1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



365 



worthless, I think we shall find that no individual 

 thing is made in vain." 



Those who can procure the article would do 

 well to test its value hy a trial ; a remedy for this 

 evil has long been a desideratum, and we can only 

 hope that, in the a'oove, it has been attiiined. 



A FEW IDEAS ABOUT MILK. 



This liquid is secreted in special organs ofthefe- 

 male mammalia, for the nourishment of the young, 

 and it necessarily contains all the ingredients re- 

 quired for this object. It contains indissoluble 

 matter held in mechanical suspension. It i.? a 

 solution of a small quantity of dillerent salts,with a 

 considerable portion of sugar of milk, and a nit- 

 rogenious substance named cheese or casein. A 

 number of small globules of fat of different sizes 

 are suspended in it ; they can only be discerned hy 

 the microscope. The salts of milk, which amount 

 to about one per cent: of the whole, are the phos- 

 phate of lime, phosphate of magnesia, phosphate 

 of iron, chloride of potassium, chloride of sodium 

 and soda. The soda holds the casein in solution. 

 Pure casein is scarcely soluble in water; its com- 

 binations with the alkalies, however, are vorj- 

 soluble. The addition of a small quantity of 

 acid separates the soda from the casein, and this 

 makes thickened milk, the curd being no longer 

 in solution with the alkali. Casein is the most 

 abundant substance in the milk. 



After the casein is precipitated tlicre is sugar in 

 the remaining liquid or whe^^ ; this is the reason 

 why it has a sweeter taste than even sagar milk. 

 This is the only sugar generated in the pi'ocess of 

 animal life. It requires three parts of boiling 

 water and twice as much cold water to dissolve it. 

 The sugar of the milk is easily converted into 

 lactic acid ; it is owing to this quality that the 

 acidity of sour milk is due. 



It has been found by experiment that a cow fed 

 upon Trass yields a greater quantity of milk than 

 when fed upon any other food. So far as a aeries 

 of regular experiments afford any data for con- 

 clusion, that kind of food which contains the 

 greatest quantity of milk, and the best kind of 

 it, also contains the greatest c^uantity of butter, 

 and this is not singular, for butter contains ni- 

 trogen. It is not a good plan to feed cows on a 

 uniform diet ; for experiments have proved that 

 the yiel'l of milk, by such a system of diet, grad- 

 ually diminishes : it is, therefore, a good rule to 

 change the food oP milch cows frequently. 



The milk obtained from cows in the morning is 

 generally richer tlian that obtained at evening. 

 It has been found that certain pasture grounds are 

 much better tiian otliers for the production of rich 

 milk. Wo believe that the subject of good graz- 

 ing grounds has not received the attention which 

 it demands. There is certainly as much difference 

 in the grass, herbs, &c., in certain pasture lands, 

 as there are in different kinds of food. 



As acid is the cause of souring milk, and as the 

 result of it becoming acidulous is a complete sep 

 aration of the casein from the other parts, it has 

 been suggested that the addition of some alkali 

 such as soda or saleratus, miglit render sour milk 

 sweet. The truth is, that the addition of an 

 extra quality of alkali is just about as great an 

 evil as an excess of acid. It is the perfect solution 



of the fatty parts of milk with the alkali in it, 

 which impart.s that fine flavor to it when newly 

 taken from the animal. If some pearlash be dis- 

 solved in warm v*-ater, and some pure sweet olive 

 oil be poured into it and well stirred, the liquid 

 will also possess a flavor like that of sweet milk. 

 In some parts of our country thei-e has been 

 severe droughts this summer, especially in the 

 State of Maine. It is stated that the hay is only 

 half a crop, and that farmers will have to sell a 

 great deal of their stock before the winter sets in. 

 Those of our farmers who have milch cows should 

 use less hay for food than they now do. Cabbages, 

 !)eans, linseed, barley, potatoes and hay should 

 I)e given to every milch cow during the winter at 

 the north. These, kinds of food can be varied so 

 as to have a change every week. Every farmer 

 should have a steaming apparatus in his barn- 

 yard ; and plenty of pure air and good drinking 

 water are as necessary as good food, for the health 

 of milch cows and the production of a superior 

 quantity of good milk — Sci. Amei\ 



Forjke Neiv England Farrner. 



CULTURE OF HORSE RADISH. 



Fr.iEND Brown : — I saw an article recently in 

 your paper by B. H. Franklin, of Worcester, on 

 the cultivation of horse radish, with which I do 

 not feel quite satisfied, and propose to give my 

 mode of cultivation, viz. : Take any good rich land 

 with a deep soil that is suitable for a garden, root 

 crops generally, or a well drained bog meadow 

 that is in a good state of cultivation, and ridge by 

 turning two furrows together .3 feet apart, make 

 smooth by raking, if necessary, and plant the seed 

 15 inches instead of 2 feet apart ; some cultiva- 

 tors put it nearer both ways. 



The after cultivation consists in keeping the 

 ground light and clear from Aveeds in any way 

 that best suits the cultivator. I prepare my seed 

 early in the spring, by taking roots i of an inch 

 in diameter, and cutting in pieces one inch 

 long ; wash clean and rub off all fibrous roots, and 

 then cover them up in the ground until the 

 sprouts are an inch long, and previous to plant- 

 ing, rub off all but the best one. Tlie reason for 

 this operation is, that you will have less small 

 roots ; consequently more large ones. 



For the cultivation of horse radish generally, 

 dig late in the fall, all that is wanted for winter 

 use, and let the rest remain in the ground for 

 spring, as it is not easy to keep it well in dry cel- 

 lars. Yours, B. F. Cutter. 



Pelham, N. H., 1854. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 



ESSEX COUNTY. 

 The annual address before the Essex Agricul- 

 tural Society will be delivered by Prof. B. A. 

 Park, of Andover. This Society has uniformly 

 chosen their orator within their own limits ; and 

 we believe about one third of tlie number chosen 

 have been clergymen. Among this number we 

 we remember Dr. Eaton, of Boxford, Dr. Pkrry, 

 of Bradford, Dr. AmtoTT, of Andover, Dr. Bra- 

 man, of Danvers, Dr. Colman— all of whom suc- 

 ceeded in giving sound instruction to the farmer. 

 Indeed, as a class, clergymen are rendering the 

 cause of agriculture more important aid than any 



