FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



175 



then carefully removed the cream from each pan. I then determined the 

 amount of fat in the new milk and in the skimmed milks. The following 

 table shows the result : 



More cream fails to come to the surface in milk kept at 32° than at higher 

 temperatures. This seems strange, but I tested this matter repeatedly, always 

 with like result. As I consider cream that remains in milk as so much loss, 

 it seems to me that persons engaged in butter-making cannot take too great 

 pains to keep milk at the temperature most favorable for cream to rise. The 

 loss from a few quarts of milk would not be very great, but when a person is 

 engaged in dairying upon a large scale, he might find himself at the close of 

 the season, decidedly out of pocket in consequence of such neglect. 



Another point closely connected with temperature, is the depth at which) 

 milk set for cream should stand. I tried some experiments by placing milk; 

 in graduated tubes. In the first tube I placed milk two inches deep ; in the sec- 

 ond, four inches; in the third, six inches; and in the fourth, eight inches. 

 After allowing them to stand twenty-four hours, I read the amount of cream in 

 each tube, and found the percentage to be about the same in each. After re- 

 moving the cream from each specimen, I determined the amount of fat (cream) 

 remaining in the milks, and found that they all contained about the same 

 amount. I infer then, that within certain limits the depth of milks set for 

 cream is not important. 



Coyiditions that Modify the Character of Milh. 



The length of time elapsed after calving has a decided influence upon milk. 

 The first milk is very rich in cheesy matter; but after a few days this excess 

 disappears. The general rule is that the greater the length of time after calv- 

 ing, the less is the amount of, milk given, but the amount of water iii the 

 milk of a cow that has been in milk for some time is very much less than that 

 of a new milch cow; so that for practical purposes it may be just as valuable 

 even if the amount given is less. 



The age of cows is said to have a very decided influence upon the quantity 

 and quality of milk, and a cow is not considered to be in her prime until she 

 has been milked several years. Milk of young cows is considered poorer in 

 quality, and smaller in amount tlian that of older cows. 



The character of the season is said to influence greatly the quality of milk. 

 Cows give a greater quantity of milk during wet seasons when grass is succu- 

 lent. But the milk in said to contain much more water than in dryer seasons, 

 so that the milk for a wet season does not furnish any more butter or cheese^ 

 even if the milk is greater in amount. 



The question of what influence the hmd of food has upon milk, is one of 

 great practical interest to the farmer. For instance, after a cow has been fed 

 for some time upon dry hay, is it not possible by tlie addition of oil-cake or 

 ground feed or other rich materials to the food, to make the milk richer iu 



