1S39.J 



F A ii M E R S ' R i: G I S 1^ E R 



47i 



ami flavor, which was capable of beino; dissolved 

 in oily auholances. This niifrht all'Td a pm[)ci' 

 subject ibr a premium by Agricahural Socieiie^!, 

 In ihe mean time the following hiiit-s on this sub- 

 ject may be of some use. 



JjiUier, in its natural state, contains a considera- 

 ble |)roportion of mucous matter, which is riKjre 

 highly putrescible than the pure oily parts of the 

 buiter. Where it is, therefore, intended that but- 

 ter should be exposed to the heat of warm cii- 

 niales, it ought to be freed i'rom that mucilage be- 

 fore it be cured and packed up li-om keeping. To 

 prepare butler Ibr a distant voyage, thereibre, in 

 warm climates, let it be put into a vessel of a pro- 

 per shape, which should be immersed into ano- 

 ther containing water. Let the water be gradu- 

 ally heated till the butter be thoroughly melted ; 

 let it continue in that state for some time, and al- 

 low it to settle ; the mucous part will fidl entirely 

 to the bottom, and the pure oil will swim at top, 

 perfectly fransparent while hot, but when it cools 

 it becomes opaque, assumes a color soniowhat pa- 

 ler than the original butler before it was melted, 

 and a firmer consistence, more nearly resembling 

 that of tallow, and consequently it will better re- 

 sist the heat of a warm climate llian butter itself. 

 When this refined butter is becoaie a little stiff, 

 and while it still is somewhat soft, the pure part 

 should be seperated from ihe dreffs, and ihen 

 salted, and packed up in ihe same way as is direc- 

 ted for buiter. This would retain the salt longer 

 and keep much lonser sweet, in hot climates, 

 than if it had been cured in ils original state. 



This refined butter may be preserved in yet an- 

 other way, which I have someiimesseen practised 

 here by way of medicinal bonne baud ip. (comfit.) 

 After the butter is purified, add to it a certain pro- 

 portion of firm honey, mix it well; it will incorpo- 

 rate thoroughly with the butter, and when cold, it 

 eats very pleasantly spread on bread like butter ; 

 and may be given to old people, if tliey relish it, 

 instead of marrow, and to others as being useful 

 for coughs and colds. These were the uses 

 to which I have seen this substance applied, and 

 on these occasions the proportion of honey em- 

 ployed was considerable, i have seen it kept for 

 years, without mailesting the smallest tendency to 

 rancidity, so that there can be no doubt but that 

 butter might thus he preserved in long voyages 

 without spoiling. The only point that remains to 

 be ascertained is, what is ihe smallest propo'tion of 

 honey that would be suliicient to preserve the but- 

 ter. Sugar is known to be a much more powerful 

 antiseptic than common salt, and probably honey 

 may be in that respect nearly on a i)ar with sugar. 

 If so, it would be reasonoble to suppose that one 

 ounce of honey might be sutlident to preserve six- 

 teen ounces of buiier. In that case the taste o! 

 the honey would not be extremely perceptible, so 

 that the buiter, even to those who might not re- 

 lish the sweet composilion above mentioned, miiiht 

 •prove very agreeable, especially if a little sail 

 were mixed with it when about to be used. A 

 few experiments would be sufficient to ascertain 

 this particular. 



•From the circumstance of the-honcy incorpora- 

 ting with the butler, and not separating fiom it 

 in a fluid state^ it would promise nearly to ac- 

 complish the purpose wanted above. Whether, 

 when it became very fluid, and was long continued 

 m that state, any separation would take place; or 



whether the honey in sucli circumstances would be 

 in danger of Itjrmenting, are questions that expe- 

 rience alone can determine. Sugar, though it would 

 preserve the butter equally well while it continued 

 in a solid stale, would doubtless separate from it 

 when it became fluid. Whether molasses would 

 do so, or what effects they would in this case pro- 

 duce, I cannot tell; but u few experiments would 

 ascertain these points. Should any method of 

 preserving butler in warm climates be discovered, 

 it would be productive of so many benefits to in- 

 ilividuals, and to- the nation at large, by giving 

 an opening Ibr a new branch of" commerce and 

 and manufacture, that it is much to be w-ished the 

 few experiments warned to ascertain these points 

 were made, with such care, under the direction of 

 persons who would faiililully report the result lo 

 the public, as should be suificient to remove all 

 doubts upon this head. 



P. S. The greatest part of the observations 

 contained in the foregoing pages, were derived 

 from a lady, W'ho is now beyond the reach -of 

 being affected by any thing in this sublunary 

 woild. Her beneficence of disposition induced 

 her never to overlook any fact or circumsttince 

 that lell within tlie sphere o( her observation, wliich 

 promised to be in any reepect beneficial to her 

 fellow creatures. To her gentle influence the 

 public are indebted, if they be indeed indebted at 

 all, for whatever useful hints may atany time have 

 dropped, from my pen. A being, she thought, 

 who must depend so much as man does, on the 

 assistence of others, owes as a debt to his fellow 

 creatures, the communications of the little useful 

 knou'ledge that chance may liave ihrown in his 

 way. Such has been my constant aim : such 

 were the views of the wile of my bosom — the 

 li'iend of my heart, who supported and assisted me 

 in all my pursuits. I now feel a melancholy sat- 

 isfaction in contemplating those objects she once 

 delisrhted to elucidate. 



FAT MUTTON SUGAR-BEET. ' 



From the Farmers' Cabinet, 



It is to be regretted that so little attention is paid 

 to the proper sheltering of cattle in this country. 

 One would naturally suppose that the interests 

 of owners would point out a proper course ; and 

 that once systematized, and the advantages 

 of strictly attending to the comfort and conve- 

 nience of our cattle made manifest, even to the 

 most skeptical, that whole neighborhoods*would 

 adopt the system, and that, in a resonable length 

 of time, it would, very extensively, if not univer- 

 sally, prevail. It is lamentable to say that this is 

 not the case. For some reason or other, which I 

 have not as yet been able to ascertain, improve- 

 ments make but slow advances ai:nong our far- 

 mers. It may be, that they consider improve- 

 ments as innovations in those customs which have 

 "grown with their growth." Some, with the evi- 

 dence before iheir eyes, evidence which they can- 

 not possibly resist or gainsay, refuse to profit by 

 the experience of others. 1 have several cases 

 ill point, one of which I will note. For a num- 

 ber of years i have been in the habit ol" aiiending 

 Ihe Philadelphia market, jirincipally'with mutton, 

 and as I always personally eupcrintcnded my 



