTORIES. expense of manufacture, substituting therefor the trouble of drawing their milk to Mr. Williams. “ But would the contractors take so much cheese at that price? A visit was male to Rome to ascertain. The answer was favorable. They would take all, of the quality specified, that Mr. Williams could deliver. This was enough. A bargain was made with the neighbors to give them five cents a pound for their pressed and green cheese, and the milk of one hundred and sixty cows was secured. Jesse Williams and his two sons, George and De Witt C , associated tlemselves together for the purpose of manufie- turing cheese on a grand scale. De Witt C. was to run the three farms, and George and his father were to attend to the cheese-making. . . . . . . Suitable build- ings were erected, the necessary apparatus was procured, and in due time associated dairying in America was aus- piciously inaugurated.” The next cheese- factory, according to Mr. Curtis, was erected by Capt. John. W. Pierce, on Floyd Till, in the town of Holland Patent, Oneida County, and opened early in May, 1859. The third factery opened was the one at Ridge Mills, about two miles southeast of the original Williams factory. It commenced operation on the 29th of April, 1861, with the milk of three hundred and eighty cows. The same spring, 1861, the factory now known as the Eaton factory, in the town of Russia, situated in the north- ern part of Herkimer county, was opened with the milk of 300 cows. X. A. Willard, on the contrary, states that the first fac- tory was erected in 1851, four more in 1854, and thirty- six in all previous to 1361. In 1861, eighteen; in 1862, twenty-five, and, in 1863, oue hundred and eleven new > factori ies were started. ' The prozress of the business from this date will be seen from the following table, compiled from the reports of the Dairymen’s Association. This table does not show the ; : ; q . RELIEF OF THE HOUSEHOLD. 369 total number existing, but only those of which the Ameri- can Dairymen’s Association have cognizance : — NUMBER OF FACTORIES REPORTED. STATES. 1864. 1866. 1868. 1869. 1870. 1871. 1872. New York, AO g= dil “Cine SEN SBR. OR “Oe Ohio, 1) 2 72 eo NO! OB: 97 Massachusetts, Co 10s is 19 26 26 30 Illinois, ; 2 A oe Hf oil 46 46 46 Vermont, 0 ea 29 32 32 3d Pennsylvania, 0 5 5 14 14 14 19 Wisconsin, 0 0 8 all 34 3t 40 Kentucky, 0 0 5 5 5 5 5 Michigan, ae 40) 0 4 17 22 22 26 Towa, 0 0 38 6 7 7 ig Minnesota, 0 0 1 1 4 4 6 Virginia, 0 0 1 1 1 ilar 2 North Carolina, 0 0 1 1 I 1 il Tennessee, 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 Maine, 0 0 0 il 0 0 0 Kansas, 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 Connecticut, 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 Indiana, 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 Total report from U. S., 232 495 806 1,075 1,234 1,246 1,301 Canada, O25 aero 35 85 a 35 Nova Scotia, 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 In this increase we have an attestation of material suc- cess. Such an increase in numbers is the best evidence that can be presented of an increased profit following this system. Yet its advantages have been very great apart from the money returned. The factory system has relieved the farmer’s family from much drudgery; it has brought the principles of commerce to the farmer’s door; has educated him more or less to a knowledge of the favorable influences on price of a uniformity of product, and the great gain to be derived from associated effort. It has rendered possible, and orig- inated, associations for the advancement of dairy inter- ests, where not only the aids of practice and science, but the methods of each have been brought to the attention of all, and the interchange of ideas between practical men, 370 DIVISION OF LABOR. and the discussions of the why and the wherefore of pro- cesses in the manufacture of cheese and the handling of milk, have produced improvement in quality co-extensive with large regions and population. It has enabled invent- ors of improved machines and of all sorts of implements connected with the dairy, the salt manufacturer, the box maker, and other handicraftsmen, to bring before an audi- ence their various claims, of which very many have been for the advantage of the cheese-manufacturing interest. The principles which underlie cheese-making in the factory, are those which underlie all manufacturing efforts, and most of the prosperity of our shops. It is that of sub- stituting the labor of machinery for that of man; of utilizing the best skill, so as to produce the largest results; of bringing responsibility to rest on a few, rather than diffusing it among the many; of having a system in all operations, and employing every labor-saving convenience. Above all, to manufacture in the cheapest manner a large quantity of uniform and salable goods. Hence we find in modern society a division of labor. One man instead of trying to carry on every branch of a complicated trade, rather applies himself towards acquiring a great skill in some particular department. It is so in the associated dairy ; the superiutendent, who gives his whole time to cheese-making, can acquire more skiil, and produce better results, than can the same man who carries on not only his cheese-dairy, but the numerous details of operating a large farm. ‘* Experience has shown,’’ says Hon. Harris Lewis, in a note to the author, ‘‘ that a factory with less than 300 cows will not pay expenses and interest on the cost of the investment. From 600 to 1,000 cows are about the best numbers.” ‘A factory of 600 cows may be jitted up in good running order,’”’ says Willard, ‘‘ for from 1,200 to 1,500 dollars. Such a factory will require five or more hands for the season.’’ | ; | } LOCATION AND ORGANIZATION. ONL The requirements of a factory are a good location, within easy reach of the farms, preferably a mile and a half, but not ordinarily exceeding five miles; plenty of water of good quality, good drainage, and careful and honest man- agement, both on the part of the superintendent and the patrons. As milk is a perishable commodity, and easily influenced by taints and odors; and as it may even be de- livered from the dairy with the elements of quick corrup- tion, latent therein through carelessness, and ready to pol- Jute all other milks with which it comes into contact in the cheese-vat, it is necessary that the majority of the stock- holders should have the power, through their superintend- ent, of bringing speedy, prompt and certain proceedings against any patron who is justly suspected of wrong practices. ‘Ihe factory company should therefore be or- ganized in due form, either by papers of agreement, bind- ing on all, as is very common, or through a regular act of incorporation. | Asa guide in selecting forms of organization, and as a clue to the necessary requirements, the following forms of organization are copied from Willard’s work. RULES FOR ORGANIZING FACTORIES. We, the undersigned, hereby agree and unite ourselves into a body or association for the purpose of erecting and building a Cheese Factory, and for the purpose also of running said factory to make cheese from the milk which shall or may be brought in from time to time to said fac- tory by members of the Association and other persons, to be made or manufactured into cheese at a certain price for the work and materials expended from time to time, to be fixed by the Association. Said building or manufactory is to be one hundred feet by thirty-four in size, and three stories high; to be built of good and substantial materials, and suitable and con- 372 PLAN OF ORGANIZATION. venient in its arrangements for the purpose intended, and is to be located on the land of It shall be known by the name and style of , and it is agreed by and between the parties to these presents, that they shall and will at all times dur- ing the continuance of such association, bear, pay and dis- charge equally between them, all cost of building said fac- tory, and all rents and other expenses, and for hired help that may be required for the support and management of the said business; and that all gains, profits and increase that shall come, grow or arise from, or by means of the said business, shall be divided between them, —said associa- tion, —shareand share alike ; and all lossthat shall happen to them in said joint business, by all commodities, or by bad debts or ctherwise, shall be borne and paid equally between them ; and there shall be kept just and true books of account and entry of the resolution and doings of said association, showing the true state of the operations of said association by reason or on account of said business, and all matters and things whatsoever to the said business and management thereof in any wise belonging; which said books shall be used in common between the members of said association, so that either of them may have access thereto without any interruption or hindrance of the other. And it is hereby further agreed that all questions aris- ing as to the way and manner of conducting said business, ani as to the person or persons to be employed a3 help by the association, and all and every matter of interest, of whatever thing or nature to the association, shall always, in case of dispute, be decided by a majority vote, which shall be entered of record and the time for the continuance of said association, or of any member thereof, and entry of any new member shall, in case of disputs, be decided in the same way and recorded. In witness whereof, the parties to these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals this day of 18 FORMS FOR USE. Ste ANOTHER FORM FOR ORGANIZING. ARTICLE 1. This Association shall be known as the Dairy Manufacturing Company. Art. 2. The business of this association shall be under ‘ the direction and control of a Board of three Directors. There shall also be a Secretary and a Treasurer, all of which shall hold their respective offices one year, and until others are elected. Art. 8. The annual meeting of this company shall be held on the first Saturday in January of each year, at the cheese-house belonging to this Company, at two o'clock, P. M., at which time the officers authorized by the second article shall be elected, and any and all business connected with this Company shall be lawfully transacted, — each share of stock being entitled to one vots. Art. 4. At said annual meeting, said Directors shall make a report, in writing, of the financial condition of the Company, showing all moneys received and expended by said Directors. Axt. 5. The Secretary shall keep a record of all meet- ings of the Company, for the examination of stockholders; also a list of stockholders, and of ail transfers of stock re- ported to him. Art. 6. It shall be the duty of the President of the Board of Directors, in connection with the Secretary, to issue certificates of the capital stock of the Company to each sharehoider —each share to be one hundred dollars ; also io issue new Certificates in case of transfer to the party purchasing the same, all of which shall be duly numbered, dated and recorded. Art. 7. All sale or transfer of the capital stock of this Company shall be in writing, and be reported to the Sec- retary within thirty days after such sale or transfer, or be of no binding form on the Company. Art. 8. All moneys paid by the Treasurer shall be by the consent of the Directors, and on the written order of the President of such Board of Directors. 