LOWERING INTO A WELL. 383 



being carried into the village, I caused covers of thick 

 calico (the best of our fabrics for retaining moisture) to 

 be made ; these are dipped in salt water, and then 

 drawn over the whole of the tin milk-cans. The con- 

 trivance is quite successful, and is in great favor with 

 the consumers. I have not heard a single complaint 

 since I adopted it. 



Finding my butter rather soft in hot weather, I un- 

 covered a draw-well which I had not used since I intro- 

 duced water-works for the supply of the village and my 

 own premises. On lowering a thermometer down the 

 well to a depth of twenty-eight feet, I found it indicated 

 a temperature of forty-three degrees that on the sur- 

 face being seventy degrees. I first let down the butter, 

 which was somewhat improved, but afterwards the 

 cream. For this purpose I procured a movable windlass 

 with a rope of the required length ; the cream-jar is 

 placed in a basket two feet four inches deep, suspended 

 on the rope, and let down the evening previous to churn- 

 ing. It is drawn up early next morning, and imme- 

 diately churned. By this means the churning occupies 

 about the same time as in winter, and the butter is of 

 like consistence. 



The advantage I derive from this is such that, rather 

 than be without it, I should prefer sinking a well for 

 the purpose of reaching a like temperature. 



When winter approaches, the open trellis window to 

 the north is closed, an additional shutter being fixed 

 outside, and the interval between this and an inner 

 shutter closely packed with straw, to prevent the access 

 of air and cold ; the door to the kitchen is at the same 

 time unclosed to admit warmth. Before the milk is 

 brought from the cow-house, the dairymaid washes the 

 bowls well with hot water, the effect of which is to take 

 off the chill, but not to warm them. The milk is brought 

 in as milked, and is passed through a sile into the bowls, 

 which are then placed on the cistern. A thermometer, 

 with its bulb immersed in the milk, denotes a tempera- 

 ture of about ninety degrees. The hot water is applied 

 immediately, at a temperature of one hundred degrees 



