36 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR 



March, 1842 



sided vessel formed of zinc plates twelve inches 

 long, eight inches wide, and six inches deep, 

 with a false bottom one half the depth. The 

 only communication to the lower part is by a lip. 

 through which it may he filled or emptied. A 

 plate of perforated zinc is placed in the bottom, 

 which is equal in size to that of the false bottom 

 with ringed handles, by which njeans the whole 

 of the cream can be lifted oft' in a sheet without 

 remixing with the milk. The milk, fresh drawn 

 from the cow, is strained into the pan, and re- 

 mains at rest for twelve hours, when an equal 

 quantity of boiling water is poured into the low 

 er compartment, through the lip ; it is then per- 

 mitted to stand twelve hours more, when the 

 cream will be found perfect, and of such con- 

 sistence that it may lie lifted off with the finger 

 and thumb. In a trial of twelve successive ex- 

 periments with the above apparatus, the follow- 

 ing results were obtained : from four gallons of 

 milk treated as above, produced in twenty-four 

 hours, four and a half pints of cream, which af- 

 ter churning only fifteen minutes, gave forty 

 ounces butter. The same quantity of milk treat- 

 ed in the common mode, in earthen ware pans, 

 and standing forty-eight hours, produced four 

 pints of cream, which after churning ninety min- 

 utes gave thirty-six ounces butter. The increase 

 of cream was twelve and a half per cent, and of 

 butter eleven per cent. 



From the above suggestions, I caused a pan to 

 be made six inches deep, to receive one of one 

 half the depth, which was set into the other, 

 resting on the edge of the lower one, and care- 

 fully soldered together ; near the top of the outer 

 pan, a tube one inch in diameter was inserted, to 

 admit the hot water, and on the opposite side a 

 small hole was made to let the air escape when 

 pouring in the water. With this double pan 1 

 tried several experiments, and the results, though 

 varied, were very satisfactory. 



In one instance, eleven pounds milk, fresh 

 drawn from the cow, and after standing twelve 

 hours, boiling water was introduced into the 

 lower pan, and stood thirty-six hours more, when 

 it was skimmed, and twelve hours after the cream 

 was converted into butter, with a spoon and bowl, 

 in seven minutes, and produced five ounces. 



In another trial, eleven and a half ))ounds of 

 milk, subject to the same process, except it stood 

 only twelve hours after the hot water wus put in ; 

 skimmed and churned immediately, whicli took 

 only one minute to convert it into butter — produce 

 seven ounces. 



In the next case eleven poimds of milk was 

 conducted in the same manner us before, except 

 standing twenty-four hours after the hot water 

 was put in : skimmed and churned in eleven 

 minutes, and produced six ounces of butter. 



Several other trials were made, with a view of 

 ascertaining the best time to let it stand after the 

 introduction of the hot water, and the result was 

 that in some cases it took four, seven, ten and a 

 half, eleven and fourteen minutes to cliurn, and 

 the tjuantity varied from eight to twelve oimces; 

 and in no instance did the quantity of milk ex- 

 ceed twelve and a half poiiiid,s, which was the 

 most successful as to quantity, giving one ounce 

 of butter for every pound of milk, which rates at 

 one pound of butter from six quarts of milk, 

 which is equal to the celebrated "llaskin's cow," 

 the reputed motherofCol. Jaccpies "Cream Pot" 

 breed, as noticed in Mr. Colman's Fourtli Report. 

 The inilk with which the above experiments 

 were made, was taken from a two year old heifer, 

 a cross of the Durham and Ayrshire, seventeen 

 days after calving, and a heifer's milk is never 

 considered as rich as when more advanced in 

 years. 



Allowing that we got, as we did in the last 

 trial, one ounce of butter for every pound of 

 milk, which will average twenty-three pounds 

 daily, would be over ten pounds of butter per 

 week. 



From the foregoing experiments I have arrived 

 at the following conclusions: — that the most 

 pi-ofitable method is tu let the milk stand twelve 

 hours — then add the boiling water, then stand 

 twelve hours more, then skim, and churn the 

 cream from the evening and morning's nfdk at 

 the same time. 



An improvement may be made in liaving the 

 pans separate, but fitted tight where they come 

 together, by which means they can be much ea 

 eier cleaned and dried ; as in the above method 



it would be more difficult to dry them when to- 

 gether. 



