THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 179 



dairies, to mark by the thermometer the temperature of the 

 milk and cream in the different stages of the process ; occa- 

 sionally to test the acidity of the butter-milk by means of 

 alkalis ; and to note any peculiarity in the atmosphere by an 

 electrometer. A few observations, carefully noted, repeated, 

 and compared, would throw more light on the true causes 

 which favour or oppose the production of good butter, than 

 all the guesses that have hitherto been made. 



The quality of the butter depends materially on the nature 

 of the pasture. The best is made from cows fed in rich 

 natural meadows. Certain plants, which grow in poor and 

 marshy soils, give a disagreeable taste to the butter. The 

 common notion that the yellow flower called the butter-cup 

 gives colour and flavour to butter is a mistake : cows never 

 crop the flower if they can avoid it, and the whole plant is 

 acrid and unpalatable. When cows are fed with cut grass in 

 the stable, the butter is inferior, except in the case of some 

 artificial grasses, such as lucern. Turnips and other roots 

 given to cows in winter communicate more or less of a bad 

 taste to butter, which is corrected in some degree by means of 

 a small quantity of water and saltpetre added to the milk ; and 

 also, it is said, by giving salt to the cows with their food. But 

 there is no butter made in winter equal to that which is made 

 when the cows are fed entirely with good meadow hay, espe- 

 cially of the second crop, called aftermath hay, which contains 

 few seed -stalks. 



The yellow colour of May butter is frequently imitated 

 artificially by mixing some ground arnotto root, or the juice 

 of carrots, with the cream. This is easily detected by the 

 taste of the butter, which is not improved by it, and has not 

 the peculiar flavour of fine grass butter ; but in other respects 

 it is a harmless addition. Some cows give a much yellower 

 cream than others, especially the Alderney cows ; and the 

 butter made from it is of a peculiarly fine flavour. When a 

 cow has lately calved, the milk is also much yellower, but this 

 soon goes off, if it be not the natural colour ; and the butter 

 made by mixing this with other milk, although of a deeper 

 colour, is not improved by it. 



According to the accounts of the produce of butter from 

 different countries and various breeds of cows, we may state 

 that, on an average, four gallons of milk produce 16 ounces 

 of butter ; and to make the feeding of cows for the dairy a 

 profitable employment in England, a good cow should pro- 



