FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 185 



In butter making the milk bus to be cooled again to 70° or less, stirring con- 

 stantly through the whole process, in order to assist evaporation and secure a 

 uniform heating ami cooling of the Avhole mass. When cooled to the desired 

 temperature, it is set for cream. It is by tiiis process that the best creamery 

 butter, that commands the highest price, is made. 



In cheese making by this i)rocess of heating, the milk is cooled down to 100°, 

 the rennett applied, and the curd worked in the usual manner. 



To test this heating process, two years ago, I asked my patrons, whose cows 

 were eating leeks in the spring of the year, to send tlieir milk to the factory for 

 one day. They did so, and I lirst heated it up to 1G0°. Then I cooled it to 84°, 

 and applied the rennett. After cutting the curd, I heated it again to 100", and 

 let it cool at that point. I was disappointed in the result. Contrary to my ex- 

 pectations, I produced a very good cheese from milk badly tainted with leeks. 



In conclusion, I repeat that good cows, well fed, watered and cared for, are 

 the first essentials to profitable dairying. Thoroughly airing and cooling milk 

 as soon as possible after it is drawn is a necessity that cannot be overlooked. 

 A cool milk room, away from the odors of the kitchen or cellar, in butter mak- 

 ing is anotlier necessity. Perfect cleanliness in the milking vard or stables is 

 still another necessity. Of course the ladies are always neat. It is in this man- 

 ner, which I have imperfectly described, that dairying can be made a paying 

 branch of our diversified modes of extracting money from the soil of our farms, 

 and the $100,000 now lost by putting an inferior article of butter and cheese on 

 the market, saved to the farmers of Eaton county alone. 



Discussioisr. 



Prof. Beal. — How many of your neighbors believe it is injurious to the milk 

 to have the cows drink stagnant water? 



Mr. Preston. — Very few of tliem ; yet much of the tainted milk that comes 

 to the factory, is caused by bad water and improper food. Sometimes, how- 

 ever, it is caused by a 1-ack of necessary care and thoroughness in cleansing the 

 vessels containing the milk. .Sometimes, also, by leaving it too long exposed 

 to the odors of the barn. 



Prof. Ingersoll. — What do you- consider to bo the value of permanent pasture 

 for stock? 



Mr. Preston. — I regard June grass and white clover as the very best of pas- 

 ture, and it yields the largest quantity per acre. I regard it as a mistaken 

 idea, that an old pasture must be plowed : better put a harrow upon it and give 

 it a top dressing of plaster. 



Asa Mitchell. — I have a piece of land that has been cleared thirty years ; 

 after one crop it was self-seeded ; since that time it has been pasture. There 

 are six aeres of it, and it yields more and bstter pasture than any other ten 

 acres on the farm. 



Some one asked Mr. Preston whether he would feed turnips to milch cows, 

 to which he replied that he would not feed them any kind of turnips that he 

 had ever seen yet, as they would invariably taint the milk. He tiiought noth- 

 ing so well supplied the place of grass as green corn and wheat bran. 



Mr. L. Shepherd, of Olivet, read the following paper, entitled 



IS AGRICULTUKE A SCIENCE? 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : — I am aware that this is no 

 new subject, nor one that has not been discussed in all its bearings in relation 

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