3T4 RULES TO BE ADOPTED. Art. 9. Any stockholder refusing or failing to promptly pay any and all assessments made on his stock (not ex- ceeding one hundred dollars on each share) within the time ordered, shall forfeit to the Company any and all pay- ments formerly made; but nothing in the article shall re- + lease such delinquent stockholder from a suit at law for the recovery of any assessments due and unpaid by him. Art. 10. The Directors shall not incumber or impair otherwise the property of this Company. Art. 11. A special meeting may be held, in pursuance of a call of the Directors, in writing, to be filed with the Secretary, giving at least (7) seven days’ notice of the time and place of such meeting; and it shall be the duty of the Secretary, in case of such notice of a special meeting being delivered to him, to post in (8) three pub- lic places, and also on the cheese-house front door, a written notice of the time and place of such meeting. It shall also be tle duty of the Secretary to give notice of the annual meeting of the Company, by posting (3) three notices as prov.ded for a special meeting. Art. 12. The Capital Stock of this Company shall be Three Thousand Dollars, in shares of one hundred dollars each. Art. 18. The foregoing by-laws, or any one of them, may be repealed or amended at any annual meeting, by a majority vote of the stock represented, there being not less than sixteen shares represented at such meeting. CREAM CHEESE DAIRY MANUFACTURING CO. NOTICE TO PATRONS. The directors are happy to announce to the public, that they have secured the valuable services of Mr. Wm. Shakespeare, and that they will be prepared to commence the manufacture of cheese on Monday, April 12th, upon the following co —( CHEESE FACTORY REGULATIONS. TERMS. 1. Two Dottars TWELVE AND ONE IALF CENTS PER Ilunprep Pounps (to be deducted from the receipt at each sale), and ONE GOOD RENNET for each four hundred pounds of cheese; which shall include manufacturing, curing, furnishing, and ordinary expenses, delivering the cheese at the door of the dry-house, ready for market. 2. The company will not be responsible for any loss by fire, theft, or other similar cause. 3. It is expressly understood that every person sending milk to this factory will conform to the following REGULATIONS. 1. All milk to be received for manufacture must be carefully strained, and brought to the factory in a tin can without faucet, PURE AND SWEET. 2. Any milk which, by reason of negligence, unclean- liness, or other cause, is not in suitable condition for use, WILL BE REJECTED, if discovered before it is let into the vat. do. If any person shall bring milk which has been skimmed, watered, or otherwise tampered with in a manner forbidden by law, then, upon obtaining proof sufficient to convict the offender, the directors will prosecute such per- son, and will not compromise or settle, only as he pays the FULL PENALTY OF THE LAW, AND ALL DAMAGE ACCRUING FROM HIS OFFENCE. 4, It shall be the duty of the manufacturer, at least once in each week, to carefully test the milk from each and every dairy, and in ease he shall find any that has been skimmed, or watered, or otherwise in violation of law, shall at once report the same to the directors, and to No OTHER PERSON, and they will then take such measures as they think expedient to obtain conclusive proof against the offender. 376° THE FACTORY BUILDING. d. It is necessary that milk should be delivered at the factory before eight o’clock in the morning of each day, and the manufacturer will not be required to receive it after that time. 6. Each patron may take from the eckore his share of whey in proportion, each day, to the amount of milk de- livered the day previous; the quantity to be regulated by the manufacturer. 7. These regulations shall apply to each director in all respects the sume as to any other patron. DANL. WEBSTER, HENRY CLAY, Directors. J. C. CALHOUN, Cream Hin, N. Y., April 10, 1871. The factory building is usually a structure of wood, with the manufacturing department on the first floor, and the curing-rooms above. Wight’s Whitesboro’ Factory, Oneida County, N. Y., which has a high reputation abroad, has a manufacturing department 26 x 50 feet, and a curing-nouse opposite of two stories, 1O£ X 380 feet. This establishment receives the milk of six hundred cows. The structure should be thoroughly built, with tight floors, so that the slop may be retained and washed up, instead of entering crevices below, or seeking the ground in pools to breed corruption. The floor of the manufac- turing room may slope to a convenient spot whicre a reser- voir which will hold but little, and can be readily cleansed, may be located. The curing-room should be double plas- tered, to secure uniformity of temperature, and well venti- lated, with the windows protected from the sun. A covered driveway and receiving platform should be attached to the building, in order that patrons may deliver their milk under cover in case of storm. The principal machinery and apparatus required are the steam-boiler, vats, and presses. A steam-enzine of a few TRON—CLAD PATI. SET horse-powcr is a great convenience, although not an essen- tial. A good supply of cream gauges and specific gravity apparatus should be kept on hand, because these, united with eternal vigilance, will secure a uniform quality of milk from each farm. Let us follow the milk from the car to the dealer’s store- room : — Milk is an animal fluid of a complex composition, con- taining chemical elements which easily decompose and readily change their form. The contained fat absorbs taints and odors of all kinds with the utmost readiness. The casein held in solution will coagulate in the presence of acidity, the sugar of milk stands ready to undergo chem- ical change, and, above all, this nutrient fluid affords a ready development to germs and spores, which, floating in the atmosphere, or otherwise, may find lodgment therein. The commencement of the manufacture of milk into its products must date even beyond the milking. For our purpose, however, we shall deal with well-nourished and healthy cows, in the hands of a farmer who is desirous of having the best and most economical facilities, and to deliver the milk in a suitable form, at a factory which is fitted up with all those modern improvements which are subservient towards economy and a high grade of goods. A wooden pail should never be used in milking. Ina short time the paint lining is removed by the scrubbing which is so essential to cleanliness, and the exposed wood, becoming checked in the sun, opens numerous crevices of the most minute ebaracter, into which particles of milk enter. and become immediately impris- oned by the swelling of the wood in the presence of moisture. There is thus, after a time, a continued ferment or taint present to contaminate the warm 878 TUE MILKING. - which in all cases should be used is a metal one. The best I have seen are those called the iron-clad pail, which possesses the elements of strength and convenience. The bottom being convex, the milk is more rapidly and com- pletely pourel out; their shape renders them easily scoured, and their strength gives them lasting qualities. They will probably supersede tin pails for dairy purposes. The whole operation of milking requires the greatest cleanliness, particular attention being given towards pre- venting the admission of any extraneous matter to the milk. Cleanliness, first, last, and all the time, becomes a cardinal virtue in dealing with this fluid. Machinery does much for the cheese-maker, skill does vastly more; but it is only as skill and inventive genius are brought to bear upon the raw material in a perfect state, that the best re- sults can follow. ‘The care of the stock, the pasturage, the breed of cows, and, above all, the management of the milk before delivery, are of the utmost importance towards bringing about successful issues to a dairy undertaking. Milk, warm from the cow, under the circumstance of close confinement from the air, is extremely liable to taint. Indeed, it is impossible as a matter of practice, to place the milk in cans, then tightly cork, and convey to market. The milk retailer understands this, and invariably cools his milk before delivery. The farmers who supply the large cities —often from a long distance —always cool before packing. Hence the milk-dealers can supply their customers with sweet milk which is from twenty-four to thirty-six hours old. Exposure to the air also appears to benefit milk by removing the cow odor, which is distinct from taint. It is important that the factory dairy-farmer should un- derstand the importance of this cooling; for a single batch of imperfect milk may vitiate the whole make of cheese for that day, and consequently diminish prefit far greater than the value of the small quantity of milk which may | have been the cause. Indeed, the success of a factory in / AERATION OF MILK. 369 making ‘‘fancy”’ or high-priced cheese depends very largely upon the condition of the milk which is delivered, and this matter of thorough cooling has great influence. Our farmer, then, must cool his milk. This may be done by setting the uncovered cans in which the milk is to be conveyed, or cans made on purpose, in spring-water, or by the use of the various kinds of apparatus which have been invented for this purpose. Hon. Harris Lewis informs us that the strainer-pail, or a pail having its bottom perfo- rated with very many minute orifices, is a most valuable and serviceable article. The milk is simply poured in, and allowed to pass through the orifices, which are some distance above the can into which the milk is to flow. The small holes break the milk into a fine spray, by which not only is the milk cooled by contact with the surround- ing air, but completely deodorized. Vig. 130. Bussey’s Patent Milk-Cooler. From Gardner B. Weeks’ Factory Supply Catalogue. Bussey’s patent milk-cooler, from Gardner B. Weeks’ Factory Supply Catalogue, Syracuse, New York, 1874, 380 PATENT MILK—COOLER. consists of a circular tin form, about three inches in diam- eter and two inches high. It is double; the outer form to be set into the can cover and soldered (two in each cover), and the inner form is removable to facilitate wash-_ ing. It is provided with four inner flanges or shelves, which slightly overlap, preventing any loss of milk. Fig. 131 Arnol@’s Patent Milk-Can Ventilator. As the milk is cooled, it should pass immediately into the delivering can, which may be of any capacity required, but of a size sufficient to hold the whole product of the dairy, unless this would make them of unreasonable size. No faucets should be tolerated, but handles applied to the can, or other facilities for grappling, so that, thus lifted by power, it may be easily inverted into the receiving trough atthe: factory. ; Norr. —For the figures of the iron-clad pail and can, I am in- debted to the Iron-Clad Can Company, New York, and for the other illustrations to Gardner B. Weeks, Syracuse, New York, —a gen- tleman not only of excellent reputation for business skill and integrity, but a practical cheese manufacturer. Ilis illustrated. and descriptive price-list will interest those gentle- men who are thinking of dairy improvement. ‘TIE FACTORY CAN. 381 © Tis. 132. We assume that our factory has but one delivery a day. At or previous to 7 A. M., each morning, one farmer starts with his milk, proceeds to the factory, and awaiting his turn drives under the projecting shed of the delivery platform. This piatform, for the sake of convenience, is raised some four feet from the floor of the driveway. The grapples, lying conveniently to hand, are hooked on 382 SPECIFIC GRAVITY TEST. to the can in the wagon. The can is raised to the proper a height by a wheel, or other power, and is then inverted over the open spout which conveys the milk into the building. The farmer now receives back his can, and drives from his position in order to give the same oppor- tunity of delivery to others. The farmer has now got rid of his milk ; and if the pre- vious treatment has been of the character suggested, the future responsibility is with the manufacturer. The milk passing into the building through the spout is received into the weighing can, where it is carefully weighed, the weight credited to the right pelsets and is then passed on into the vat. Before this disposal, it is always safe, as least as often as once a week for each patron’s milk, to place a portion in a cream gauge, and test its specific gravity and per- centage of cream. Such a precaution not only has a pre- ventive influence on those who would increase the quan- tity of their delivery at the expense of its quality, but is of creat assistance in the detection of absolute dishonesty, or of poor and unskilled treatment of the cow. The specific gravity test is but the record of the weight of equal bulks of milk, and is ascertained by means of a weighted bulb which floats in the fluid. The cream gauge is a simple tube, graduated