1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FARJ^IER. 



77 



smoke to your likin?. I have practiced this method 

 thirty-two years. I have never eaten any hams 

 that would equal them in goodness. The meat is 

 tender, sweet and juicy; not salt and dry as most 

 of the hams are that we buy at the stores, e. l. 

 Long Plain, Mass., Nov. 21, 1868. 



< FANCY OR GILT-EDGED BUTTER. 



I have seen in the Produce Market Report, sev- 

 eral times the past season, that "Fancy Butter" is 

 quoted from thirty to furty cents a pound more 

 than the best of common butter. Now I would 

 like to inquire through the Farmer what that 

 butter is and how it is made ? Jacob G. Hotey. 



East St. Joknsbunj, Vt., Dec. 7, 1868. 



I would like to know how the "Gilt-edged But- 

 ter" is made that is spoken of in the Farmer ? 

 Will some one that knows how, please inform us ? 

 L. R. Partridge. 



Braintree, Vt., Dee. 12, 1868. 



Remarks. — We submit these inquiries to those 

 who know how to make "gilt-edged" butter, with 

 the hope that some one will reply. We are not, 

 however, very sanguine in our expectations that 

 every particular of the process of making "fancy 

 butter" can be put upon paper. The expression 

 "gilt-edged" as applied to butter, or to commercial 

 paper, means, we suppose, simply extra, premium, 

 superfine, — the very best. There are "gilt-edged" 

 articles of all kinds in the market; and there are, 

 also, "gilt-edged" farmers, "gilt-edged" house- 

 keepers, "gilt-edged" mechanics, "gilt-edged" men 

 and women, boys and girls, in every department 

 of life, all the way up to Presidents and Kings; 

 but who can divulge the secret of their superiority ? 

 Can they themselves impart it to others ? 



We were informed by one of the dealers in the 

 "gilt-edged butter" alluded to in our report of the 

 market, that in one case the woman who had charge 

 of a dairy which had for some time produced a 

 tip-top article of genuine "fancy butter," was ob- 

 liged to leave the establishment for a few months. 

 Notwithstanding all the advantages of her exam- 

 ple, and of her directions to her successor, the 

 butter made during her absence, from the same 

 cows, in the same room, and with the same uten- 

 sils, depreciated in value some twenty cents per 

 pound. On her return, however, the butter im- 

 mediately resumed its former excellence. 



Other cases of failure were spoken of, where in- 

 telligent men had failed in their efforts to produce 

 the true "gilt-edged" article of butter, though no 

 expense was spared in the selection of cows, in 

 feeding them, or in furnishing the necessary man- 

 ufacLuring conveniences. 



"We do not state these facts to discourage any 

 one in their efforts for improvement. Nor do we 

 doubt that considerable butter is every year pro- 

 duced by dairy women in the country which, if 

 offered by a well-known maker of the "gilt-edged," 

 would pass as a first rate "fancy" article. 



This leads us to remark that the reputation of 

 the maker is an important item in the character of 

 the article produced. Families who pay "gilt- 

 edged" prices demand assurance of the "respec- 



tability" of the source of the article ; assurance of 

 neatness and care in every process of its manufac- 

 ture. We have often heard the remark from a 

 neat farmer's wife, "I should dislike to be obliged 

 to use butter bought in market, without knowing 

 anything about where it came from, or who made 

 it." Nice city people have the same delicacy of 

 feeling and are willing to pay a round price for but- 

 ter that not only looks and tastes all right, but 

 which they know, and can assure their friends 

 who eat with them, was made with clean hands. 



This is all we know about "what that butter is, 

 and how it is made." 



CHEAP WASH FOR BUILDINGS. 



Will you please inform me through your col- 

 umns of some durable and cheap wash for build- 

 ings. Something ot the kind has appeared in your 

 paper, but I am unable to procure it. 



S. N. Howard. 



West Bfidgewater, Mass., Dec. 14, 1868. 



Remarks. — The monthly issue of the Farmer, 

 with its annual index furnishes excellent facilities 

 for preserving and referring to the valuable infor- 

 mation which appears in its columns. At page 47 

 volume for 1868, is an editorial article on "How to 

 Prevent the Decay of Wood," in which we intro- 

 duced the following rules for making whitewash, 

 given in the Scientijic American, to which we pre- 

 sume our correspondent alludes : — 



"Take a clean, water-tight cask and put into it 

 half a bushel of lime. Slack it by pouring water 

 over it boiling hot, and in sulEcient quantity to 

 cover it five inches deep, and stir it briskly till 

 thoroughly slackened. When the lime has been 

 slackened, dissolve it in water, and add two pounds 

 of sulphate of zinc and one of common salt. These 

 will cause the wash to harden and prevent its 

 cracking, which gives an unseemly appearance to 

 the work. A beautiful cream color may be given 

 to the wash by a,(itl\n^threo pounds of yelloio ochre ; 

 or a good pearl or lead color, by the addition of 

 lamp or iron black. For fawn color add four 

 pounds umber, one pound Indian red, and one 

 pound common lamp black. For stone color add 

 four pounds raw umber and two poundslamp black. 

 When applied to the outside of houses and to 

 fences, it is rendered more durable by adding 

 about a pint of sweet milk to a gallon of wash." 



KICKING cows. 



Is there any remedy for a kicking cow, besides 

 tying her in some of the various ways tbat have 

 been recommended? I have a valuable cow for 

 milk, gentle every way and appears to have a gen- 

 tle disposition ; but the instant that I take hold of 

 her teats to milk she will kick me over if i-he can. 

 If you or any of the readers of the Farmer can 

 tell me of a way to prevent or cure her from kick- 

 ing, you will greatly oblige e. l. 



Long Plain, Mass., Nov. 21, 1868. 



Remarks.— Something a little extra by way of 

 food given to a cow while milking will sometimes 

 prove effectual. A confirmed kicker, however, is 

 a bad subject, and the cheapest way often is to 



