AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 157 



hours after the first salting, it should he stirred with a ladle and left in the 

 form of a honey-comb, in order to give it the greatest possible surface ex- 

 posure to the air, which gives color and fixes the high flavor. 



Butter, when well manufactured, while standing preparatory to paching, 

 is composed of granulated particles, between which are myriads of infini- 

 tesimal cells filled with brine, which is its life. At this period it shovild be 

 touched with a light hand, as too much and too careless working will de- 

 stroy its granular and cellular character, and reduce the whole to a com- 

 pact and lifeless mass, with an immediate loss of flavor, and a certain and 

 reliable prospect, if packed, of a rapid change of its character from indif- 

 ferently good to miserably poor butter. It should never be worked in the 

 tray while in a dry state, or all the ill results just alluded to will be real- 

 ized. As a general rule, after the butter has stood in the trays twenty-four 

 hours, and has been worked three or four times as directed, it is ready for 

 packing. After the firkin is filled, it should stand a short time, and then 

 should be covered with a clean piece of muslin, and the whole covered with 

 brine. 



It will not be out of place for the writer to state from his own know- 

 ledge, and upon his own responsibility, a few facts in connection with the 

 above, referring solely to Mr. Carpenter's success as a dairyman. For the 

 last twenty years, beside fattening the calves to the customary age of four 

 weeks, he has averaged a fraction over two firkins to the cow per year. 

 He has had butter stand in packages in his cellar for one year and a half, 

 and open them with a flavor so fresh and sweet that the very best and most 

 critical judges and buyers were deceived one year in its age — none even 

 suspecting it to be the product of a former year. He never has, during 

 that period, failed to reach in New York market the highest figure repre- 

 senting the maximum market for Orange county butter ; and latterly, he 

 has very often overreached the very highest market from ^ to 2| cents per 

 pound. 



Messrs, W. R. Prince & Co., of Flushing, presented fine Japan lilies. 



Mr. Field. — We often hear complaints by farmers and gardeners of the 

 failure of crops, from plants, which nevertheless give large crops in other 

 places. The Lord has given us a vast variety of plants, and all have places 

 peculiarly fitted for their perfect success. 



The club selected as subjects for consideration at the next meeting : 

 " Summer flowers," and " Fruit for farms." 



The club adjourned to Monday, September 6, 1858. 



H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



September 6, 1858. 

 Present, Messrs. Field, Paine, Fuller, Burgess, Tracy, Tredwell, Hon. 

 John Gr. Bergen, Adrian Bergen, of Long Island ; Hon. John D. Ward, 

 of Jersey City ; Dr. Poole and Doughty, and others, of Jersey ; Distur- 