into equal parts, by which the percentage depth of cream can be readily ascertained by inspection. The vats into which the milk passes from the scales are usually sixteen fect long, three feet four inches wide, and eighteen inches deep, holding six hundred gallons. These vats, of which there may be two, are double, the inner one of tin, setting in a wooden vat, with spaces between the two at the sides and bottom, where the heat is applied. This heat may be applied either through steam or hot water. When hot water is used, we must have a heater connected with these spaces by a return and flow pipe in the ordinary way, or some other equivalent system. When PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE. 383 steam is used, it is readily applied to the vats through ap- paratus devised for this purpose. The milk having been all delivered, the process of man- : : ios. ufacture commen- SSS Se 0s) ihe, fire 1s ie ea started in the heat- er, and the temperature of the milk is brought to about 82°, varying somewhat at the different factories. We usually find from 2° to 4° lower temperature used in warm than cold weather. Of 88 factories which give their process in the Dairyman’s Report,— GO MENTEOS ISG cs SER 22 Ny Sa RALPH S UTICANNS 2 5 report 80° asec ooh cs LO eB £e 88° is the highest temperature used, and this for cold weather. The rennet is now added, sufficient to coagulate the mass in from 30 to 60 minutes. Of 30 factories who report this process, — f Between 20 and 30 minutes, 6G 30 GG 60 6 1 2 0 é 1 (a5 85 6é 40 66 1 7 5 4 or otherwise arranged, — 30 minutes and under, 3 Between 80 and 60 minutes, 22 GO minutes and over, 5 The number of rennets used varies from one rennet per thousand pounds of milk, to one rennet for about four thousand pounds, according to quality. The number is, 384 CUTTING THE CURD. however, usually calculated for one thousand pounds of green clieese. In one instance, Mr. Gardner B. Weeks claims to have brought eleven hundred and twenty-five pounds of un- cured cheese with a single rennet, and we have record of other instances when it required about nine to produce the same result. In twenty-seven reported factory results of the rennet used during the season, — 1 factory adopted between 1 and 2 rennets per 1,000 lbs. cheese. ee ce “ee ce es ce 9 ZF See 4 “ce “ se 3 “oc 4 ce “e “cc pe ce “ec ce 4 “ec 5 “ec “cc “c ] ce “ce « 66 5 “cc 6 ce oe “ce 1 ce ee “ce 6 “ce Lif “ce cc “ce When the curd has attained sufficient consistency it is cut into small cubes by means of two sets of knives made for this purpose. ‘These gang knives are composed of steel blades, silvered or tinned, and set about half an inch apart. The number of blades vary from six to thirty in the per- pendicular curd-cutter, and the size of the horizontal knife ranges from 4 x 18 to 12 x 18 inches. Curd Knives. From 8. B. Weeks’ Catalogue, Syracuse, N. Y. ( : ae | ry won nome A ARON —UTIEe ia Fig. 134. Fig. 135. : Fig. 136. PRET MEN DT OPS TIE. CUR D:. B30 The next process is to gradually increase tie heat to {8°, keeping the curd gently agitated by means of a rake, an implement designed for this purpose. ‘This heating is usually continued for from one to one and a half hours. When the heat and the rennet conjointly are supposed to have dispelled the right portion of whey, and the curd has taken on the proper acidity, it is necessary to prevent this process from going too far, and this is accomplished by re-. moving the whey by means of a siphon or shute, or by dipping the curd from the vat. The shute, as a more recent contrivance, is favorably spoken of. It consists simply of an arrangement by which the whey ean be let out of the vat with great rapidity. Through its use the maker of cheese can stop the acid changes. at the ee point needed. The whey passes from the vat through a serics of troughs to a receptacle at a distance, when it can be re- turned to the farmer or utilized in any other way. The curds are removed from the vat to the curd sink, where they are allowed to drain and cool. It is important that the whey should be well drained off, in orJer that, in salting, the proportion of salt left behind may be regulated with precision. Perhaps the best way is to first press the curd in the hoop for a short time, and then pass the curds through the curd mill before salting. In all cases, how- ever, the curds should be as dry ag ‘they can conveniently © be made. 386 THE CURD MILL. Curd Mill. Fig. 137. Salt is added in order to arrest putrefactive fermenta- tion, and enable the cheese to ripen into an article of food. It should be applied after the curds have cooled off, and not while they are of a high temperature. The qual- ity of the salt has much to do with the flavor of the cheese, and great care in its selection is exercised by tlie most suc- cessful makers. In the spring a less quantity of salt is used than in the summer, as it is desired that the. first make should ripen early. Between two and three pounds per hundred pounds of curd is the usual quantity. Of thirty-three factories reporting their season’s use, — 1 reported between 14 lbs. and 2 lbs. per 100 ibs. of green cheese. 9 (73 6“ 24 6c oe 2h “ce “ec z3 ee 17 73 (73 ok “cc (73 23 “é (73 6c“ sc 9 é sé 23 “c “ 8 73 “cc 79 “cc 4 (73 about 3 3 6c cc “ sé Of the factory returns in 1864, according to Willard,— 101 reported 3 lbs. salt used to 100-1bs. of cheese. ‘ ce oc ce aa ee J. 51 66 23 6é cc “c 6“ 40 ‘4 2 8-10 * 3 “cc “cc 19 “cc 9A5 6 “ “c “ec 9 6s 9 73 “a (73 “c 6 Ray 5 sé “c sc “cc _\ Cate ea IMPLEMENTS OF A FACTORY. 287 Least quantity used was three pounds. In Limberg cheese the quantity was much greater, ranging from four- teen to seventeen pounds. : The action of salt is an important one, and in its use much depends on the judgment of the cheese-maker. When there is little salt the cheese ripens quickly ; when too much salt is used, according to testimony, there results a hard, dry, and flavorless checsc. The salted curd after stanaing a short time is ready for the hoops and the press. The hoops are usually of wood, but galvanized iron hoops are now being introduced to a considerable extent. The curd is deposited in the hoop by means of a scoop, and the follower of the press applied. Of late it has be- come customary to apply a rubber ring on the inside of the cheese-hoop, resting on the press-board below the cheese, and another above the cheese, directly under the follower, by which a tight joint is secured, and the curd cannot press between the follower and the hoop or out be- neath the bottom of the hoop. The hoop containing the fresh cheese is now transferred to the press, which may be either of the various styles which are now so familiar to all, and the pressure gradu- ally applied, so as not to press the curd out with thie whey. We present an illustration of a gang-press, which is favorably known. In this press the bandaging of the cheese is done when the curd is put into the hoop. The cheeses are placed on edge in metallic hoops, the sections of which slide together as pressing progresses. After a sufficient pressure and bandaging, which may be facilitated by tin hoops, which have been patented for this purpose, the cheese is removed to the curing-room, there to remain until fit for market. The curing-room must be double-walled so as to more nearly attain a uniformity of temperature. It should be light, well ventilated, and for the convenience of hand- ling and inspecting the |; cheeses, should be fur- cS : = IM Ti ill 1 | | | | | nished with counters, with in ‘|| passage-ways. between about 4 two feet wide. 6 When properly cured, the Gl cheese is ready for sale, and WW gm is either sold on the spot, o is | divided among the farmers BO - rT in proportion to ther deliv- it tg ery of milk, or, what is per- o if haps by far the preferable ill fe way, sold through the agen- cy of one man. However disposed of, it is to be packed in boxes of a strength sufli- | cient for handling, and so as to present an attractive appearance to the buyer. Whenever it is possible, app!y by means of stencil plate, the factory brand of the checse. We have now traced our miik from the cow to the market, giving in outline the processes through which it has passed. It will be understood, however, that there is a variation in details in the various factories, some preferring one method, others another, and a great discrepancy in the use of machinery. Where difficulties arise from defects in the milk, or changes of temperature, or from any other cause, it requires great AVERAGE YIELDS. 389 skill in the manufacturer and his agents, and the processes become somewhat more complicated. By regulating temperatures, and the judicious applica- tion of his rennet and salt, the skilled superintendent may make salable cheese out of milk which is so tainted as to be extremely offensive. The economy, both in means and of results, depends largely on the carefulness, experience an knowledge of the makers. ‘The study of the reports of the dairy associations give us valuable data for understanding the present condition of dairy interests. By knowing the average yields of the dairy cow, and the average results of the factories, safe es- timates may be formed of the profits or the difficulties attending the business. The average yield of the dairy cow cannot exceed thirteen hundred quarts yearly. The following condensed data derived from the reports of the various dairy associations give us some auiyeaie figures, and will repay a careful ae ae AVERAGE CHEESE YIELD. Factory Returns No. Cans Ay. yicld Curd Cheese, Year. from N. Y. represented. per cow. 1864 35 19,270 266 lbs. 1866 26 15,402 SG 1867 27 12,238 Zoe 1868 22 11,654 Psy 3 1869 35 17,954 3384 1870 22 14,384 30£ ‘ 1871 20 11,548 800 ‘ 1872 20 12,218 Sole 8 years. 227 returns. 113,468 cans. Av. 300 lbs. PROPORTION OF MILK TO CHEESE. No. factories Lbs. Milk to Year. reporting. 1 1b. Cheese. Extremes. 1864 48 9.81 8.31 @ 10.38 Ibs. 1865 48 9.81 9.21 @ 10.54 1866 39 9.68 9.05 @ 10.24 * 1867 28 9.83 9.33 @ 10.50 1863 37 9.88 OLE @ 10.382) ** 390 1869 42 1870 25 1871 31 1872 29 9 years. 327 returns. Factories re- No. Cans Year. ported(N.Y.). represented. 1864 10 4,678 1866 17 8,311 1868 14 7,939 1869 24 12,665 1870 17 11,039 1871 18 10,598 1872 12 7,836 7 years. THE CHEESE SEASON. 9.64 9.95 9.85 9.78 Average 9.80 Limits 8.31 @ 10.78 lbs. LENGTH OF CHEESE-MAKING SEASON. 112 reports. Days of Yield, Curd Season. Cheese per cow. 1830 232 lbs. 204 324 * 189 21D Ae 204 via gee® 211 295 6 PAWS 300 * 230 63,066 cans. Average 205 Average 298 lbs. OPENING AND CLOSING OF FACTORIES IN NEW YORK DURING SEVEN YEARS. ; No. of Factories. Opened between No. of Factories. Closed between 14 Mar. 1 and 15 1 Sept. 1 and 15 14 15 and 31 2 15 and 30 58 Apr. 1 and 15 12 Oct. 1 and 15 64 15 and 30 80 15 and 81 68 May 1 and 15 91 Noy. 1 and 15 22 15 and 31 35 15 and 30 4 June 1 and 15 ily Dee. land 15 if 15 and 30 5 15 and 380 It is thus seen that the average season extends from April and May to October and November. PRICES RECEIVED PER POUND FOR MILK. Year. No. of Returns. Net Prices. 1864 ir -0191 cents. 1869 8 01483“ 1870 5 -O12S9 Cee 1871 LOR <<... 6 ee Albuminous matter, . . 9.24|Oil and fatty matter,. . 6.84 Oil and fatty matter, . . 2.68)Albuminous matter, . . 9.84 Starch, gum, sugar, . . 39.75|Starch, gum, sugar, os 42:26 Woody fibre, . . ...» 27.41| Woody fibre, . Ja eae Mineral matter, . . . 8.90|Mineral matter, «. Saeeaeee 100.00 100.00 A comparison between these will show a much yreater percentage of woody fibre, —27.41 in the first crop to 19.77 in the aftermath. The most remarkable difference, however, is in the proportion of oil, being 2.68 in the first crop to 6.84 in the aftermath. On inquiry from an observing tenant of a small dairy farm of mine, who has frequently used aftermath hay, I learn that, as compared with the first crop, he finds it induce a greater yield of milk, but attended with some impoverisliment in the condition of the cow, and that he uses it without addition of turnips or other roots, which NUTRITIVE QUALITIES OF GRASSES. 