PROPbRTION OF MILK TO BUTTER. 555 



fining it moderates the fermentation by preventing too great an access of air, and the water 

 soddens it and hastens the maturity of tlie dung, so that by tliis means in six weeks or two 

 montlis is obtained a perfect manure. He had at several periods thus disposed the dung of 

 200 or 300 artilleiy horses, quartered at Bouxwiller, which he placed in a pit containing two 

 compartments of 400 square metres (1,200 feet) in surface, by filling them up from 9 to 12 

 feet. On opening these large masses, they always presented in every part of the interior a 

 pei-fect manure, and as substantial and stronger than that of cow-dung. Horse-dung is more 

 substantial than that of homed cattle, but it often loses its quality by a too violent termenta- 

 tion, from which few know how to preserve it, and which burns and moulders a portion of 

 the straw, and drives away the ammonia by evaporation. Little attention is generally paid 

 to the large quantity of water required for horse-dung, which causes a continual evapora- 

 tion. It should therefore be well watered from a pump that spreads it over every part, and 

 saves much labor, while at the same time the water penetrates so that the heap at last be- 

 comes so compact that it is a .solid mass. Some parties have the plan of raking up or turn- 

 ing the dung, thinking to make it tuni the sooner ; but this has a bad effect, as it becomes 

 musty and often spoils — being more accessible to the air it ferments more violently, and soon 

 lo.ses its humidity, which, when closely packed, it preserves. 



This manure enjoys great reputation in Switzerland, where it is chiefly used in watering 

 the praii'ies [meadows], and frequently the dung is washed so as to increase the strength of 

 the liquid. This is vi-ell stzited for that country. Liquid manures, such as purins and fecal 

 matters generally, only fertilize but one crop, and they usually try to e.xpend them during 

 damp or cloudy weather, because a burning sun would evaporate the carbonate of ammonia 

 before the plant.s over which the liquid is sprinkled could absorb it. But when the carbonate 

 oi" ammonia of these liquid manures is converted into sulphate or muriate, by sulphate of 

 iron, sulphuric acid, muriatic acid, or chalk [gypsum ?], there is no longer any loss of the 

 ammonia by atmospheric influences, and the effect of such manure is felt for several years, 

 according to the more or less quantity irrigated. He has conveyed every week to the dung- 

 tank or pit, the fecal matters from the schools of Bou.xwiller, and he has found it quite unne- 

 cessaiy to have a special i-esers'oir to unite these matters. The water-closets of the schools 

 of Bouxwiller are an-anged with movable tubs, in which is placed previously a solution of 

 sulphate of iron, which, by disinfecting fecal matter, prevents every nau.seous smell or in- 

 convenience arising from it. [English paper. 



[How easy would it be for any man of enterprise, farming in the neighborhood, to collect 

 immense stores of fertility from the privies at Wa.shington, provided for the public buildings ; 

 and also at our watering-places. In Europe, such valuable resources bring a large revenue. 



Ed. Farm. Lib.^ 



PROPORTION OF MILK TO BUTTER. 



SoMETniES it is desii-able to know the proportion between the quantity of milk and the 

 butter produced from it ; for the question is sometimes presented to farmers, whether it is 

 better to sell milk or make butter. Yet no definite rule can be given, as milk varies in 

 richness and its butter qualities, not only from the general breed of animals, but from indi- 

 viduals of the same breed, and also from the food. 



The difference is sometimes one-half The Alderney cows give very rich milk, seven 

 quai-ts of which will often, if not generally, produce a pound of butter ; while the milk of 

 some cows is so poor that it takes nineteen or twenty quarts of milk for a pound of butter. 

 The famous cow, Blossoms, that gave so large a quantity of milk, did not yield a large 

 amount of butter, as it took nineteen quarts for a pound. On an average it probably takes 

 about twelve quarts of milk for a pound of butter. 



Mr. J. Leathe, of Wobum, who has some excellent cows that give rich milk, lately made 

 an experiment, while his cows were still fed partially on hay. He measured out thirty 

 quarts of milk, which produced seven and a half pounds of cream, (three quarts in measure,) 

 and three pounds three ounces of good yellow butter. 



As to weight, we have various estimates as the proportion of butter to milk. In all ex- 

 periments of the kind, the milk should be weighed as well as the butter. Measures such as 

 used for milk differ greatly ; so much that it seems that very little reliance can be placed 

 upon them. P'rom statistics now before us showing the amount of butter produced, and the 

 quantity of milk in weight and measure, in one case it is stated that sixteen and a quarter 

 quarts of milk weighed forty-two pounds, which is two pounds nine ounces to the quart. In 

 another case, it stated that a cow gave twenty-six quarts of milk per day, which weighed 

 forty-seven pounds. Here is less than two pounds to the quart. Here is but a specimen 

 of the great variations in the measures of milk, ;uid it shows the importance of weighing, in- 

 fitead of measuring milk, in making experiments. [Boston Cultivator. 



(103G) 