I am inclined to think, too, that the same pans 

 may he made useful in the sunmier when the 

 weather is very hot, and the quantity and quality 

 of the cream much increased byfiliing the under 

 pan with cold well or spring water, ]>revious to 

 putting in the milk. C. N. BEMENT. 



Three Hills, Feb'y, 1842. 



From the Alb;iny Cultivator. 

 The Garden. 



There is one great principle which with the 

 farmer should have due weig^it allowed it, and 

 that is, looking for happiness at home. To en 

 sin-e this, all the appliances and additions neces- 

 sary to secure such a result should be attended 

 to ; and perhaps there is no one thing, out of tlie 

 house, more conducive to this, than a well arrang- 

 ed and well cultivated garden. Into the minute 

 details of gardening we cannot be expected to 

 enter ; for these, we must refer such as wish to 

 become acquainted with the miniitite of garden- 

 ing, the cultivation of flowers and plants in all 

 their varieties, to those works on the subject, 

 such as " Bridgman's Gardener's Assistant," 

 where these matters are treated amply, and in 

 detail. The fanner, however, should remember 

 that every tree, shrub and flower he cultivates, 

 constitutes a new link of attachment to bind him 

 to his home, and render that home more delight- 

 ful. They midtiply our means of enjoyment, 

 they make additions to our stock of knowledge, 

 they invite lis to a more intimate communion 

 with nature, and tliev jirevent the concentration 

 of the mind on wealth, and the narrow selfish- 

 ness that is too often its attendant. The garden 

 is a place where many experiments may be ad- 

 vantageously made. It is a farm in miniature, 

 where the difterent varieties of plants, their adap- 

 tation to our climate and our soils, and the mer- 

 its of particular modes of culture may be tested. 

 Most farmers are not able, nor is it desirable they 

 should attempt experiments on a large scale ; 

 they have neither tlie time, or capital, to expend 

 where the result may be doubtful to any extent ; 

 but in the garden the case is different, and fail- 

 ures can never produce serious losses. 



For the farmer's garden there may be a few 

 general rules laid down, which will apply to their 

 construction, management, and general cultiva- 

 tion. The soil is' one of the most important 

 considerations, and the first that demands atten- 

 tion. If naturally good, a very great point is 

 gained in the outset : since if this first requisite 

 is not present, nothing can be done to advantage. 

 The garden should be of a deep rich loam, not 

 too dry or porous, as plants would be liable to 

 suffer from drought ; but a still worse fault is ex- 

 cess of moisture, since this renders land cold 

 and heavy, difticult of cultivation, and wholly 

 unfit formany of the most valuable garden plants. 

 If too wet, it must first be drained effectually, 

 then heavily manured, and by the spade, or trench 

 ploughing, made loose and friable to the depth 

 of eighteen inches or two feet. If inclining to 

 clay, or containing so much as to beat down and 

 set hard on the surface after heavy rains, the ap- 

 plication of sand will be of essential service, or 

 still lietter if sandy marl can be used. The soil 

 should be such as'to work easy, retain suflicient 

 moisture for plants, allow all that is superabun- 

 dant to (low oft" easily, and be ke|)t constantly 

 rich. The garden should also have a good fence 

 about it, to secure it against the encroacliments 

 of animals. Many a farmer has had the mortifi- 

 cation of seeing a flourishing garden destroyed 

 in a single night by a neglect of his fences and 

 gates. 



Many farmers fail in having good gardens, 

 even where the soil is good, from not performing 

 the culture as it should bo ; not selecting good 

 seeds ; not planting them at suitable times ; or 

 not giving them their proper position, as to sun, 

 shade, &.C. Avoid as much as possible having 

 trees about tho.=;e parts of your garden where 

 you grow roots, vines, or any plants that require 

 the full warmth and light of the sun. There are 

 few trees of which the drippings are not posi- 

 tively injurious; and besides, their roots exhaust 

 the soil around them. Trees may be advanta- 

 geously planted on the north, west, or east side 

 of gardens, as they break the cold winds from 

 those quarters, and the ill effects of their shade 

 is little felt. Thick hedges, or copses of ever- 



greens, on the most exposed sides of gardens, 

 are useful, and their appearance adds much to 

 the general effect of the buildings, and agricultu- 

 ral improvements. . 



