43 



THIRD INSTITUTE. 



The third Institute of the Society was held in Sumner Hall, Great Barring- 

 tOD, Wednesday, November 12th. As the President was necessarily absent, 

 the meeting was called t© order, at 10 a. m., by Vice President W. H. Day, a 

 large assembly being present. Richard Goodman, Jr., of Lenox, occupied 

 most of the time during the morning session in an exhaustive and exceedingly 

 interesting talk on dairy farming, the result of thorough study and a long series • 

 of careful experiments. 

 I- 



• Abstract of Remarks by R, Goodman, Jr., on Dairy Farming. 



After describing the composition of butter, he dwelt at some length on the 

 chief distinctive points of Jersey cows as the best butter makers. As thorough- 

 breds they are of course belter than any grade. They respond better to thorough 

 feeding than any other breed known ; they are smaller, longer lived and more 

 fertile than most others, come to maturity about a year earlier and go dry less. 

 Their butter globules are larger than those of other cows and consequently the 

 cream rises quicker. The sac of large globules break more readily in churning, 

 and the butler is found to be firmer. An old pasture is the best feed for butter 

 cows, but it is possible to get nearly as good by cultivation, in part, by sowing 

 fifteen or twenty kinds of seed. In the way of green fodder, Stowell's ever- 

 green sweet corn is without equal. Ruta Bagas are good, and Indian corn is 

 excellent, especially for fatting, as it makes very firm flesh. In the care and 

 treatment of cows one cannot be too gentle. Dogging or running is sure to 

 seriously affect the milk. Milking is a natural process and apparently always 

 mast be, not one of the fifty- four patent milkers now on the market being 

 of any particular value. Milk is easily affected by atmospheric changes, and 

 this is one reason why the best butter cannot be made when the milk is set in 

 shallow pans in the old fashioned way. Deep pans even, and the various con- 

 trivances for immersing the milk in water do not entirely obviate this difficulty, 

 and the ideal butter will never be made until the centrifugal process, which 

 separates the cream from' the milk in about a minute, comes into general use. 

 The only obstacle at present in the way of this is the expensiveness of the ma- 

 chines ; the prices ranging from $150 to $500. There is a good field here for 

 inventive genius. Mr. Goodman prefers the oscillating churn to any other 

 variety, but hopes to see the time when a chemical process for separating butter 

 and buttermilk will be found practically available. For salting he prefers Hig- 

 gins' Eureka salt. Great care should be exercised in keeping salt, as it absorbs 

 impurities very readily. As a wrapping in which to send the rolls to market, 

 he prefers waxed paper. 



The proper testing of batter is a faculty which but few possess. S6me pre- 

 fer pure butler, others butter and buttermilk mixed; some prefer a little of the 

 natural sugar left in. Any odor in butter is filth, which the cow has breathed 

 in, eaten or drank. 



The further discussion of the subject, which would have followed Mr. 

 Goodman's remarks, was postponed until afieruoon, lo give place to Prof. Bishop 



