THE GENESEE FARMER. 



173 



Could we remove all the casein, no change would 

 take place. Could we remove all the sugar, the tend- 

 ency to rancidity would be greatly reduced if not en- 

 tirely removed. The casein acts as a ferment, and, in 

 the presence of air, soon changes the sugar into lactic 

 acid ; and, when mixed with oil, into butyric acid 

 — an acid which emits a mingled odor of vinegar 

 ■ and rancid lutter. The presence of salt arrests all 

 change in casein itself, and consequently destroys 

 its power of inducing change in other bodies in con- 

 tact with it. Hence the use of salt. A saturated 

 solution of sugar has the same effect. But that the 

 small quantity of sugar of milk in butter " causes it 

 to keep well," is contrary to the general laws of 

 chemistry. 



One recommendation in the manufacture of 

 cheese is contrary to the practice of most American 

 dairymen, though strictly in accordance with chem- 

 ical principles : 



" Special care should be taken to remove all the 

 whey from the curd, or as nearly all as possible, 

 'before salting: and then afterwards to press the 

 cheese thoroughly." 



The chapter on "Manures" is in the main excel- 

 lent, though there are some doubtful recommenda- 

 tions, such as dissolving bones in moistened ashes, 

 and decomposing salt with lime ; neither of which 

 can be done. 



The book ends with a valuable chapter on " Prac- 

 tical Agriculture," in which most of the principal 

 points in good farming, especially in New England, 

 are alluded to. 



THE BOTHAMSTEI3:E2fPEKIMENTS. 



The following extracts from a private letter from 

 •J. B. Lawes, Esq., possess so much general interest 

 that we trust he will excuse us for giving them to 

 the public : 



" RoTHAMSTED, St. Albaus, Eng. ) 

 April 20, 1858. \ 



'•''Dear Sir : — Your experiments upon Indian Corn 

 are valuable as confirming the general character of 

 cereal exhaustion. We still require experiments 

 upon the Sugar Cane ; but, as far as I can learn, 

 guano containing a high percentage of ammonia is 

 used with remarkable success. 



"The experiments here are very much in the 

 same position as when you left Rothamsted. We 

 had a very fine season last year. The highest pro- 

 duce of wheat in the experimental field was fifty 

 bushels per acre ; that on the unmanured plot being 

 between eighteen and nineteen bushels per acre. 



"The report of the barley experiments you will 

 have seen before this reaches you. It does much 

 towards establishing the ammonia-exhaustmg char- 

 acter of the cereals. 



" We are now beginning to publish the whole of 

 the feeding experiments. They have required much 

 labor to get them ready for the press. 



" The question whether plants can absorb nitro- 

 gen from the air, is of great interest. It has been 

 a subject of experiments in France. Those of M. 



BorssiNGAULT and other eminent chemists proving 

 that plants are unable to do so, while those of M. 

 ViLLE give a contrary result. Last year I had a 

 series of experiments conducted here by Dr. PtiGH, 

 a young American who has been studying chemis- 

 try for some years in the best continental laborato- 

 ries. He intended returning to America last autumn, 

 but I have persuaded him to remain another year, 

 to conduct a more extensive series of experiments 

 upon this subject. Tlie French chemists are look- 

 ing anxiously for our results, as it is hoped they 

 will settle the question. Dr. Pugh is a man of 

 great abilitie.?, and an excellent chemist. He can 

 not fail to take an eminent position on his return 

 to America. I shall give him a letter of introduc- 

 tion to you, on his return, as you will be glad to see 

 a person who has passed two years at the scene of 

 your former labors. 



" With the exception of a series of experiments 

 upon grass, I believe I have not made much addi- 

 tion to my field experiments. I think these experi- 

 ments on grass are the most striking of any to the 

 eye. Where the alkalies and phosphates alone are 

 used, the pasture is a mass of clovers and trefoil ; 

 but when amoaia is used, it is all grass. 



Believe me, yours truly. 

 4 J. B. Lawes. 



Joseph Haeeis. 



SUGGESTED ITEMS. -No. 21. 



May-day is liere, but it has not brought a great 

 deal of grass with it — the 'bite' is short compared 

 with what we expected from the early opening of 

 the spring. It is especially so, when the farmer, 

 tempted by the Avarm weather of mid-winter, 

 allowed his stock to roam over his meadoAvs and 

 pastures. But what shall we now do ? Cows and 

 sheep have such a longing for grass that they grow 

 poor on the best we can give them witliout it; so 

 they must go and pick up what thay can; it will 

 soon be enough for them. 



" The lest G^'uin Farm ! " How much I should 

 have liked to have been with you on your visit to 

 " The Premium Farm of the Empire State." It 

 shows what judgment, skill, and "abundant capi- 

 tal" can do — and it is -the three combined which 

 do the work. Too many farmers, when they get a 

 few dollars ahead, buy more land, instead of ini- 

 proving what they already have. Ten to oiie, tht. 

 latter would be the more profitable course, 



'•'•Ex])e7'iments on Indian Corn'''' I should like to 

 see repeated in a dozen different cases. I hope the 

 continued offer of the premium l)y the State Soci- 

 ety will indtice repeated trials, and that you will be 

 among the competitors another year, 



'■^ Johnston'' s Agricultural Chemistry,'''' though 

 scarcely an "American agricultural book," is well 

 worthy the popularity it has obtained in this coun- 

 try. No farmer's library is complete without it, and 

 we hope it will be read by the young, especially. 



'■'■Curing Hay'''' is often prolonged beyond all 

 reason. Your correspondent has the right practice 

 on this subject. Cut when free frow dew aiid rain, 

 and grass will soon cure, and be a great deal better 

 than if riper and dried longer. 



'■'■Underdraining'''' is a subject of which your 

 readers will not tire, especially if treated as practi- 

 caUy as by Mr. Caldwell. Let all who can, give 

 their experience iu the matter. 



