DELICATE NATURE OF MILK. 107 



The milk of cows is chiefly used among Europeans 

 for the purposes of the dairy, but that of goats, and 

 even of sheep, was formerly much employed in several 

 parts of this country, and is, even now, not gone quite 

 out of use. The milking of ewes is alluded to in many 

 Scottish ballads ; and, at no very distant time, ewe-milk 

 cheese was to be met with in our markets. It was, how- 

 ever, a strong-flavoured, unpleasant cheese, and not worth 

 the trouble of making. The milking of ewes was also 

 injurious to the welfare of the flock, and has been almost 

 everywhere discontinued, since the improvement of live- 

 stock has become so great an object with the farmer. 



Milk is of so delicate a nature that it is affected by 

 the least change in the state of the air. No sooner is it 

 drawn from the cow than it begins to be acted upon by 

 the warmth or coolness, the closeness or openness of the 

 weather, and by many other circumstances which we 

 scarcely take into account. The business of the dairy, 

 therefore, calls for much care and attention, and, above 

 all, for extreme cleanliness. A little inattention in 

 leaving cheese, meat, &c. in a dairy, or in not venti- 

 lating it properly, will turn all the milk sour. Nothing 

 is worse than the smell of provisions in a milk-house, 

 and a good dairy-maid will take care to admit nothing 

 of the sort. 



Milking is carried on in the cool of the morning and 

 evening. Before sunrise the household of the dairy 

 farmer is all astir. The lads and lasses are abroad whilst 

 the dew is heavy on the grass : they have been breath- 

 ing for hours the pure morning air, have seen the 

 glorious sun arise, have mingled their carols with those of 

 the lark, and have borne home their well-filled milking 

 pails, before the drowsy citizen has shaken off his slum- 

 bers, or begun to think about the business of the day. 



" A friendly tripod forms their humble seat, 

 With pails bright scour'd and delicately sweet. 

 Where shadowing elms obstruct the morning ray, 

 Begins the work, begins the simple lay." 



