STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 747 



or from 16 quarts of milk 17 to 18 oz. of butter. This is during 

 summer, and whilst the cows are at grass. 



During the winter season the supply of butter from the dairy- 

 keepers in this vicinity falls off to one-foui'th of what they pro- 

 duce in summer. 



I am led to infer that there is some misapprehension as to what 

 forms the excellence of butter. On inquiring of a Jermyn-street 

 factor, I learnt that rich oily butter is preferred in winter, and 

 hard butter in summer. This preference to hard butter in sum- 

 mer will doubtless be owing to its withstanding better the effects 

 of heat, and consequently being more palatable. 



It seems probable that the higher price of butter, in compari- 

 son with that of suet or other solid fat, is due not only to its 

 agreeable flavor but also to its proportion of olein, which is known 

 to be more easy of digestion, and more available for respiration 

 than solid or margarine fat. We find it preferred for pastry and 

 other culinary preparations, in which its peculiar flavor disap- 

 pears; the essential oil in which this resides being very volatile 

 and easily removed by cooking or exposure to frost. 



Olive oil, which amongst the vegetable oils has the greatest 

 proportion of olein (72 to 28 margarine), is much used in culi- 

 nary preparations, especially on the continent. Any one who has 

 partaken of a beef-steak nicely prepared with refined olive oil in 

 the cuisine of a first-rate foreign hotel^ will scarcely detect the 

 substitution of this oil for butter. 



The price of refined olive-oil to consumers is about equal to 

 that of butter; whilst tliat uf linseed oil, rape, &c., ranges at from 

 4d. to 5d. per lb. 



Use of Rape-cake. — Having had considerable experience in the 

 use of rape-cake as food for cattle, I ofier some suggestions to 

 those who have been less accustomed t<j it, my consumj)ti«)n uf 

 tliis material fur dairy cuws and fur fattening being u]>wards of 

 twenty tons per year. 



Wlicn T first gave an order to the manufacturer witli Avliom I 

 chiefly deal, al)uut six years ago, on explaining to him the j)ur- 

 pose fur which I re(|uired it he requested time fur its ju-eparatiuii, 

 and rec(»mni<'n(h'd that I wuuM givr him, at the time the fresh 

 seeds arriv<(l, an order U) tin,' extent uf my requirements fur the 

 year. As the quantity T ordered frll sh<>rt, I srnt f ^r a further 

 sui»jily without notice; i)\\ its arrival I was nut satisfietl with its 



