44 THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 



of weighing is repeated one day in the middle of summer, 

 and again at the end of the season. The milk of all the cows 

 has, in the mean time, been put together, and made into 

 butter and cheese ; and this common product is divided into 

 shares, according to the quantity of milk each owner's cow 

 yielded on the days of trial. 



The chalets or public dairies on these common pastures 

 have always some persons residing in them during the 

 summer months, when the churn and the cheese-press are 

 never idle : some of them are in such lofty situations, that to 

 go to them and return to the valley below, take up the time 

 of a whole day. The cheese is made in copper caldrons of 

 an enormous size, and is itself formed into masses incon- 

 veniently heavy ; a cheese weighing two hundred pounds is 

 by no means a rarity in the mountains of Savoy and Switzer- 

 land ; and in some of the chalets such a cheese is put into 

 the press every day during the summer season. The cows 

 are milked morning and evening. At the approach of sunset 

 they may be seen slowly traversing the mountain pastures, 

 from every quarter (either going of their own accord, or in 

 obedience to the sound of the Alp-horn), to the chalet, in 

 order to be mi-Iked. These cattle are said to know so well 

 the proper season for shifting their quarters and seeking the 

 milder climate of the valleys, that they would set off them- 

 selves and return direct, each to its winter station, even if not 

 conducted. 



In the Jura (on the frontiers of France towards Switzerland) 

 excellent butter is made, arid great quantities of cheese. 



In the north of Italy, where the celebrated Parmesan 

 cheese is made, the cattle resemble those of Switzerland. 

 Parmesan cheese is made from skimmed milk, and saffron is 

 added to give it flavour and colour; Gruyeres cheese is made 

 entirely from new milk. 



In other parts of Italy is found an improved breed of cattle, 

 remarkable for the great size of the horns ; but in the 

 Campagna of Borne a very fine race, to which we have pre- 

 viously alluded, exists in a semi-wild state, under the care of 

 keepers, or vaccari. Some of the bulls are extremely noble 

 animals, often white, others are grey, more or less tinged 

 with brown ; the horns are large, well turned, and pointed. 

 Many of these animals have a name and genealogy, and are 

 bred on the celebrated tenuta, or cattle farm, of some noble- 

 man or great landed proprietor; and these particulars are 



