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1 From the Central N. Y. Farmer. 

 •The Dairy. 

 "■Wexlesire once more to call the attention of 

 .our readers to the subject at the head of this ar- 

 ticle, and, if possible, to impress upon the fann- 

 ers who are engaged in the production of Butter 

 and Cheese, the iinpcrtance of attending more 

 , particularly to tlie quality of the article produced, 

 -than many have liitherto done. The value of 

 the products of the, dairy in this State are large 

 and constantly increasing. Prices are so low at 

 present, as almost to discourage the attempt to 

 manufacture at all — but we design to show be- 

 fore closing this article, that instead of relaxing 

 . their exertions, in conserjuence of the depressed 

 .prices of produce, the pi-esent is precisely the 

 time for improvement, both in quality and quan- 

 tity. The market for Butter and Cheese has for 

 , the last four or five years been so fluctuatiiig, 

 .ranging, fo/ butter, from eight to twenty-five 

 cents, and for cheese, from four to ten cents — 

 that farmei'S have been unable to make any safe 

 . calculation .while preparing their produce for 

 market, as to the proiiable amoimt of their sales, 

 and the consequence has been, that sometimes a 

 . much larger return has been realized than was 

 anticipated, and in other seasons, the amount has 

 .come so far short .of the farmers' expectations, 

 as seriously to disappoint him in his engage- 

 ments. /These changes and fluctuations are, 

 . however, in a great measure, beyond the farmers' 

 control, and vexatious as they must always be, 

 will doubtless continue jii some degree lo exist. 

 Our produce dealers , have, for the last few 

 , years, in many instances, suffered more severely 

 than farmers themselves. Probably more than 

 half of the individuals engaged, in the purchase 

 and sale of butter and cheese, have within the 

 last five years either failed or suffered the loss 

 of large sums as the result of their operations. 

 •And yet we fear that in loo many instances, farm- 

 ers do not sufliciently appreciate the usefulness 

 of this class of citizens, regarding them too often 

 as speculators preying upon the interests of the 

 , producing classe.-j, rather than aiding them in 

 •disposing of their produce. 



It becomes important for farmers and dealers 

 r to learn what are the causes which have pro- 

 ■duced so much disappointment, and if the rem- 

 edy is with either, or.both, it would seem to be 

 for the interest of all concerned, to correct the 

 . evils at once. Arnong all the losses and vexa- 

 ■ tions attending the sale of the products of the 

 dairy, we venture to say that seldom if ever has 

 any material loss been sustained on afrst rate 

 article. We telieve that those who have had 

 most experience in the business, and who have 

 for years been familiar with the New York smd 

 .Boston markets, wjl! sustain us when we say 

 • chat.nine-tenths of all the losses which have oc- 

 curred in this busines.s, have been on an inferior 

 article, and one which ought never to have gone 

 to market If we are not correct in this position, 

 our correspondents are desired to set us right, 

 and to give us their views and opinions without 

 . reserve. 



Let every individual who is engaged in the 

 production of butter and che£se,. determine to 

 make none but the first quality, and see that the 

 buttet js .packed in nice smooth and tight kegs 

 or tubs, and the eiieese so attended to as to pre- 

 serve its good qualities until, i: is consumed, and 

 we greatly. mistake the good seu.se and liberalitv 

 of the consumers, if the maker is not rewarded 

 for his- labor. ' 



iWe know that a tliousand excuses may be and 

 often are framed for making a poor article, but 

 we also know that where suitable accommoda- 

 tions are at hand, there is no real excuse for 

 -Slaking l)Ulter or cheese of an inferior quality. 

 Now if there is any thing so very difliciilt in tlie 

 process, why is it that many of our farmers uni- 

 formly make a gooii quiility, while others always 

 fail ? The truth is, and farmers will sooner or 

 later find it out, that it is just as easy to manu- 

 facture an artice of good quality, as to make the 

 miserable and unpalatable stuti' which is year 

 after year sent to market under the name of but- 

 ter and cheese. What becomes of these articles 

 after they go from the cheese room or the cellar.^ 

 Why they nraspnt to the market where first the 

 butter of good quality is purchased ft)r family 

 use — another portion, the .flavor of which is so 

 bad as to render it entirely unfit for the table, is 

 purchased by .bakers, ivho manage To rcot nut 



the. bad qualities to such an extent as lo make it 

 answer their purpose, and the balance goes 

 abroad under the name .of grease, and is sold at 

 prices varying from four to eight cents per pound. 

