276 Management of Dairy Cattle. 



next the north window is a plug or hollow tube, with holes per- 

 forated at such an elevation as to take the water before it flows 

 over the cistern. 



Durins: the summer the door towards the kitchen is closed, 

 and an additional door is fixed agamst it, with an interval 

 between well packed with straw ; a curtain of stout calico 

 hangs before the trellis window, which is dipped in salt-water, 

 and kept wet during the whole day by cold water spurted over' 

 it from a gutta-percha tube. On the milk being brought in it is 

 emptied into bowls. Some time after these bowls (of which a de- 

 scription is given in a former part of this) have been placed on the 

 cistern, the cold-water taps are turned till the water rises through 

 the perforated tube, and flows through a waste pipe into the sewer. 

 The taps are then closed, so as to allow a slight trickling of water, 

 which continues through the day. By these means I reduce the 

 temperature, as compared with that outside the window, by 20°. 

 I am thus enabled to allow the milk to stand till the cream has 

 risen, and keep the skimmed milk sweet, for which I obtain 

 Id. per quart. 



Having heard complaints during very hot weather of skimmed 

 milk, which had left my dairy perfectly sweet, being affected 

 so as to curdle in cooking on being carried into the village, 

 I caused covers of thick calico (the best of our fabrics for 

 retaining moisture) to be made ; these are dipped in salt- 

 water and then drawn over the whole of the tin milk cans; 

 the contrivance is quite successful, and is in great favour with 

 the consumers. I have not heard a single complaint since I 

 adopted it. 



Finding my butter rather soft in hot weather I uncovered 

 a draw-well, which I had not used since I introduced water- 

 works for the supply of the village and my own premises. On 

 lowering a thermometer down the well to a depth of 28 feet, 

 I found it indicated a temperature of 43° — that on the surface 

 being 70°. I first let down the butter, which was somewhat 

 improved, but afterwards the cream ; for this purpose 1 procured 

 a moveable windlass, with a rope of the required length ; the 

 cream-jar is placed in a basket 2 feet 4 inches deep, suspended 

 on the rope, and let down the evening previous to churning. It is 

 drawn up early next morning and immediately chumeil ; by this 

 means the churning occupies about the same time as in winter, 

 and the butter is of like consistency. 



The advantage I derive from this is such that, rather than be 

 without it, I should prefer sinking a well for the purpose of 

 reaching a like temperature. 



When winter approaches, the open trellis window to the north 

 is closed, an additional shutter being fixed outside, and the inter- 



