154: TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



interested in the pursuit of the same branches of productive industry, and 

 feeling, he trusts, a due sense of obligation for valuable hints in their pro- 

 secution, can speak of his system and practice with positive knowledge and 

 confidence. And believing that there is much in them both interesting and 

 valuable, as addition to the mass of excellent information and knowledge 

 "which the club is gathering upon the subject alluded to, as well as upon all 

 others which interest the agriculturist, the horticulturist, and the fruit- 

 grower, and which it is, with a truly commendable earnestness and 

 thoroughness of criticism, sending forth again, through its legitimate chan- 

 nels to the thousands who compose its interested auditory, he has taken 

 some pains to get from him a particular history of the same, the substance 

 of which, touching the main points, is as follows : 



The basis for a good and profitable butter dairy is, a stock fulfilling as 

 nearly as practicable, all those constitutional and structural conditions 

 which combine in the animal high milking qualities, with good size, robust 

 health and longevity. The next step is a prompt and thorough practice of 

 the best method of treatment of the same by which the largest yield of 

 the best quality of milk is secured. The next and best step in the 

 achievement of a first-class dairy of butter is the application to its manu- 

 facture of an intimate and critical knowledge of the true process from the 

 expressing of the milk to the final touch the butter receives preparatory to 

 the transit of the package to market. 



How to take the first step ? i. e., lay in the stock, or near it, Mr. Car- 

 penter thinks can be known much more satisfactorily by reference to and 

 study of popular authorities on the subject — writers who have made the 

 rearing of stock with that view a speciality, and yet it is practical common 

 sense and close and accurate observation which must be the main depend- 

 ence at last. The next branch inquiry, which is none the less important, 

 is not so easily pursued to satisfactory results by an appeal to the same 

 sources of information. Long and close experience has confirmed Mr. 

 Carpenter in the accuracy of the following system or mode of treatment : 

 The best summer food for the dairy stock, that which yields the largest 

 quantity and best quality of milk, is a mixture of the finer grasses, such as 

 red and white clover, timothy and blue grass, all of which thrive well in 

 desirable combination in the pasture fields of the Chemung valley. All 

 coarse, rank and strongly-flavored weeds of whatever description, must be 

 banished from the feeding range of the dairy stock, otherwise butter of the 

 finest quality cannot be made. Neither should they be fed, during the 

 milking seasoa on any description of roots or coarse pungent vegetables, 

 such as cabbage, if the butter is to be packed in firkins or any other vessel 

 with the purpose of keeping. 



Even pumpkins are not desirable, though they may be used without 

 material detriment. In the spring the roots are most commonly used, 

 and advised. A small allowance of grain is much more beneficial. It 

 accomplishes just what is needed, without contributing to undesirable 

 results. It gives additional strength of muscle — the main thing desired — 



