No. 112.] 21S 



in the fall, and are retarded in their operations by heavy rain« 

 and freezing nights ; this ought not so to be ; the ditches should 

 all be dag, and the tile or stone laid before freezing nights and 

 hea\iy rains come, as the banks are very liable to slide in and 

 cause delay and unnecessary expense vrhcn the operation is per- 

 formed so late in the season. If the operation is performed 

 sooner, the covering settles and becomes firm, and as the rains 

 come, the drains are performing their work of silently carrying 

 away the surplus water, and the soil will be in better condition 

 for a crop the following year. 



Very respectfully, &c., 



JONATHAN TALCOTT. 



DAIRY STATEMENTS. 



Butter. — Joskua Ballard 2l>, Homer, Cortland County. 



Method of Manufacture. 



The sample of butter presented to your committee for your in- 

 spection, Vv'as manufactured by the undei'signed in the following 

 manner : After the process of milking was over, the milk was 

 strained into tin pans, and set away on what is commonly called 

 milk racks, and was permitted to stand there until it began to 

 thicken ; as to the length of time it stands, depends entirely upon 

 the state' of the weather. The cream is then taken off, and kept 

 -as cool as possible until the next morning, and then churned in 

 a dash churn, when it begins to have the appearance of souring^ 

 cold well water is apj)lied in small quantities, until the butter is 

 sufficiently gathered, it is then put into a bowl and washed 

 usually twice in cold water, then salted in the proportion of about 

 ■one ounce of salt to a pound of butter, and then worked as little a« 

 possible, or suflirient to mix the s:ilt well through the butter. The 

 butter is worked witli a h'Vtr, then it is set in the cellar until 

 the nexUmorning, when it is again worked liglitly, then put into 

 the cellar again until the next morning, then worked again and 

 packed in tubs, a cloth is thtn spread over the butter and cover- 

 ed with about half an inch of salt moistened with water, and a 

 tea spoonful of saltpetre dissolved in tlie water for each tub, 

 after which it is kept as near air tight as possible. 



