No. 2. 



Butter. — California Wheat. — The Husbandman. 



43 



farmers, because such things must always 

 be a matter of judgment ; but for the com- 

 position of the lime used, we are not to be 

 satisfied with any thing short of a rigid 

 analysis. 



If those residing in or near the limestone 

 districts above mentioned, and differing in 

 opinion with me as respects their magnesian 

 nature, wish to bring this controversy to a 

 close, they may readily do so, and at the 

 same time add to our stock of useful knowl- 

 edge. Let them make a tour through the 

 districts, visiting all the quarries from which 

 lime has been obtained in any considerable 

 quantities for agricultural purposes, and se- 

 lect specimens from each, particularly of 

 those strata which produce a lime held in 

 the best estimation, and let the specimens 

 thus obtained, be submitted to a careful ana- 

 lysis by some competent chemist. The re- 

 sults of such an investigation, when made 

 public, ought to, and will, in the minds of 

 all reasonable people, settle the principal 

 point in dispute. S. Lewis. 



Pottsville, July 20th, 1842. 



Butter. 



The great point in making good butter, 

 and that which will keep, is the freeing it 

 from all buttermilk ; and if everything else 

 is well done, if this point is overlooked, good 

 butter is impossible for any length of time. 

 The mixture of milk in any degree with the 

 butter, is sure to produce an unpleasant taste 

 to the butter ; and the entire freedom from 

 this constitutes the grand secret of making 

 good butter. There are many who think 

 washing butter with water incompatible 

 with retaining the rich flavour ; but if the 

 water is cold and pure, it is scarcely possible 

 anything should be washed away, the butter- 

 milk which destroys the flavour of all but- 

 ter excepted. Besides, the best butter in 

 the world, and that which in all markets 

 commands the best price, viz: Dutch butter, 

 is invariably made in this way ; and where 

 the example has been followed by others, it 

 has rarely failed of success. If any, how- 

 ever, doubt the propriety of washing butter, 

 they may use any method they choose, pro- 

 vided the milk is separated perfectly. Per- 

 fectly free from the substance that causes it 

 to assume the putrid taste of bad butter, it 

 may be kept with almost as much ease as 

 tallow. Solidity in packing, clean, sweet 

 vessels, and a low temperature, will insure 

 its keeping for any reasonable time. Let no 

 one expect good butter, however, so long as 

 coarse impure salt is used, or a particle of 

 the buttermilk is allowed to remain in it. 

 Domestic Annals of Butter. 



California Wheat. 



The Augusta (Georgia) Constitutionalist, 

 gives the following description of this new 

 variety of wheat, recently introduced in that 

 state, a sample of which was left at that 

 office: 



Having obtained from Mr. Thomas Speer- 

 ing, of Abbeville, S. C, a small quantity of 

 his California wheat, I planted it the first 

 and middle of October last. In all, I had 

 about one thousand bunches to stand, which 

 have or will produce at least twenty thou- 

 sand heads, averaging one hundred and fifty 

 grains to a head. The grains are very large 

 and of a beautiful yellow tint, rich and sweet, 

 and no doubt will make the best of flour. I 

 have about seven square rods of ground, 

 which will make between five and ten bush- 

 els, which would be over a hundred bushels 

 to the acre. And it is to be noticed, that 

 while most of the common wheat throughout 

 this country, for the present season, has been 

 greatly injured, and some of the crops have 

 been utterly ruined by the rust and smut, 

 this California wheat has been free from 

 either. 



The Husbandman.— By John Sterling. 



Earth, of man the bounteous mother, 

 Feeds him still with corn and wine ; 



He who best would aid a brother, 

 Shares with him, these gifts divine. 



Many a power within her bosom, 

 Noiseless, hidden, works beneath; 



Hence are seed, and leaf, and blossom, 

 Golden ear, and clustered wreath. 



These, to swell witli strength and beauty, 



Is the royal task of man ; 

 Man's a king, his throne is duty, 



Since his work on earth began. 



Bud and harvest, bloom and vintage, 

 These, like man, are fruits of earth; 



Stamped in clay, a heavenly mintage, 

 All from dust receive their birth. 



Barn and mill, and wine-vats treasures, 

 Earthly goods, for earthly lives, — 



These are Nature's ancient pleasures, 

 These her child, from her, derives. 



What the dream, but vain rebelling, 

 If from earth we sought to flee ? 



'Tis our stored and ample dwelling; 

 'Tis from it the skies we see. 



Wind, and frost, and hour, and season, 

 Land and water, sun and shade; 



Work with these, as bids thy reason, 

 For they work, thy toil, to aid. 



Sow thy seed and reap in gladness ! 



Man himself is all a seed; 

 Hope and hardship, joy and sadness, 



Slow, the plant, to ripeness, lead. 



Every cultivator of the sugar-beet or tur- 

 nip, ought to raise his own seed, otherwise 

 he will be liable to imposition. And yet, 

 occasionally, seed should be changed. 