417 he gives when using hay of the first crop — an answer quite in accordance with what might be expected from its chemical composition. It is likewise to be presumed that the quickness of growth will materially affect the composition of grasses, as well as of other vegetables. Your gardener will tell you that if radishes are slow in growth they will be tough and woody ; that asparagus melts in eating, like butter, and salad is crisp when grown quickly. The same effect will, I apprehend, be found in grasses of slow growth: they will contain more of woody fibre, with less of starch or sugar. The quality of butter grown on poor pastures is characterized by greater solidity than on rich feeding pastures. The cows, having to travel over more space, require a greater supply of the elements of respiration, whilst the grasses grown on these poor pastures contain, in all probability, less of these in a digestible form available for respiration. The like result seems probable as from common winter treat- ment —a produce of butter less in quantity, and con- taining a greater proportion of margarine, and a less of oleine. It is well known that pastures vary greatly in their _ butter-producing properties; there is, however, as far as I am aware, no satisfactory explanation of this. If you watch cows on depasture, you observe them select their own food; if you supply cows in stall alike with food, they will also select for themselves. I give rape- cake as a mixture to all, and induce them to eat the requisite quantity; yet some will select the rape-cake first, and eat it up clean, whilst others rather neglect it till towards the close of their meal, and then leave pieces in the trough. Two .Alderneys, — the only cows of the kind I have as yet had, — whose butter-producing qualities are well known, are particularly fond of rape- cake, and never leave a morsel. May not these animals be prompted by their instinct to select such food as is best suited to their wants and propensities? If so, it seems of the greatest importance that the dairyman should be informed of the properties of food most suit 418 APPENDIX.—HORSFALL’S SYST=M.. able for his purpose, especially whilst in a stall, where they have little opportunity of selecting. It appears worth the attention of our society to make inquiries as to the localities which are known as pro- ducing milk peculiarly rich in butter. When travelling in Germany, I well recollect being treated with pecu- liarly rich milk, cream, and butter, on my tour between Dresden and Toplitz, at the station or resting-place on the chaussée or turnpike-road, before you descend a very steep incline to the valley in which Toplitz is situ- ated, I travelled this way after an interval of several years, when the same treat was again offered. It was given as a rarity, and can only be accounted for by the peculiar adaptation of the herbage of the country for the production of butter. COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT METHODS OF FEEDING Darry Cows.— Being desirous of comparing the result of my method of feeding dairy cows with the system usually practised in this locality, it occurred to me that, as my cows had been accustomed to savory steamed food, a change to ordinary food would be attended with less favorable results than if they had been previously treated in the common mode; and that, under these cir- cumstances, it would be better to institute comparisons with two near neighbors, Mr. Smith and Mr. Pawson, whose practice and results I had the opportunity of inspecting. Mr. Smith’s cow was of rather small frame, but noted for her usefulness as a good milker. At the time of calving her third calf, about the 12th of November, she was in good condition, and gave, soon after, seventeen quarts of milk per day. Her owner states that in the first three weeks (up to the time this comparison was begun) her condition sensibly diminished —a result which I apprehend will be invariable with cows giving this quantity of milk when fed on meadow hay only, with which Mr. Smith’s cow was supplied ad libitum, and of which she consumed twenty-eight pounds per day. Mr. Pawson’s was a nice heifer, three years old ut the time of calving her first calf, October 6th, im MODES OF FEEDING DAIRY COWS. 419 more than ordinary condition, and gave about sixteen quarts per day. Her owner states that on the first of January her condition was much diminished. This is corroborated by Mr. Myers, a dealer in the village, who tells me that, previous to her calving, he was desirous of purchasing her, and would have given from seven- teen pounds ten shillings to eighteen pounds, and describes her as being at that time full of beef. Her weight on the first of January, 7 cwt. 2 qrs., bespeaks her condition as much lowered. During the month of October, and till late in Novem- ber, she was turned out in the dayttme to graze on aftermath, and housed during the night, where she was supplhed with turnips. From the close of November till the first week in February, her food consisted of Meadow hay of inferior aeelys oy ee edenlbs per day. Swedish turnips, . . SSC ispanicce cee ee ce GRC itch ar Rune el ys cal ive tos ines Away re Dee Dn Ay het After this the ground oats were discontinued, and ‘meadow hay of good quality was given ad libitum, with forty-five pounds of turnips. For comparison I selected a cow of my own, which calved about the 8th of October, and gave soon after eighteen quarts of milk per day; she was also of small size. At the time of calving her condition was some- what higher than that of Mr. Smith’s. When the experiment was begun, on the first of January, no per: ceivable difference was found in the yield of milk of Mr. Smith’s cow and my own, each giving fifteen and a half quarts per day. The following table gives the dates of calving of the three cows, together with their weights and yield of milk at the commencement and termination of the experiment : | January 1. | March 5. When ealved. Taiing | Weight. | Yiela. | Weight. —_[viela Quarts. | Cwt. | qrs. | Ibs.| Qts._| Cwt. | ars. | Ibs. | Qts. Mr. Smith’s— Nov. 12.) 17 8 Ba) 154 8 | 0 0 OE Mr. Pawson’s — Oct. 6.] 16. LOR aa OG a TG, DO Gs My own — Oct. 8. 18 9 0 | 154 10 | 1 | O | 124 420 APPENDIX.—HORSFALL’S SYSTEM. Mr. Smith’s cow lost in weight in nine weeks 84 pounds, being 9§ pounds per week, with an average yield of 124 quarts per day. Mr. "Pawson’s lost 28 pounds. This loss, together with the diminished yiela of milk, occurred almost wholly after the oats had been withdrawn ; her weight on the 6th of February being still 7 cwt. 2 qrs., and her yield of milk 11 quarts per day. My cow has gained in the nine weeks 56 lbs., being | pounds per week, with an average yield of 14 quarts, the diminution being regular. January Ist, 154; Feb. 4th, 14; March 4th, 12}; making an average yield of 14 quarts per day. The whole loss and gain of weight will be in flesh and fat, the cows having kept up their consumption of food and their bulk. The weekly account of profit and loss will stand as follows : Mr. Smith’s cow, average yield for 9 ie — ae s. d per day, at 2d. per quart,. . o | ja) ee Deduct: loss im flesh, 9% Ibs.,at6d.,; 6. « \ «6 at er 9 Cost of 14 stones hay, at 6d. perstone,. . . « « «© « 7 Profit, e e e 2 e e e e e e e e e 2 11 Mr. Pawson’s cow, average during the first five weeks, a7 S. quarts per day, at 2d. per quart, . 13 5 ost of 9 stones inferior ra (at 4d. per stone); per week,. . 3s. Cost of 63 Ibs. ground oats, 4s. "8d. ; ; turnips, Is. 6d., 62 9 2 Profit, ° ° e e es e e e e e oO e ° 4 3 My cow, average yield for 9 weeks, 14 quarts per sae at .@.6 4. 2d. per quart, : ws eset Ue 16 4 Gain of flesh, 6} Ibs per week, ‘at 6d. or ne Tee me a | 19 54 Cost of food : Hay, 63 lhs., at 6d. per stone; straw and shells s. d. of oats, is 3d. ; mangel, isis - 4 6h Rape-cake, 35 Ibs. ; ; bran, 104 Ibs. . " malt-combs, 04 lbs. ; bean- meal, 104 Ths, 8. wh a see Profi t, e e e . ° e e e ° e e e 10 104 QUALITY OF THE MANURE. 421 The richer quality of the manure will probably com: pensate for the extra labor, cooking, and attention bestowed upon my cow. With & view of extending the comparison, I give par: ticulars of the whole of my cows the weights of which were registered on the 8th of October, and which were still on hand, free from calf, and in a state admitting of comparison. These were bought at a neighboring market in but moderate condition, and were young, having had two or three calves each. A cow in full con- dition attains her maximum yield in a week or so after calving; whilst those in lower condition continue, by my treatment, to increase their quantity up to about a month after calving. TABLE. February 4. Greatest October 8. Voaanern Ten No. Calved. yield ne Weight. ete i eet) Quarts. Cwt. qrs. Ibs. Cwt. qrs. Ibs. om 1 July 28. | 12 92-0) 100 0 <8 2. Aa SOIR 10s.0-O..\y) La tO || ae 4. July 28. 18 8 2 0 iD) we G 15 6. Sept. 8. 16 100270 10 2 0 14 fc Sept. 8. 16 One) 11 0 0 10 11. Aug. 25. 16 De e206 ono) 11 Average, aes, Sei TO utente towns os een cesar aa : 12 " TABLE — CONTINUED. March 4. . Gain Computed average agh lt a No. Weight. Yield per| per day during | wep. 4, Mer day. week om Cwt. qrs lbs Quarts. | Weeks. Qts. Lbs. ere 1. 10 1 0 29 — 10 84 4 2. Ue ie Orn edn nore gg) AQ GE 4, 10 0 0 15 31 — 15 168 8 6. 10 3 0 14 25 — 15 28 1h Tis 11 0 0 10 25 — 13 56 23 11. 9 2 0 11 27 — 134 28 1} Average, |. - - - - - Ni Nee cers Lv re ee ae 422 APPENDIX.—HORSFALL’S SYSTEM. My cows, during the period under consideration, were treated as follows: During August and Septem- ber they were on open pasture by day and housed by night; evening and morning they were supplied with mown grass, and tio feeds of steamed mixtmie. Towards the close of September green rape was sub: stituted for the mown grass, with the same allowance of steamed mixture; from the 8th of October, when they were wholly housed, they were supplied with steamed food ad libitum three times per day. After each meal ten to twelve pounds of green rape-plant were given, and nine pounds of hay per day till No. vember; from that time steamed food with cabbages or kohl rabi till the early part of February, when mangold wurzel was substituted. It will be observed that I give hay and roots in limited quantities, and the steamed food ad libitum. I prefer this to apportioning the cake and other concentrated food in equal quantities to each, as this steamed mixture contains more of the elements essential to milk, and each cow is thus .at liberty to satisfy her requirements with it. Nos. 2 and 4, which have given the greatest quantity of milk, have eaten more than their share; whilst No. 1, which has given the least milk, has scarcely eaten more than half the quantity of steamed mixture consumed by 2 or 4. The yield of milk and the live weights on the 4th of February and the 4th of March scarcely vary. During February thirty-four pounds of mangold were substituted for kohl rabi; with this change the cows became more relaxed. My experience in weighing, extending over several years, has shown me that when animals, from change of food, become more relaxed or more costive, their Ww eighines in the former state denote less, whilst ‘n the latter they denote more, than their actual gain in condition. I have known instances in which a month’ 8 weighing, accompanied by relaxation, has shown no gain, whilst, with restored consistency, the gain doubled. I now proceed to examine -the materials of food, their composition, and the probable changes they nndergo in the animal economy. FOOD AND ITS COMPOSITION. 423 Quantity and description of food supplied te six cows during twenty. seven and a third weeks, and its composition in proximate elements and minerals. Per day. Dota eee of! Cost per ton. Total cost. iyeane oes ; Ibs. lbs. gz s. d ee Scene Ibs. Meadow hay,) 56 10,715 AS ORO AO 2e 39 9,420 Rape-cake,.| 30 5,740 GTO Tes Me 5,456 Malt-combs, 9 722 Sh Oe Oe reel SO 1,660 Bramaae cys 9 1,722 OOO ron Og) 1,500 Beans,... 9 1,722 Oe Ger aeno nO 1,500 Green food, | 204. 39,032 0 10 0; 814 6 5,740 Oat-straw, . 50 9,566 Auli Obs eerie an 8,407 Bean-straw, | 12 2,296 eS es LG © 1,964 Motaleee spore 72,515 Om Onen9 35,647 Albumen. Starch. Oil. | Fibre. Minerals. lbs. Ibs. Ibs. lbs. Ibs. Meadow hay, 990 4,257 287 2,933 953 Rape-cake, 1,803 2177. 611 494 i71 Malt-combs, 411 791 51 320 &8 raminyenies « 246 800 96 258 100 Beans,.. . 