To ensure the germination of seeds when 

 placed in the earth, the earth should be brought 

 in close contact with them. This is necessary 

 to secure the requisite moisture, to exclude light, 

 and to furnish a hold for the young roots. Seeds 

 should never be (ilaced too deep in the soil, nor 

 is deep planting necessary to secure a covering, 

 if the earth is properly rolled or pressed around 

 the seed. Corn does not demand more than a 

 covering of two and a half or three inc'jes in 

 thickness, if the earth is properly pressed over 

 the seed ; yet in the ordinary way of planting, it 

 oftener gets a covering of five inches than three. 

 Small seeds are often Tost from this cause. They 

 are planted so deep that the young plant cannot 

 force its way to the upper air; it is literally 

 buried alive. A liglit covering, well rolled or 

 pressed down, is far better for all seeds than a 

 deep one, not brought in contact with the seeds. 

 There are some seeds that will germinate much 

 better if soaked in warm water previous to plant- 

 ing. The shell, or envelope, becomes so very 

 hard by drying as to prevent the germination, 

 unless nature receives aid in the way suggested. 

 The onion, the beet, and many of the smaller 

 flower seeds will succeed better if treated in 

 this way than if planted without preparation. 



All plants cultivated in our gardens, that aro 

 natives of tropical cli: .es, feel every variation 

 of the weather and depression of temperature' 

 more sensibly than others, and consequently re- 

 quire additional precautions in planting and in 

 cultivation. A cold ruin will fi-equently prove 

 fatal to the Lima bean, while the coinmon gar- 

 den bean is iiiihurt. So, too, the cucumber, to- 

 mato, melon, jiepper, egg plants, &.c. will feel a 

 frost which the pea or cabbage would wholly 

 escape. There are many plants which arc called 

 hardy ; such as the (lursnip, onion, asparagus, 

 parsley, pea, &c. wjjyjih may be planted early 

 without fear of rotting, or in general without 

 failure of germination ; and many plants which 

 at first require considerable moisture are much 

 better planted early than late. The carrot, cele- 

 ry, onion, spinach, &c. are of this class; and if 

 the sowing of them is delayed until hot, dry 

 weather comes on, good plants can hardly be 

 expected. The lettuws, too, may be sown when- 

 ever the ground is free from frost and sufficiently 

 dry, since, should it germinate only, it rarely suf- 

 fers from frost, although its growth may be re- 

 tarded. For this reason, many fiirmers as well 

 as gardeners are in the habit of preparing and 

 sowing some beds of lettuce in the fall, that this 

 plant may be in season for early salads. It 

 should be remembered, however, that the rapidi- 

 ty of germination is mainly depending on the 

 temperaliiie. Thus, at the same teinpcraturo, 

 the bean will sprout as quick as the pea; hut if 

 the temperature is low, the bean would rot, 

 while the pea would retain its germinating pow- 

 er, and he ready to t;ike advantage of the first 

 favorable increase of temperature to vegetate. 



Where it is desirable to procure early vegeta- 

 bles, it has become quite common to use hot 

 beds or forcing frames ; and the process of con- 

 structing and managing these has been so sim- 

 plified and rendered so easy that every farmer or 

 owner of a garden may avail himself of their 

 use. Occasional failures will indeed occur, but 

 with reasonable care, not oftener than in open 

 culture; and a supply of early vegetables is so 

 conducive to health, not to speak of them as a 

 luxury, that we think few will regret the trifling 

 exfienditure such hot beds will occasion. In our 

 northern climate, the use of such beds enables 

 us to procure a supply of early or summer cab- 

 bages, early radishes, early lettuce, tomatoes, pep- 

 pers, egg plants, &c., for transplanting, as well 

 as for the taV)le. 



In the ordinary method of cultivating the far- 

 mer's garden, or the common vegetable garden, 

 there is, in our northern states, little more than 

 prepaiation for coining months that can he ad- 

 vantageously performed in March. The manure 

 may be drawn upon the garden and piled in 

 heaps for spreading preparatory to ploughing. 

 It is always better tiiat fine rotted iimnure or 

 co'iipost be used for the garden, as the straw 

 I mixed with fresh stable manures renders the 

 I working of tho earth into beds difficult, and pre- 



