MILK-FEVER. 



broken into pieces by a machine. Cattle are 

 never entirely fed on oil-cake, but in conjunc- 

 tion with other substances, as turnips, potatoes, 

 cut hay, or cut straw. When given with cut 

 hay or straw, an ox will eat from 7 to 9 Ib. of 

 cake a day, and the hay or straw induces rumi- 

 nation, which the cake itself is not likely to do. 

 When given with other substances, as turnips 

 or potatoes, 3 Ib. or 4 Ib. a day will suffice. A 

 mixture of oil-cake and cut meadow-hay forms 

 a very palatable and nutritious food for oxen, 

 and is a favourite one in England. Oil-cake 

 costs from II. to 10/. a ton. 



Statement of the comparative quality of Milk from 

 8 Alder ncy and 8 Kerry (Irish) Cows, upon the 

 Farm at Oakley Park, in May, June, July, and 

 dug ust, 1840, by Mr. R. White, tested from a 

 Lactometer holding 1 Pint of Milk, and divided 

 into 100 parts by Index. 



Butter churned from 3 pints of cream from 

 each : 



Alderneya - 1 Ib. 8fc oz 

 Kerrys - - 1 Ib. 4| oz 



This was taken in August, when the Alder- 

 ney's produce of cream was at the lowest. 



MILK-FEVER. Cows in high condition are 

 most subject to puerperal fever. This inflam- 

 matory disease sometimes appears as early as 

 two hours after parturition; if 4 or 5 days 

 have elapse 1, the animal may generally be 

 considered safe. On the appearance of this 

 fever, from 6 to 10 quarts of blood should be 

 laken, according to the age and si/e of the 

 animal. The bowels must be opened, or the 

 disease will run its course ; and purging once 

 established in an early stage, the fever wiL, in 

 the majority of instances, rapidly subside, 

 leaving the strength of the constitution un- 

 touched. (Youatt on Cattle, p. 547, 548.) 



MILK-HOUSES AND CELLARS. The 

 milk-houses in Holland and elsewhere, and the 

 spring-houses of Pennsylvania, have been re- 

 ferred to anddescribed under the head of DAIRY. 

 Of late,cellars under houses, properly arranged, 

 are coming to be preferred for the purpose of 

 keeping milk to either milk-houses, milk-vaults, 

 or even spring-houses. Among the advantages 

 claimed for cellars are, being at hand every- 

 where at a small cost ; and keeping drier, thus 

 less disposing to must. 



Mr. Miller, of Delaware, a correspondent of 



the Farmers' Cabinet (July, 1843), speaking of 



the cellars used in the vicinity of Wilmington, 



says : It is found sufficient, if the cellar be 



103 



MILKING. 



sunk a few feet below the surface of the earth, 

 with a wide and shallow window on each side, 

 the bottom of it level with the ground outside ; 

 well protected with a wire guard to keep out 

 vermin, large flies, &c., and provided with a 

 close glazed sash, which can be opened and 

 closed at pleasure, by lifting it up to the ceiling, 

 which ought to be no higher than the top of the 

 windows; so that the air of the cellar can be 

 ventilated by opening the windows of the two 

 opposite sides, according to the way the wind 

 sets at the time, shutting them quickly when 

 necessary; for in cold, windy, or damp weather, 

 the sooner the windows are again closed, the 

 better. Indeed, to the management of the cella 

 in this particular, much of the success of dai 

 rying is to be attributed; cold and damp ai 

 being unfriendly to the formation of cream 

 and its proper and entire separation from the 

 milk. Hence, therefore, it is a bad practice to 

 set the pans on the brick floor of the cellar; 

 they ought always to be placed around on 

 shelves, about three feet in height, and these, 

 after being well washed with hot water, should 

 be wiped quite dry, that no mouldy evaporation 

 might take place to spoil the butter. The air 

 near the floor of a dairy is always impure, 

 being loaded with acid vapours and putrid ex- 

 halations, the density of which confines it to 

 the lowest part of the room ; hence it is, that 

 the doors of some dairies are made with lattice 

 work, that the air near the floor, a>- ^\ell as that 

 near the ceiling, might be ventilated at the 

 same time ; these lattices being furnished with 

 sliding panels, may be kept close in bad weather. 

 The milk-cellar ought always to have a northern 

 aspect, and be well shaded by trees, not grow- 

 ing too near the windows, so as to impede a 

 dry current of air, or to create a moist atmo- 

 sphere ; this consideration being of more im- 

 portance than would readily be imagined. 



Cellars thus constructed and carefully at- 

 tended, will, no doubt, supersede the use of 

 spring-houses generally, before many years 

 have passed away ; by which the business of 

 the dairy will be rendered more agreeable, less 

 laborious, and far less inimical to the health 

 of those, particularly of females, whose occu- 

 pation it is to attend to its never-ceasing duties. 

 In the Wilmington market, "cellar-butter" 

 usually commands an extra price. 



MILKING. In the operation of milking, the 

 great rules to observe are, regularity, gentle- 

 ness, and cleanliness. The following observa- 

 tions are taken from an American periodical : 

 " When you go to milk, take a vessel of cold 

 water and sponge. Wash the udder and teats 

 clean, dashing on the cold water. This will 

 prevent the teats from becoming sore, and the 

 udder hot and feverish, besides rendering the 

 process of milking much neater. Milk with 

 clean hands. The whole business of milking 

 s frequently conducted in such a slovenly 

 manner that the milk is entirely unfit for food. 

 The cow should be milked while eating her 

 fodder at morning and evening. She should 

 always be milked and fed at the same time in 

 he day, and uniformly by the same person. 

 Milk without interruption. Be sure to milk 

 he cow as dry as possible. To be milked by 

 different hands, at different times in the day, in 

 3Z 817 