464 7TT4 34 176 53 Green food, 862 3,074 115 1,148 O41 Oat-straw, . | 287 3,066 100 4,526 428 Bean-straw, 376 725 oil 594 217 otal 5,439 15,664 1,345 10,449 2,551 = Nitrogen ‘ 888 lbs. ANALYSIS OF MILK BY HAIDLEN Wai eet ty daar Come se BI ay ane cn fat 873. VETER ey eM ICCe aS Cail foe ean a ik Sean ICP Sune (5 (HSE N Lamang ery beim Wali eye tenga aly Nie Or von-y ae AE IV MRas erates Peg ers cure irie eM bea wna chick ed.28) Eiospiaaibey of dimes esq a 8 ya Ree Ae lis ie 2.08 Magnesia, CODON RUNG eM era eal ale A2 ntarawer Aran lentes WROTE cay ens UU aiedaty bi oie yim 07 iCiiloriderat Motassiums (0S) leh). Geylite, fai iste a: Sodium and Soda, Sse Meee Qialh ley ine, eam ar a ae .66 1000.00 424 APPENDIX.—HORSFALL’S SYSTEM. Production of milk by 6 cows, average 14 quarts per day each, for 274 weeks = 16 072 quarts, which at 41 oz. per quart = “41 184 Ibs. When dry ur free from moisture, . . « « 0 « © « «© Saal Butter in 16,072 quarts, at 30 per 1000. . . . . « «== 1285 Caseinein ‘ 66 “¢ 48.2 per 1000, ola 4 Oe ra Sugar of milk, 2 Sa Are as Ore Pee — ro | Phosphate of fimieg (a. ch a. x ed ee Bua ihe. os ee csc ea jp =e 5230 Gain of weight 500 lbs., of which I compute 300 Ibs. as fat. 200 Ibs. as flesh. ——= 500 Nitrogen, . . Be Ta Le U6 de, a toy eee ee Phosphate of lime, at sme. tet ee et dee rr Phosphoric acid, . . . » « » ss a=aaeee Cost of food per cow per week, . 8s. 64d. When the yield of milk is less, the cost of food is reduced to 7s. 8d per week. $3 -.d: cross Teturnein milk 6,0 Oe Per, ANALYSES OF INGREDIENTS. 495 Nitrogen incorporated in food, . . . . . ~ . 888 lbs WAREINOS ye aca re ie) OO ie. lel te CokOs TOVOveTTINS Ga Ae AS atehey cal ceciQ ue 7.30 Manure, aap eiiie Sb ohl hajente ratel Balance consumed in perspiration, a) ere’ wacelousGo 888.00 The materials of food are shown to have cost . . £70 05 3d see an Gross value 16,072 quarts of milk, at 2d. per et boo Rel Ua Gain of weight 500 lbs., at 6d. per lb., . . ota 100 Nitrogen in manure 414 lbs. = Ammonia &. s. d. 494 Ibs., at 6d.,. . He te iia) Phosphoric acid 393, Ibs., at lad. per Ib. 29 1 Potash 585 lbs., at 3d. per lb., : 7 6 3 22, 2 4 £168 11 0Q Manure per cow per day 88 lbs., per week 616 hs. s. d. Containing ammonia 3 lbs., cpetetiter (lO Phosphoric acid 2.40 lbs., . . . . 0 34 Potash 3.57 lbs., . . Staten Seen OrelOS Value of a cow’s excrement, per week, .... 2 8 The analyses of the chief ingredients of my own produce, or such extra materials as I usually purchase, have been made by Professor Way ; for other materials I have had recourse to a very useful compilation by Mr. Hemming (vol. xui., p. 449, of the Society’s Journal), and to Morton’s “ Cyclopedia of Agriculture.” The analysis of straw is that of oat-straw ; that of green food is derived from the analysis of rape-plant, cabbages, and kohl rabi. During February and March I have been using wheat and barley straw with mangold, and, as tk ese materials contain less oil, 1 give in the steamed food three ounces of linseed-oil per day to each animal. For the composition of milk I adopt that by Haidlen, whose method of analysis is reputed to be the most accurate, the proportion of butter in my milk being this season very similar to that given by him. It will be observed that this is the gross return for twenty-seven and one third weeks from the time of 426 APPENDIX.—HORSFALL’S SYSTEM. calving from which will have to be deducted expense of atter.dance, etc. Ss ee s The materials used for food are found to have cost. . 70 0 9 The value of these materials as manure consists of 888 lbs. nitrogen = 1061 lbs. ammonia, at 6d.,. . . 26 10 6 Phosphoric acid and potash,*." 2) S65 an ee Value of food ifemployed as manure, . . .£36 5 10 The 16,072 quarts of milk, at 2d. per quart for new milk, at which price it enters largely into con- sumption as food for man, amount to . . . £1383 18 8 The nitrogen in the milk 316 lbs.=ammonia £. s. d. 378 Ibs. , at 6d. per lb., Smear: be!) of Phosphoric acid in ditto. 45d Ibs., vat 1yd. per lb.,0 5 8 —— £9 14 8 From these statements it will be seen that materials used as food for cattle represent double the value they would do if used for manure, whilst that portion con- verted into food fitted for the use of man represents a value thirteen to fourteen times greater than it woull as manure. It then appears clear that it is for the feeder’s profit to use his produce as much as possible as food for cattle, with the view to convert it with the utmost economy into food for man, and thus increase rather than enrich his manure-heap. The calculation of caseine in milk is based upon the supposition that my milk is equal in its proportion of that element to that analyzed by Haidlen. Several analyses by other chemists show a less percentage, 4 to 4.50. As my cows are adequately supplied with albuminous matter, I have a right to presume on their milk being rich in caseine. The loss of nitrogen by perspiration, 150.65 Ibs., is nearly 17 per cent. Boussingault found a loss of 13.50 of nitrogen in a cow giving milk. The abstraction of nitrogen in the milk is i ae at £..38.-d. SlOnlbs values son. . ae The abstraction of phosphoric acid in the milk is com- puted:at 484 Tbsi5 ace os Se. Jee a) a COMPOSITION OF MANURE. 427 Either the rape-cake or bran alone suffices for the restoration of the phosphoric acid. The amount of phosphoric acid in the manure is 393 pounds, being about sixteen per cent. of the whole ash or mineral matter. The ash of meadow hay contains about 14 per cent., that of rape-cake 30 per cent., bran 50 per cent., malt-combs 25 per cent., and turnips, &c., 10. per cent. of phosphoric acid. The amount of potash im the excrement is 616 pounds, being about 25 per cent. of the whole ash or mineral matter. The ash of meadow hay contains about 20 per cent.; rape-cake, 21 per cent.; malt-combs, 37 per cent.; turnips (various), 44 per cent.; from which it may be inferred that the sample of excrement sent to Professor Way for analysis did not contain more than a fair proportion of these ingredients. To ascertain the quantity of excrement, the contents of the tanks into which the cows had dropped their solid and liquid excrement during five weeks were weighed, and found to be 500 cwt. 2 qrs. 0 lbs, from 18 cows, being 88 lbs. per cow per day. The sample for analysis was taken from that which the cows had deposited within the preceding 24 hours. This was collected in the mud-cart, well blended, and sent off quite fresh. It is sufficiently proved, by the experience of this district, that 20 pounds of meadow hay. suffice for the maintenance of a cow of fair size in store condition; a like result is stated to be obtained from 120 pounds of turnips per day. The six cows will have then required, during the 27} weeks, for their maintenance, only Total Albumi- j Starch, Per day. Weeks. | Weight. nous mat.| il. &e. | Tbs. Ibs. a 120\of hay or fer 27; 22,960 |containing of| 2127 616 9136 lé)\of turnips, or for| 274 | 137,760 OG «| 2295 306 | 910 They will further have required adequate food — 428 APPENDIX.—HORSFALL’S SYSTEM. saaiaee, atin Oil and but- eer a and caseine. ter. milk. For the production of . . . . .| 2,116 1,235 1,894 And for maintenance by turnips,. .| 2,295 306 9,100 4,411 1,541 | 10,994 The food supplied is ae Six do have contained . « «|| 35459 1,345 | 15,664 I omit the minerals, which are observed to be in excess of the requirements. For the maintenance of a fair-sized cow, for one day, in a normal state, the following elements seem ade quate: Mineral ine redients. Albumen. Oil. | Starch, &c. | Lime. Phospherts acid. In 20 lbs. of hay, . 1.85 536 F -90 sh In 120 “ “ turnips,| 1.98 -26 (( 5 Lk 2 97 1.9 When cows are in milk, there occurs a much greater | activity of the functions; they eat and drink more, evacuate more excrement, and, in all probability, spend considerably more food in respiration. Whilst the 17.60 lbs. per day dry matter in 20 Ibs. of hay are found adequate for the maintenance of a cow in a store state, the six cows in milk have eaten on the average 21.37 lbs. solid matter per day during the 274 weeks. When I have fattened cattle together with a number of milch cows of similar size, which gave on an average eight quarts of milk per day, the whole being fed with moist steamed food, and receiving the same allowance of green food, 1 have found the fattening cattle refuse water, whilst the milch cows on the average drank upwards of 40 pounds per day of water given sepa- rately. The eight quarts of milk contain only about 17.58 lbs. of water; still, in several analyses of excrement, [ have noticed little difference in the percentage of moisture in that from the fattening animals as compared with that from cows giving milk. . be oA ELEMENTS REQUIRED TO FORM BUTTER. 429 These facts would seem to show that upwards of 20 ibs. more water were given off from the lungs and pores of the skin of a milking than of a fattening animal. The excrement of the six milch cows, 88 lbs. per day on the average, is found to contain of nitrogen 35, equal to that in 2.25 lbs. of albumen; whilst 1.85 of albumen in the 20 lbs. of hay is found adequate for maintenance. On comparing the supply of the food to the six milch cows with their requirements and production, there seems an excess in the albuminous matter, a deficiency in the oil for the fat and butter, an excess in the starch, &c. Taking, however, the increased activity of the animal functions, and consequent consumption of food by the milch cow, I am not encouraged to lower my standard of food. That it has sufficed is abundantly proved, as each of the six cows under observation has gained in condition during 27§ weeks. My observations on nutrition tend to the conclusion that if vou supply animals with starch, sugar, &c., to satisfy their requirements for respiration, you enable them to convert the oil of their food into butter or fat to such extent as their particular organism is fitted for effecting it. On the 12th of March T purchased Mr. Smith’s cow (see p. 392) for twelve pounds ten shillings, being more than her market value, for the purpose of trying. her on my food; her yield of milk had then diminished to 8 quarts per day. On the 31st of March, four weeks from the former weighing, and nineteen days after being treated with my food, her yield of milk had increased to 94 quarts per day, and her weight to 8 cwt. 1 qr., being 28 Ibs. inerease. Mr. Pawson’s cow, which was continued on the same food, namely, meadow hay ad libitum, and a moze limited supply of turnips, reduced her yield of milk to .ess than 5 quarts per day, without alteration in her weight. My cow first placed on trial with those of Mr. Smith and Mr. Pawson gave a yield of milk of 12 quarts per 430 APPENDIX.—HORSFALL’S SYSTEM. day, and gained 28 lbs. in the four weeks, her weight on the 31st of March being 10 ewt. 2 qrs. The weight and the yield of milk of the six, on the 31st of March, were: Yield of Yield of 5 March 4. milk March 31. | milk Gain in per day. per day. |4 Weeks. ewt. qr. lbs. | quarts. | cwt. qr. lbs. | quarts. Ibs. Weight of No. 1. 10 0 26 8 10 8.9 58 SO Pe ae Eo ee D8) 14 ll 3 0°) 44.9 56 Sse aces trees oy Oy A 144) 10. 1 On eats 28 eer inyecs wee (Ge 10 3 0 14 LEGS. On ees 84 REDE RR SEO E0750 10 Lbs S00 eG 84 csebus 64 Sec aT ily Sh pe D 11 10° 20 ae 84 On referring to the previous weighing, there was little or no gain from Feb. 4th to March 4th, the cows being at that time in a somewhat more relaxed state. During March they wholly regained their consistency. The gain shown in the weighing, March 31, by the six cows, appears therefore unusually great. It should, however, be computed as made during the eight weeks from Feb. 4th to March 31, being with an average yield of nearly 12 quarts (11.66) per day each, at the rate of 84 lbs. each per week on the average. No. 11, it will be observed, is stated as giving more milk on the 31st than on the 4th of March. It occasionally happens that cows drop their yield of milk for a day or two, and then regain it, especially when in use. The whole of these six cows were kept free from calf till February, when Nos. 2 and 4 were sent to bull. T had some hesitation in regard to No. 4, from her hav- ing suffered from pleuro. Her milk, tested by a lac- tometer, denoted a less than average proportion of cream; still, in quantity, and keeping up its yield for a length of time, being of more than ordinary capability, I decided to retain her. Nos. 1 and 7, which are giving respectively 8 and 10 quarts per day, are in a state of fatness; they will probably be sold in June as prime fat, when their yield of mi.k will probably be 6 and 8 quarts per day each, ; 4 ; t PROPORTION OF CREAM. 