THE GENESEE FARMER. 



365 



CHUENIKG IN WINTER 



Where is the farmer's wife who has not been 

 troubled more or less with churning in winter? We 

 recollect having to help churn for two days, and, alter 

 all, we had to throw the milk away, for the butter 

 would not come. Cows fed on straw cannot be ex- 

 pected to have much butter in their milk; the poor 

 things need the whole of it to burn in their lungs to 

 supply animal heat We opine that this is one of 

 the reasons why butter will not come. 



It is well known that butter is held in emulsion, 

 in the form of oily globules, encased in a film of 

 caseine, (curd,) and that agitation bursts these films, 

 when the oil or butter, being specifically lighter than 

 the milk, rises to the surface and concretes. This 

 effect is aluhij/s accompanied hy the formatioti of 

 lactic acid from the sii^ar of milk. But below a tem- 

 perature of fiO° this formation of lactic acid does not 

 take place, and consequently the butter will not come. 



To make butter come, then, we would advise bet- 

 ter fci'.d for the coios. In addition to the straw or 

 hay, give some shorts, a few mangel wurtzel or beets, 

 and, what is best of ail, a little oil-cake. Then your 

 milk will contain butter, and to get it out will not be 

 difficult Place the milk where it will not freeze, 

 and the cream in a temperature of about 60°, and 

 keep it till it gets sour, which will not be long, if the 

 temperature is uniform. Avoid heating it in the 

 day and freezing at night; such a course will turn 

 the cream bitter instead of sour. In churning, the 

 temperature should be (in winter) as high as 60° 

 when the cream is placed in the churn, and about 70° 

 when the butter comes. A good "thermometer 

 churn "is of great advantage in winter as well as 

 summer, not because it has a thermometer, but be- 

 cause of the admirable means it affords of placing 

 warm water outside the churn. 



To Prepare Rennet. — One gallon of poor whey 

 is boiled some time with a handful of salt and a lit- 

 tle saltpetre; the solution is then strained, and when 

 it has cooled to the temperature of new milk (98'' 

 Fah.,) four large maws (the stomach of calves) are 

 put into it — the whole is placed in a covered jar, 

 and may be used after standing fourteen days. I'he 

 quantity of this solution will be from four to five 

 fluid ounces for a cheese of thirty pounds; two jars 

 of prepared rennet should be kept, to be used alter- 

 nately. The skins may be re-salted, and dried, to be 

 used again the following year. This is the Cheshire 

 plan. In Gloucestershire a strong brine is boiled, 

 and when cold, to eveiy two gallons four maws are 

 added, with two lemons, and the liquid, after stand- 

 ing a month or two, is fit for use, at the rate of 

 about half a pint to thirty gallons of milk. 



lu the dairy districts of the State of New York 

 the stomach is emptied of its contents without scra- 

 ping or rinsing, salted and dried, and kept for one 

 year. It is then soaked for 24 hours in tepid water, 

 a gallon of water to each rennet They should be 

 frequently rubbed and pressed, to get out all the 

 strength. The liquor containing the soluble rennet 

 is then saturated with salt allowed to settle, and 

 Btrained to separate the sediment and all impurities. 

 It is then fit for use. It should be kept in a stone 

 jar, and in a cool place. As much of the liquor is 

 used each morning as will set the cheese firm in 40 

 {QJQates. 



WATERING SHEEP IN WIHTER. 



That sheep can do with les3 water than other do- 

 mestic animals, is well known. That they should be 

 forced to do with a less quantity than they desire, or 

 compelled to do without any, except what is acci- 

 dentally supplied by melting snow or rain, no reasfon- 

 aitie or merciful man can believe for one moment. — 

 In some experiments on South Down sheep, at Roth- 

 amstead, we found that in the summer months each 

 sheep eat 3 lbs. of clover hay, and drank about 6 lbs. 

 of water daily. Thinking that they drank more 

 than was favorable fur the deposition of fat we con- 

 fined them to a less quantity ot water for one week. 

 The result was that during that time they eat less 

 food and lost tveight. This result satisfied us that 

 sheep knew better than man, though he were scien- 

 tific, how much water they required. 



But we need not quote experiments. The com- 

 mon sense of every man tells him that sheep, as well 

 as all other animals, should be abundantly supplied 

 with good, fresh water. Cows and sheep, il possible, 

 should have free access to it at all times. For, un- 

 like the horse, they will not always drink at stated 

 times, however regularly observed. A well, pump 

 and troughs would seem, therefore, to be necessary 

 appendages to every well managed barnyard or 

 sheep fold. Kind reader, act on this matter, and 

 your sheep and cows will bless you, if not in words, 

 at least in wool, milk and profit 



ITEMS SUGGESTED BY THE NOVEMBER NUMBER. 



Rain, rain, rain — a decidedly damp time. Let us 

 remember last year — what a noble season we had for 

 fall work — and be thankful. Perhaps it may dry off 

 yet so people can husk corn, dig potatoes, plow, and 

 get ready for ivinter. Yes, we must be ready, for 

 Winter will soon come, — " binding all nature with its 

 icy chain." I take up the Farmer, and come first 

 upon the 



British Breeds of Cattle. — You are right in 

 thinking those "heads of the cattle will be of interest 

 to your readers." My experience has been confined 

 to grade Devons principally, and I like the cows well 

 for the dairy. We want cattle that will bear scanty 

 feed sometimes — for these dry seasons that occur 

 every two or three years, burn up the pastures on 

 most grain farms. We can, with a little care, get 

 much better grazing than we now do, so grade short 

 horns would probably prove more profitable for feed- 

 ing. I see that a small infusion of " blood " increases 

 the size and hastens the maturity of our native " all 

 sorts " stock. 



Utility of Soil Analyses. — Your views on this 

 subject comcide with those of many intelligent fiip. 

 mers — and they are glad to see you speak out so> 

 plainly. 



New York and Canada West Fairs. — Do yott 

 think there is improvement in the management of 

 Fairs over a few years ago? It seems to me there is, 

 and there is room for still more. " Young America"' 

 must be held in check, however, for " large receipts '^ 

 are not the great object of Agricultural Fairs. — 

 There may be success in " drawing a crowd," which: 

 shall work great injury to the future of the cause. 



Domestic Pigeons. — There is a suggestive para*- 

 graph at the close of this article on teaching children- 

 the habit of caring for animals. Pets of this kind/ 



