18' ON THE DAIRY. 



It is expected of tiie claimants to state distinctly the amount pro- 

 duced in the month of June ; and also in the four months next fol- 

 lowing the 20th of May. It is highly important that all the par- 

 ticulars in the management, from the first milking of the cow, to the 

 moulding of the butter for the market, should be carefully noted. 

 If tliese facts could be presented in a Journal form, so that the feed 

 of each week, and the produce of each week, could be distinctly seen 

 and compared, it would be a source of much instruction. 



The design of requiring statements for particular periods of time, 

 is, that all statements should have reference to the same period, so 

 that they may with propriety be compared together. If for instance 

 one person takes fifty days from May 20 to July 10, and another 

 14 days, from June 10 to June 24, there can be no fair comparison 

 between the two. We can easily conceive of such an arrangement 

 of the pastures, and of the feed of the cows, for a period of fourteen 

 days, as would show a very difibrent result fi'om what could be pro- 

 duced \n fifty days. These facts are adverted to, because some of 

 the statements are made in this manner. We want no forced state- 

 ments ; — we care not how good tiiey may be ; but we want them 

 in the ordinary way ; we want to see the whole truth, without any 

 artificial appliances, We do not want to meet the dairymaid in the 

 parlor, arrayed in her silks and ruffles ; — but we want to meet her 

 in the dairy room, with a smiling countenance, clean hands, and a 

 neat apron, ready to show how the cream is daily taken off, and how 

 the butter ia daily taken care of. 



There are many facts in relation to the making of butter, of great 

 importance to be distinctly noted. Instance, from some we learn 

 that the quantity of butter is materially influenced by the manner of 

 milking the cows ; — by being careful entirely to exhaust the bag at 

 each milking ; — one pint at the close, being said to be of as much 

 value as/<9wr at the commencement* 



It is presumed that there is a certain point of time, after the milk 

 has been set, when the cream can be severed from the milk to the 

 best advantage. We have looked through the statements to ascer- 

 tain when this is. We find them varying from twenty-four to seven- 



*We are reminded of the adrokuess of a slirewd fellow on a dairy farm in this viciniij-, wlio 

 was taught his early lessons among the Shakers, in a village of N. H. ; who being perniitled to 

 lake two quarts of niilk daily, for Uie use of his own family, used to take his pail, aiid go round, 

 after the cows had been milked, and strip out his two quarts. After understanding the diflercnt 

 btuter-mnking qualilies of milk, taken at different stages ol milking, it was not difficult to find a 

 reason Ibi the movement ol' this sliaker-umght manager. 