431 They may be expected to fetch twenty pounds to twenty-three pounds. No.6 is also in a state of for. wardness. No. 11, which suffered considerably from pleuro, is in comparatively lower condition. During the season from the close of October to the close of January, I avoid purchasing near-calving cows, which are then unusually dear, my replenishments being made with cows giving a low range of milk, and intended for fattenmg. I find them more profitable than those which are quite dry. The present season I had additional grounds for abstaining from buying high- priced cows, from the recent presence of pleuro. On the 2d of March I had occasion to purchase a calving cow, which was reported to have calved on the 28th of February. Her weight on the 4th of March was 9 cwt. 1 qr. I supplied her with 35 lbs. of mangold, and hay ad libitum, of which she ate 22 lbs. per day. The greatest yield she attained was somewhat more than 13 quarts per day. On the 3lst of March her weight was 9 cwt., being a loss of 28 lbs. in four weeks. Her yield of milk had diminished to 114 quarts per day. A week after this her milk, during six days, was kept apart, and averaged 10 quarts per day; being at first rather more, at the close rather less, than this. The cream produced from these 60 quarts was 9 pints, the butter 63 oz. The butter from each quart of cream was 14 oz. The proportion of butter to milk was 63 oz. from 60 quarts — rather more than 1 oz. per quart. An equal quantity of milk from a cow (calved Oct. 8th) treated with steamed food, and set apart for com- parison, gave less than 7 pints of cream, which pro- duced 79 oz. of butter. In quality and agreeableness the butter from steamed food and cake was decidedly superior to that from hay and mangold. Mr. Stansfeld, of Chertsey, has supplied me with the following interesting particulars of two Alderney cows which were treated as follows: From Dec. Ist to Jan 15th, with Swedes and meadow hay. : 432 APPENDIX.—HORSFALL’S SYSTEM. From Jan. 15th to Feb. 17th, pulped and fermented Swedes, meadow hay, and 3 lbs. rape-cake, 2 lbs. bean- meal, 2 lbs. bran, 2 lbs. malt-combs. From Feb. 17th to May 1st, 5 lbs. rape-cake, 2 Ibs. bran, 2 Ibs. malt-combs. Results : December 1st to January 15th, yield of butter from each quart of cream, 103 oz. January 15th to February 17th, yield of butter from each quart of cream, 14 oz. February 17th to May Ist, yield of butter from each quart of cream, 183 oz. The yield of butter in proportion to milk, Dec. 1st to Jan. 15th, is described as unsatisfactory. The yield of butter in proportion to milk, Feb. 17th to May, as 2 oz. per quart, which is their maximum pro- portion. Soon after calving the two cows gave 18 quarts of milk per day; on the 15th of May, 15 quarts per day. Mr. Stansfeld has completely satisfied himself that by the process of fermentation the turnip loses its disagreeable taste, and that his butter is of excellent quality. If I take the supply of turnips, 120 Ibs. per day, as requisite for the maintenance only of the cow, the nutritive elements will be: Albumen. Oil. Starch and sugar. 1.79 264 7.92 Reckoning the oil as used for respiration, and computing it in proportion of 5 to 2 as compared with starch = 8.58 The fc od supplied to the cow consists of: Starch Phos Albu- ‘ F Mine- A Lbs. | Water.| Dry. Oil. and | Fibre phorie¢ ¥ | men. sugar. ral acid. 22 2+ | 19.36] 2.03 | .59 35 | 28.0 is 1.05 26.36 | 3.08 | .59 Hays tangata: ttored mangold, — OIL OF #HE BUTTER. 433 OZ. The 13 quarts of milk yielded of mas ipeta a at wlorou Deduct for moisture, &c., tae EN ARP PS dinars mnie! to) 11.32 Butter in the skimmed milk estimatedas. . . . .68 12.00 oz. 12 ounces of pure oil in the butter areg lb. =. . 7d Ib. Mpyailcin hatood.: hea Se ho 208s) aos bigs GBS The starch and sugar, . . ... . « - 12.94 Used for animal respiration, . . . . . 8.58 —— 4.36 There appears, then, in this supply of food, .59 Ibs. oil and 4.36 Ibs. starch for the production of .75 in the butter from 13 quarts per day, the cow’s greatest yield. At the time the milk was tested, aftermath hay was sub- stituted for first-crop hay, in equal quantity. This, it will be observed, is decidedly richer in oil. Her prod uce had lessened to 10 quarts per day; her production of butter was 10.50 oz. per day, or of pure oil about 9 oz.; for the supply of oil the aftermath hay alone would be much more than adequate. On examining the adequacy of the food for the sup- ply of albumen for the caseine, Ibs. Ifind thistobe, . . . 3.08 T assume that in 120 Ibs. of turnips, as “required ‘for maintenance, ina normal state, . . . .. . 1.98 1.10 Which, according to Haidlen’s analysis, will be adequate to the supply of 8.60 quarts per day. The supply of mineral substances is in excess. The cow, under this treatment, gave, Soon after calving, fully . . . . . 183 quarts per day. Five weeks after calving, Sas Mae ere es a Ee ered In less than 8 weeks after calving,. . 9 ‘ 66 & And with this there occurred also a loss of weight. We find this cow supplied with food amply rich in 434 APPENDIX.—HORSFALL’S SYSTEM. every element suited to her wants and purposes, with the exception of the nitrogenous principle only, lower- ing her condition, and likewise her yield of milk, till it approaches a quantity for which her food enables her to supply a due proportion of caseine. About the 20th of April, the cow’s yield being re- duced to 9 quarts per day, her food was changed to steamed mixture. Soon after this her yield increased to 11 quarts per day. Her weight, April 28th, 9 ewt. ; May 16th, 9 cwt. 14 lbs.: yield of milk, 11 quarts. I now introduce the dairy statistics of Mr. Alcock, of Aireville, Skipton, who has for some time been prac: tising my method of treatment, with such modifications as are suited to his circumstances. During the winter season, Mr. Alcock’s food consisted of mangold, of which he gave 20 Ibs. per day to each, uncooked, together with steamed food ad libitum, con- sisting of wheat and bean straw, and shells of oats. Carob bean and Indian meal, for each, . . 3 Ibs. per day. Bran and malt-combs, Loe th i een Bean-meal, se 3 bel val We ec Oe | Rapg-cake,* =<. foke Was te Ou fa) te ie ote ee Of axtra food... ic ite vee se Te From March 19, when his store of mangold was ex- hausted, he increased his supply of Indian meal to 4 lbs. per day, and omitted the carob bean. During the month of January, Mr. Alcock obtained from 759 quarts of milk 1323 oz. of butter, being from each 16 quarts 268 oz.; during February and March, from 7368 quarts of milk 12,453 oz. of butter, or from each 16 quarts fully 27 0z.: so that rather less than 91 quarts of milk have produced 16 oz. of butter. The average produce from each quart of cream was 203 oz. Mr. Alcock fattens his cows whilst giving milk, and sells them whilst giving 4 to 6 quarts per day. He * The rape-cake used by Mr. Alcock was of foreign manufacture, evi- dently rich in oil, but containing mustard, and on this acer unt supplied in less proportion. QUALITY OF THE. BUTTER. 435 quite agrees with me that it is far more profitable to buy far-milked cows for fattening; and obtains, from a change to his food, 2 to 3 quarts per day more than the cow had given previously. Though Mr. Alcock’s cream is not so rich as what I have described on pp. 377 and 378, it is more than ordinarily so. His mode of separating his milk from his cream differs from my own, his milk being set up in leaden vessels, from which, on the cream being formed, the old milk is drawn, by taking a plug from a hollow tube, with perforated holes in the centre of the vessel. To this difference I am disposed in some degree to attribute the less richness of Mr. Alcock’s cream. On examining the cream with a spoon, after the dairy- keeper had drawn off the milk, I observed some portion of milk, which would have escaped through my per: forated skimmer. Mr. Alcock’s proportion of butter from milk, which is the matter of practical importance, is greater than what I have shown on a preceding page, being from each 16 quarts of milk 27 oz. of butter. QuaLity or Butrer. — In January, 1857, samples of about 56 oz. each, of butter of my own, and also of Mr. Alcock’s, were sent to the laboratory of Messrs. Price & Co.’s candle-works, at Belmont. My butter was found to consist of (taking the pure fat only), Hard fat, mostly kaa fusible at 950°, . - 45.9 Liquid, oroleine,. . ° - 54.1 Mr. Alcock’s, Hard fat, mostly ene, fusible at 10°, . . . 36.0 Liquid, or oleine, e e ‘ay e eo, es 64.0 100.0 For these analyses of butter the agricultural public is indebted to the good offices of Mr. George Wilson, director of Messrs. Price & Co.’s manufactory. It will be observed that Mr. Alcock’s milk is richer in butter, 436 APPENDIX.—HORSFALL’S SYSTEM. and that his butter is also richer in proportion of oleine to margarine than my own. Professor Thompson (“ Elements of Agricultural Chem- istry,” 6th edition, p. 317) states that winter butter consists more of solid, and summer more of liquid or oleine fat. An analysis of butter made in Vosges gives: Summer. Winter. Solid or margarine fat, . . . .. . 40 65 Taquid (or: oleime) fat, ’),. ia, ).:s ie” (60 35 100 100 In Lehmann’s “ Physiological Chemistry” (Leipsie edition, vol. i1., p. 329), an analysis of butter by Bromus gives: Dlareariaes 5s '6. 3) fe.) a8) Ne a lat ee Oleine, . a= tio: linet, mie ep eenetereeaes Special butter-oil, FE ES ee 100 It will be observed that my butter may be classed as summer butter, and that Mr. Alcock’s is the richest in the proportion of oleine. Both were produced in the month of January. These results are important, and completely establish the conclusion I had previously formed, that the quan- tity and quality of butter depend essentially on the food and treatment; and that by suitable means you can produce as much and as rich butter in winter as in Bummer. 7 - PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. In the chapter on the Diseases of Dairy Stock, p. 271, allusion only was made to pleuro-pneumonia as one of the fatal epizodtics that have from time to time decimated the cattle of Europe. At the time the first editions of this work appeared, no instances of this terrible scourge had, to my knowledge, appeared in this country. During the year 1859, however, several cases occurred in Massachusetts and New Jersey, which, from their symp- toms both before and after death, can leave little or no doubt of their being genuine pleuro-pneumonia, while at the same time they add weight to the already conclusive testimony that the disease is contagious or infectious in its character. Whatever modification may appear in the symptoms exhibited in the cases in this country, as com- pared with those in England and on the continent, may be readily accounted for on the ground of difference of climate, treatment, &e. This dangerous and fatal disease derives its name from the parts affected. The pleura is the membrane which covers the lungs and lines the cavity of the chest, and pneumonia the substance of the lung itself. Pleuro- pneumonia is applied to the compound disease in which both these parts are attacked, and which, in its early stages, appears to be of an inflammatory character. The lungs are found, on a post-mortem examination, to have lost their light, porous consistence, and their pinkish color, and to have become very dark, condensed, or consolidated, filled with lymph to such an extent as to be impervious to air and incapable of expansion and contraction, indi- cating, of course, that they had lost the power of vital: izing the blood, when the animal must die. A large body (437) 438 APPENDIX.