 •Cheese is disposed of in about the same manner, 

 except that instead of being sold for grease, the 

 poor article is purchased for fish bait, and so the 

 whole, both good and bad, is'finally disposed of, 

 while the dairyman curses the times or the buyer, 

 or possibly the Administration, if he belongs to 

 the minority parly, for keeping the prices down. 

 Let no farmer or farmer's wife say, '• 1 c;\nnot 

 make a good article, 1 always have bad luck," 

 &c., but rather let them try to improve until the 

 produce of their dairy is not in any respect infe- 

 rior to the best that goes to market. It is true, 

 and we say it with pride and satisfaction, that 

 many of om- fartners are using every exertion to 

 improve the quality of their dairies. To such 

 the meed of praise should be awarded, and we 

 hope also to see them receive that more substan- 

 tial reward which will compensate them for the 

 toil and care necessarily bestowed upon their 

 busines.s. The farmers have the means at hand 

 for correcting all the faults ami the mismanage- 

 ment which at present exists in dairy manage- 

 ment. They, above all others, are deeply inter- 

 ested ; and they cannot long remain indifferent 

 to their own interests. The spirit of improve- 

 ment is abroad, and will continue to increase 

 until the dairy products of New York shall be, 

 as some of them now are, equal to any in the 

 world. 



Produce dealers may also do iruich to improve 

 the quality of these articles. It has been said 

 that they should make a greater difference be- 

 tween a good and a poor article. We go farther, 

 and say, take the good at a fair price and let the 

 poor alone; do not purchase at any price. You 

 then make the producer think by touching his 

 interest. This is the mo,>!t effectual method of 

 reaching him. .And why should the buyer take 

 an article to market on which he invariably loses 

 money .' 



We hope that our readers will not only think 

 upon this subject, but that they will put their 

 thoughts on paper, so that we may have the plea- 

 sure of spreading them before the public. We 

 give some valuable articles this month as an ear- 

 nest of our intention to do this subject full jus- 

 tice. C. 



The Rattlesnake. 



We find in "the Southern Sportsman" tlie 

 subjoined interesting account of a rattlesnake, 

 which the writer had in bis possession during a 

 long period, for the purpose of studying the 

 physiological characteristics of that reptile: — 



Some years ago, in the country, I liecaiue pos- 

 sessed of a fijie specimen of "the rattlesnake, 

 which I kept alive in an iron cage (luring a whole 

 year. While he was in my possession, I had 

 ample opportunities of studying all his charac- 

 teristics, his mode of life, spont.-uieous instincts; 

 in short, many new features in this terrible crea- 

 ture's peculiar physiology. 



At first, when the negro from whom I bought 

 him exhibited him to ino on the verandah of niv 

 residence he had a small cord fastened round his 

 neck. On my seeing him, I asked if his fangs 

 had been extracted. It appears, from what hap- 

 pened .^ifterwar.ds, that my ,quesiiou, was badly 

 put, or ill understood, since the negro readjiy 

 answered that they had. 



To give me a complete idea of the size and 

 beauty of the creature, he took him out ot the 

 small wooden box in which he had brought him 

 to mo, feai-lessly detached the string, .nnd let him 

 loose on the ground. The reptile began to glide 

 in a sinuous, undulating, but gentle course, along 

 the court. Seeing him approach the limits of 

 my neighbor's plantation, 1 desired the negro to 

 bring him back, lor fear of his tres|)assing on an 

 unknown locality. 



Obeying my^instructjoiis, the man immediately 

 recaptured him, which he effected by applying 

 bis fingers to the back of his head, and brought 

 liim to me again. I then 'began to examine him 

 attentively; and after haYing'caused bis moulli 

 to be opened, what we'it my astonishment and^ 

 concern in perceiving two long and terrible fangs 

 projecting from tl)e sides of his upper jaw. 1 

 Ihought for a motipeiit hOw* inconsiderate we had 

 been in leaving hlin'-frye\ foi'' an' instant. , How- 

 ever, J said nothing, Viit went forthwith for n 



small forceps, and instantly extracted them. I 

 questioned the negro as to his fearlessness in 

 seizing such a dangerous animal, seemingly with- 

 out the least precaution. He replied that there 

 was never any danger when the snake was not 

 rolled up, preparatory to making a spring. I had 

 already heard of ibis peculiarity in ,the reptile, 

 but this was the first ocular demonstration of its 

 being taken advantage of, that I experienced. 