—PLEURO—-PNEUMONIS. of water is often found in the chest, as is observed in cases of pleurisy. The early symptoms of pleuro-pneumonia are often quite obscure, and would not be perceived where the dis- ease was not suspected, and the animal carefully watched, and perhaps not even then till it had considerably ad- vanced. The interior of the eyelids becomes red, while in the healthy animal it is a beautiful rose color; the pulse increases five or six beats over its usual activity, that of the healthy animal, from five to eight years, being about forty-eight or fifty a minute, that of the young an- imal being quicker — sometimes even as high as sixty. The respirations are increased in activity from five to ten per minute, the natural activity being about seven- teen per minute. The noise made in breathing, as the ear is placed upon the chest or just behind the elbow, be- comes louder, and resembles somewhat the crumpling of paper. If the sides are struck, the animal suffers more than usual, and there appears, morning and evening, a slight, dry cough, often short and painful. This is the first stage of the malady, and would not attract attention, since the animal may still continue to eat, drink, rumi- nate, labor, give milk, &c., apparently as usual. In this stage it is curable under careful treatment. Then the trouble rapidly increases. The appetite di- minishes; there is a disinclination to chew the cud, and it is done by jerks ; the hair is dull and staring; the temper- ature of the skin and external surfaces is very uneven ; the horns may be cold and warm alternately, or the legs may appear very cold, and the horns or other parts of the body hot. If in pasture, the animal withdraws from the rest of the herd; in four or five days after the disease is seated, the appetite ceases entirely ; the breathing be- comes quicker and more labored, the respirations in- creasing to thirty, forty, or even forty-five per minute ; the nostrils are somewhat dilated, discharging a light, muccus substance ; the animal lows, and appears to suffer ; in some cases it swells up. ‘The cow falls off in milk. In pressing even lightly upon the back, just behind the withers, the animal shows great pain. ‘The breath grows ‘ITS CONTAGIOUS CHARACTER. 439 warmer, and often fetid ; the danger rapidly increases, of course. The animal will often press her muzzle very hard against the partition as if for support, and breathe from the mouth, catching her breath with difficulty, and soon dies. The progressive symptoms vary greatly, how- ever, in different animals; but the cough is the key note of the disease, and appears in all. It is only in the early stage of the disease that it is curable ; and even if apparently cured, it is probable that the relief is only temporary, and that the disease is latent in the system, and ready to appear with renewed force on the occurrence of any exciting cause. After the very early stages, therefore, it is best to kill and bury the animal, and thus save cost and risk of infection. There seems to be no longer room for doubt that the disease is contagious or infectious. It appears to be com- municated by animal poison in the air proceeding from: the lungs and breath, or the respiratory surfaces of a dis- eased animal; and any animal of the same species, coming in contact or within the influence of this vitiated air, is very liable to be infected. It attacks old animals and voung, cows in milk or otherwise, calves and oxen, indis- criminately. From Collot, the author of a recent and valuable French work on the dairy cow, (Traité spécial de la Vache laitiére,} who speaks of this disease, Itranslateas follows: “This mal- ady is the greatest scourge which could fall upon the farmer ; it is hereditary and contagious, and hence it will rarely disappear, or rather never disappear, from a country which it has once invaded. To my mind, the terrible typhus is less to be dreaded than pleuro-pneunionia, be- cause if it strikes severely it may disappear, and is not persistent ; the evil is only temporary ; while with pleuro- pneumonia it is lasting, contagious and endemic, or latent, and ready to break out on any exciting cause. It is then the most terrible of maladies which could threaten our most valuable herds of cattle ; and I cannot comprehend the apathy of the government with regard to so great a calamity, which is insensibly extending in France, and en- ilangering the most powerful lever of our agriculture, neat 440 APPENDIX.—PLEURO-PNEUMOK A. zattle, — the most important production, and that which ought most to be encouraged, that of beef. The German countries give us an example of energetic measures. Why should we hesitate to follow them ?' “When the invasion is well ascertained, public function- aries should advise the destruction of all the cattle in the barn where the disease has established itself. If the owner refuses to take this advice, good as well for him as for the public at large, the public officer ought to do all in his power to hem in the disease, and to prevent the animals from an infected barn from being brought in con- tact with others in the pastures, or to be driven to the markets and the fairs. In fine, it will be necessary to establish around the locality of the infection a kind of cordon sanitaire, to notify the prefect and the minister of agriculture, and to raise a loud cry of alarm. because no malady has ever done so much evil as pleuro-pneu- monia.” : The outbreak of this disease can be traced invariably to the introduction of cattle from abroad, and its spread and extension can only be prevented by the immediate and complete isolation of the infected animals from others, or the destruction of all animals in which premonitory symp- toms appear, and those which have been exposed to the ~ infection. As already intimated, the first stage of the disease is the only period when it can be cured; and after it has become fixed upon the lungs, dosing is of little use, and the animal ought to be destroyed. In the first stage, Collot recommends “ bleeding slightly in the neck, and rubbing the whole body for half an hour with whisks of straw, and then to cover the animal and leave her alone. ‘Three or four hours after bleeding he would give an emetic in warm water, followed by eight similar doses two hours apart; during the inte vals of the two hours, moderate quantities of the fodowing beverage : — ‘Boil two or three quarts of barley for ten minutes in about two gallons of water; then pour off this water, which contains the acrid principles of the grain, and re EE ————— = ee ee COURSE OF TREATMENT. 44] place it by about five gallons of fresh. Boil this an hour, and let it cool till lukewarm; then add two pounds of sulphate of soda or Glauber’s salts. Administer doses of this water, strained through a linen cloth, four times a day. Continue this treatment three, four, or five days, until the animal is better. A second bleeding at the neck, if it can be done, if not, from the large vein in the belly, may take place eight or ten hours after the first. ‘““When the animal is better, give it at first some clear, warm water, and soon after increase its ration of hay, fresh grass or roots cut and mixed with barley meal, and a moderate dose of table salt. The temperature of this water may be gradually diminished, till in a few days the animal returns to its usual condition. Asa diet, dur- ing treatment, oatmeal is undoubtedly one of the best articles; and it may be made into a thin gruel, with salt enough to make it palatable. “If during the preceding treatment the animal should cough a little, and respiration be quick and labored, with an apparent pain in the chest, the tender parts should be rubbed with the following preparation : — 4 oz. puly. cantharides, (Spanish flies.) + “ euphorbia, (a powerful irritant.) 1 pint of alcohol. Mix in a small earthen jug, put the cork in loosely, and warm and shake it up, then pass through a linen strainer, and preserve it for use as a counter-irritant on the sides of the chest. . Rub the tender parts of the chest in order to produce irritation, which will terminate in small blisters containing a reddish liquid. Some have used successfully a common mustard seed poultice placed on the sides of the chest, after shaving off the hair from the parts; but the above preparation of Spanish flies is preferable. “Tf the animal coughs frequently, and the discharge from the nostrils is thick and yellow, and there is a rattle in ’ the air passages, prepare the following fumigation : — ‘ Boil two handfuls of mallows in water for half an hour, and place it, while boiling, beneath the nose of the an- imal, having enveloped its head with a cloth, so that it ig 442 APPENDIX.—PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. obliged to breathe the vapor. Repeat this fumigation four or five days. If this discharge continues, pass a seton through the dewlap, using with it the root of black hellebore boiled half an hour in vinegar. “The following may be made use of instead of the above : — oz. sulphate of alumina or potassa. “sulphate of zine. Spanish powders. oil of turpentine. camphor. Reduce these to powder, dissolve in one quart of strong vinegar, mix in a bottle, and shake it well. Raise the head of the animal, and turn a small spoonful into the nasal passages. The animal will sneeze powerfully, and throw out the thick mucus which obstructs the air passages. Repeat this practice for several days. “Tf the disease resists this treatment, and the animal refuses to eat or ruminate, or if, after having eaten, the belly is swollen, the animal froths at the mouth, lows fre- quently, and is unable to lie down, it is better to kill it at once, and not, while losing time, add to the danger of contagion. “Pleuro-pneumonia has not hitherto attacked any but neat cattle; it has not extended to horses, among which the contagion is not to be apprehended.” Mr. Winthrop W. Chenery, of Belmont, Mass., who has lost a large number of valuable animals by this malady, wrote to his correspondents in Holland for information in regard to the existence of the disease in the locality from which some of his cattle were obtained, and the modes of treatment recommended by distinguished veter- inary surgeons there, and received the following reply, which he has very kindly placed in my possession : — “There was no disease prevailing at the stables where the cows were procured, although a disease is existing throughout the whole country, (Holland,) known as ‘phthisis’ —a pulmonary disease. The governments of France and Holland have offered large sums to whoever shall discover a remedy ; yet none has as yet been found. ce “é Cat peed fed ek ped “cc EFFECT OF INOCULATION. 443 Cattle infected with this disease suffer a long time before it is observable ; and when first noticed, they are usually sold to the butcher, in order to be killed for food. “There is, however, much benefit to be derived from inoculating the healthy animals. This inoculation is done near the end of the tail. The hair is clipped off, the skin cleaned, and two incisions made with a lancet, into which the virus is introduced. The virus must be ob- tained from the lungs of a cow suffering with the disease, and killed for the purpose, and not from an animal that has died in the natural way from the effects of the dis- ease. The manner of obtaining it is to cut off a portion of the lung between the healthy and the infected parts, the part marbled like water. and the blood is wrung out into a vessel and allowed to stand one day, when the bloody part will sink to the bottom, and a lemon-colored liquid will remain upon the surface. This, if free from scent, is fit for use, and may be preserved ina vial. In cold weather it will keep eight or ten days before becom- ing too corrupt for use, while in warm weather it will hold good only one or two days. “The drops introduced into each incision will produce, in a week or fortnight, and in some cases a longer time, a pock quite similar to that caused by the inoculation of persons with the cow pox. When no pock appears, it is presumed that the animal is not susceptible to the disease. When the tail of the animal becomes much swollen, an incision is made, in order that the infectious matter may run out, and the wound is from time to time cleansed with water. “The benefits resulting from this discovery are such that where the peasants formerly lost from fifty to sixty per cent. of their cattle, they now lose only one per cent. “Inoculation is also practised on animals afflicted with the disease, and sometimes with favorable results. Some have resorted to bleeding, some have purged with English salt and water, others have fumigated and purified their stables, but no sufficient remedy has been found.” There is, it is proper to say, a difference of opinion among scientific practitioners in regard to the efficacy of 444 APPENDIX.—PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. inoculation — some contending that it will produce the identical disease, and infect the animal as injuriously ag if taken from the breath of a diseased animal, and others maintaining that the preponderance of the testimony is strongly in its favor. The reports of experiments of the Dutch, Belgian, and other commissions appointed to in- vestigate this particular point, are not very conclusive, though the results of the most extensive series of exper: iments appear very strongly to favor it. Prof. Symonds, however, came to an opposite conclu. sion, after a careful study of the cases that came under his observation. The causes which predispose an animal or herd to the attacks of this disease, Collot remarks, are continued and intense cold weather, thick, damp, cold fogs, and exhala- tions from woods and wet places, strong currents of air in spring and autumn, abrupt variations of temperature, exposure to rains, severe frosts, snows and storms, bad and cold, stagnant water from melted snow and ice, drunk while the animal is warm ; low, close, too warm and badly ventilated stables ; a feeding and management with- out change, and carried to extreme for the production of milk or labor, or insufficient nourishment followed by over- feeding, or want of regularity. Barns where the infec- tion is known to exist ought to be cleansed in the most thorough manner, by removing all the manure, by wash- ing with water, chloride of lime, &c., and then white- washing, and complete and long-continued ventilation for two or three months at least before it is safe to introduce healthy animals into them. It may be proper to remark that the Dutch cattle, which seem to have been the means of introducing the (lisease, have suffered less severely from it than others, and the short-horns more. The Dutch is properly regarded as one of the best dairy breeds in the world; and the fact that the disease happened to arrive with it should not preju dice the mind against it. BLACK TONGUE. 445 BLACK TONGUE. ABout the time the early editions of this work were in press, another epizootic disease broke out. and was making great havoc among the cattle of some of the southern states, especially North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. In the latter state it attacked, also, and destroyed vast numbers of the deer in the for- ests, and was not confined to neat cattle. This malig- nant disease was known as the black tongue, and was ascribed by many to the general existence of rust in the grain and grass crops in those states. The early symp- toms are stiffness, causing the animal to walk as though foundered ; copious frothing at the mouth, inability to take food, and rapid falling off in flesh, while the tongue and guins become very much swollen and turn black. This dreadfui epizoétic, unlike pleuro-pneumonia, runs its course with fearful rapidity ; and any treatment which it is proposed to try must be adopted with promptness, or it is wholly useless. It appears to be congestive in its character, and to assume a typhoid form. As soon ag the presence of the disease is suspected, Dr. Dadd rec- ommends giving twelve ounces of table salt in one quart of warm water, adding to it two ounces of tincture of capsicum, to act as a powerful antiseptic and stimulating tonic, and to relieve the venous congestion. Sometimes there appears to be an accumulation of gas beneath the skin. If this is observed, give the animal two ounces of pyroligneous acid, twenty-eight drops of pure oil of sassafras, and one quart of linseed tea. Mix the oil with the tea, and then add the acid. Then apply the following, rubbing the external surfaces of the tu- mors with it: Four ounces soft soap, half an ounce oil of sassafras dissolved in two ounces of alcohol, two ounces of tincture of capsicum, and one pint of the tincture of Peruvian bark. Cover the swollen tongue with fine salt; and as soon as any improvement in the animal’s condition appears, an ounce of the fluid extract of cam- omile flowers may be given twice daily as a tonic to re- store the appetite and the general tone of the system. 446 APPENDIX.—MILK SICKNESS, OR TREMBLEE. MILK SICKNESS, OR TREMBLES. In the timbered regions of the west and in Oregon there exists a terrible disease known as milk sickness, or trembles, which disappears from the region as it becomes cleared, cultivated, and seeded down with the natural grasses. The disease is probably owing to exposure to cold, damp, and destructive exhalations from the soil, and to want of sufficient care and food —a treatment which stock is too liable to receive in the early settlement of a new country. In a section, therefore, where the disease is known to exist, the cattle ought to be housed or shel- tered from the cold night air, and not turned out till the dews are dried off; and their hay or other food should not be left exposed on the ground. If after it is thus exposed to the dew it is fed to a young animal in the morning, it will be liable to cause death. ; The symptoms of the disease are described as irregular nervous action, trembling, spasms, and convulsions. The pulse is quickened, the tongue slightly swollen and coated brown, the urine highly colored, the bowels con- stipated, and the breath fetid. In cases of constipation give ten ounces of Glauber salts, one drachm of powdered ginger, and one drachm of goldenseal, in one quart of warm water. Rub the back with a little oil of cedar. If the breath is bad, give two ounces of pyroligneous acid, four ounces of glycerine, one quart of water, mixed, a wine-glass full three or four timesaday. ‘T'wodrachmws of tincture of Indian hemp given in a little water twice a day will relieve the trembling in cases that are curable. During this treatment the animal should be well cared for, and fed on oatmeal gruel. Prevention is, in all cases, cheaper than cure; and the presence of any of these epizodtic or endemic diseases aught to lead to great and constant care of stock. | INDEX. Aiton’s opinion of dairy stock, .. Jal epeniemiel isl temsy lowe LOW 4,o19 Albuminons substances, value of, as food, eiley Leis tal setae) ok eeae orien s 122-198 American cattle, originof, ...... aie eensa coor (0), (ile Meg 54, 55, 60 ub GRRE, 6°, oi Syaa ou.cile S chich, Geapeicahei 260 Analysis OH TRS 6 5 in oP Bsa ae, Baie wee igo knstop tats fap \orvsi alnicl ts ; 216, 307 ee SSP DULECE areas bees ees tails Pao amo NCR ION fy, i center ee 239, 379, 409 Og SOPGHEESC LN Jen icnbel ta eh ts! Ae ues Ee CNC CROC CELE tie Re pa 268, 269 “ US IDE RAR AC OAIESISESH T85e auice crcerge cle ali fekaishsecisn ienitennunentgs 379, 390 és FCOMIG TE SEOCL CHIR ols ob a Hb Gouna jen e) WTR 128, 197 a BNGEVAUC OL MGA CNR! veya eae tal vee iet cater sits hn ee de 198, 39s, 401 PAULA eS lem Cusym Garnet Sg tre Wy sll Veh afew vo\teh vac oauneveye as usted old tveline 10, 111 UNUUTA LOM OULCO] ORIN iirc ders civ cate) sot ele suis "eh te s viene eave 250, 251, 828 JASEOGTANIGM CONIA? BiRIGING, (ay Enh Ns GaSe: ai otto erech Beioele 226, 240, 365, 390 Ayrshires, as dairy ICONS Sry et erase ate eure. ie INL ee 5 Pe Ua TAs), TY Guieim ant pomts Of @: 1’ ear DOO eA 36 448 Butter, 1 ATWANTCI. tecre)c, sirehea te «sé “c inlumps, . . time of churning, 2 ‘ew is) Ve cleansing the casks for, . mode of packing, coloring of, . . factories, Butter-milk, use of, . . . és Cel veB, proportions of, Buying dairy stock, ... - Black tongue, symptoms and treatment of, raising of, valua of Guénon’s method Ofjudging; ..) =) saan. - 157, 159, 160, 163 feeding of by hand, diseases of, INDEX. must have the first milk, immediately taken from the cow, starving and over-feeding, feeding hay-tea to, food required, Calving, treatment of the cow at, Cattle, importance of weighing, 66 fattening of, BES Mele Oo eee) ie ee a 0) 66 Se) ol yee Se 8), 6. 6) ue. ee eee ee S..0) @_ee8, a. 'a 2 ee ee # « . ee : “ . 7 155, 156, Cheddar cheese, mode of making, . . Cheese, “ analysis of, early history of, composition of, made of cream, ORG skim-milk, making of, ... . breaking the curd, new and sweet milks, . Ae Wine SRA arial Way ovis teen ee eRe Le pressing of, . Balen hehe hee varieties of, . . .. coloring of, Cheshire, how made, Stilton, ate iss Gloucester, ** <§ Cheddar, “* « asadigester, .. . Dutch, making of, . Gouda, * a Edamer, ‘* OS mmouldgs ise! esa Cheshire cheese, mode of making, Choking, cure for, Churn, forms of the, ctl aa eene Churning, ... ee “6 ee ee Cleanliness the first requisite, oF 6) He temperature for, . by lever, by horse-power, 5 by dog-power,. . a Tanenves “styie) sane: oe . 6d 5: a ante at ens . ee) eae Sa ao eae oS eve ye te ea eed © . ene? aes . . Cie See) oe oe oe ¢@ ° e-te Jay (2 8 ° ee . 264, 268, 8 e@ © oe Gees eee e@ . 830, 831, 339, a a ae . . . 238, 411, 486 . 288, 328, 327 229, 236, 319, 412 ois 0. 4 Oaeareee 287, 238, 828, 826 oie. . 808, 304 Costiveness in calves, treatment of, ..........48s6 291,292 Cotton-see@ meal, analysisand useof, ......... LPR WAX 118 )7/ Cowss iwi thenatural or wild state; ... .-. 2 So 6 2. 6s 9, 68, 186 EC Uap treatment Obs. 6 < nein sre eee ode ee ice - 130, 181 SMMC LUSSUI CMON Oley a cits st val ve cain lg. fo: Notes 102, 106, 108, 109 Cream, treatmento®h® ...... a eat cere y ccs 236, 404, 411 SeeMUeTeNCe MFO ALY 5, rots Met nmi cey 64)! nafs) eaten 403, 406 Creamery apparatus, ..... SRO: te Bhciice 4 Us ene on 224, 226, 286, 240 Crosses and their results,. ... .. . 28, 54, 55, 58, 62, 68, 74, 77 Dairy cows, management of, . . 118, 116, 117, 119, 128, 140, 393, 418 ss Pe PRLOOMMemy ator UNE MOMs tm) joy afte sc esc, wees oy oe 1138, 116 ss PreoulauritvaOhtecdingans os ys. LE eos MON 133. ie, SURV OOH eye oe rated ARR Ceol ek aired re ate 233, 287, 409, 410, 412 cee intensiS. treatmientnOle vessels. e% se. os 296, 297, 299, 822, 347 Dairy-fed pork, excellenceof,. ...... sia Momw el copay Onsen 361 WoanyanancsrmoyLosm mem cients teuier elie os) cece wns int cele ere ALTE, 120 Piya wanmaneyleuber: LOvaspe! Wemie be: hel le! eiife\jetes ie) We) vey is eevee ne . 805 Wevoneanle origi and quality, Of Ae) Giclee ee Yets 6 el ees ia 46, 48 Diarrhoea, cause and treatment of;. . 2... 1 se ele ee 287, 291 Digestive organs, . 2... - sss Sims earskanae 22, 86, 109, 180, 277 Disenses;on@miny Stocks): 5 ee ees le se vat 271, 279, 286, 290 | Dyranlloy) GINgeSb5 "5 is eS et) poe ede emery eo: Zoic arnt ic wes) 20h. 2625 264 ss CC.) OTROS 6 pes Gardine Svieodkotc RO. Loe roma eoticn ee. 269 Drichucatbles scart hee a cos Fiy0 6 ghee 14, le 32, 37, 39, 40, 52, 104, 107 Dysentery, symptomsand treatmentof,.......+.+..-..+- 288 Harly maturity, importance of, . .......... 28, 86, 862, 364 Pilements1OntOOds fe smiieics sey iiss eie! co. © TG H2Z05 1225 125, 138, 397 Escutcheon, form of the, 24, 65, 66, 69, 91, 98, 95, 97, 99, 101, 1038, 105 oF TEANSMISSIOMIOMENE <6. 2) estes ts, Ue cee 2 65, 66, 67, 68, 70 G Olu@alinesiu een ciae tbe ia a lita el slate. Or es in aviele 102, 110, 155 Exceptional and characteristic qualities, Sa NCSE SEs, SAlEMtION Olas ss Shee Th LOCH Laine yin rales a Milk, nature and composition of, Olly gPATIS OL, 6 68 ous v5 “<< cheesy parte of, 5.5. « “ temperature for raising cream, ‘* curdling, . 6é “e ‘* intoxicating liquor from, «difference in quality,. . ew Ne 0) oe ea ee 6 et Oye re ele Tienes 154, 198, 426, re Te ech ys ee ee eae 298, 294 ee eerie ae MMS ean. ac - 293, 294 Masai Ses 18, 20, 25, 116, 183, 801, 398 es Soa 10, 61, 64, 67, ws 79, 80, 86 i Recta rater ty dos 81, 838, 85, 86 WH Bae 199, 200, 201, 203, 216, 395 200, 204, 216, 241, 395, 415, 426 . 200, 201, 205, 212, 228, 288 244, 245, 246, re 267 5 te ae See ae See 1, 202 SOs a RR 20S 209, ‘219, 10h 409 200, 204, 216, 217, 218, 289, 415 ¢ ' INDEX. 451 Milk, specific gravity of, ......... « cs 5, 2085 200E- 210 otal SPs ch ane eaee és 7 Od Symptomatic fever, treatment of, ....... SR ye es) ‘Teeth; indicative ofuge, | fi. c/s ki ae oo wie by) is) kg Seka ene the piece ye