 We put him in his new abode, I paid the negro 

 his price, and he deparled. 



At first I sought .diligently to procure for him 

 his usual food, which . consists of small living 

 animals, such as birds, the ynungof rabbits, squir- ' 

 rels, &c., but, for the whole of the time he was 

 alive with ine, I,never once knew him to eat. 

 The only appetite beseemed to consult was that 

 of drink, in which he indulged most abundantly, 

 plunging his head into the water furnished him, 

 and swallowing large draughts at a time. 



When in a state of excitement, be would vio- 

 lently agitate his tail, giving forth that noise of 

 the rattle which inspires so much terror in his 

 natural wilds amongst all the beasts of the field; 

 and, looking with intentnessof purpose, to which 

 some people fancifully ascrilie fascination, would 

 dart on the object wl|ich displeased him, with 

 the rapidity of lightning. There is a peculiarity 

 in the structure of this serpent's mouth which I 

 had frequent opporliuiity of ob.serving. The two 

 fangs are bent inward to such an extent, that, to 

 enable him to make use of them, it is necessary 

 that the upper jaw should be thrown very far 

 hack. Thus, when he intends to biie, nothing 

 can equal this extraoidinary appearance of his 

 mouth so expanded. It absolutely appears as if 

 his head were half ofl^. 



When he was lying at his length, if I ventured 

 to come near, to threaten him with my finger, or 

 with any other object, passing briskly over the 

 wire of the cage, I used to see him prepare for 

 defence, gathering his folds into a spiral form, 

 which frequently became a double spiral — one of 

 which being formed by the lower half of the 

 boily, in the middle of which his rattle was per- 

 pendicular, vibrating; the other in an inverted 

 way, by the upper part; but this incompletely 

 terminated, on account of the position of his 

 bead, which he turned against the middle of his 

 body, as if he would there take a point d'appui 

 to overlook the object by, which he was dis- 

 turbed. 



This animal remained thus enclosed nearly 

 one year without takinganvfood whatever, (from 

 28lir,Tune, 1840, to lltli of" June, 1841.) 



In the spring of 1841 he changed bis skin, or 

 rather epidermis, by which i was enabled to re- 

 mark how he increased the number of rings in 

 bis rattle. There were ten of these when 1 

 bought him; on this event occurring, I nuudjer- 

 ed eleven. The last tnigmept:^ .remaining of the 

 old epidermis were stuck to the new rattle. It 

 is very well known that these appendages are a 

 continuation of the epidermis in the rattlesnake, 

 as the nail.s are n continuation of the epidermis 

 in man. 



During his captivity, two long venomous 

 fjings bad replaced those which 1 had at first 

 torn out. 



.After his death, I stuffed him and preserved 

 him. in a glass case. I put him in the position of 

 a double spii-al, which was habitual to him when 

 he was excited ; and I gave him, as nearly as 

 possible, his exact attitude when Jie disposed 

 himself to dart forward, opening, very wide his 

 vast moulh of resplendent whiteness; showing 

 his threatening fangs on bolh sides of <he upper 

 jaw, qpd on the outside the moiion of projection 

 and retraction of his narrow forked tongue, dart- 

 ing with an extreme rapidity through a gutter in 

 the middle of the inferior jaw; liis. jiead being 

 elevated two or three inches ft-om the ground ; 

 bis neck resting against the njidflle of his body, 

 as if he woidd thereby be assured of the violence 

 of his shock; |iis eyes fixed arid glowhig; his 

 caudal raltle perpendicular erect, and agitated by 

 its startling and terrifying vibr(ilit)fi. 



H.aving had frequent opportunities of talking 

 about this animal with uiy friends and visiters in 

 the cau(iiry, I Jej^riied many peciihadlies of the 

 habits and instinct of his kind. 



The rattlesnake, whelher met with in his ex- 

 cursions on the gi'ound, or surprised in his pri- 

 vate recesses,, ynless provoked, either on purpose 

 or thi'9Ugh inadvertence, is never the. aggressor 



