MARES' MILK AND BUFFALO MILK. 57 



whenever wanted, can be made out of the skimmed milk of cows. 

 Mares' milk is characterized by a comparatively small percentage of 

 total solids, and an exceptional richness in milk-sugar. It possesses 

 a watery appearance, a white or bluish colour, and a sweet taste. 



Mares yield milk, on an average, for 340 days. The mares of Tartary 

 are said to remain occasionally in milk for two years, and to yield 200 to 

 225 kilos. (440 to 495 Ibs.) of milk annually, exclusive of the milk con- 

 sumed by the foal. According to researches, the composition of mares' 

 milk is as follows : 



Average. Variations. 



Water, 90'7 92'53 to 89'05 



Fat, 1-2 -12 2-45 



Nitrogenous matter, ... 2'0 1'33 3'00 



Milk-sugar, 5'7 4'20 7 '26 



Mineral matter, -4 "28 1*20 



100-00 



Total solids, 9'3% 



The specific gravity is practically the same as cows' milk. 



Buffalo milk is not known in German dairying. In the districts 

 in which tame buffaloes are kept, their milk is highly prized, on 

 account of its richness in fat and its pleasant flavour. It has, 

 however, been very slightly investigated. In colour it is slightly 

 yellowish. 



The milk-yielding period of the buffalo lasts probably for ten months, 

 in some cases even to eleven or twelve. During a year, buffalo cows may 

 yield, on an average, somewhere about 800 kilos. indeed, if carefully 

 treated and well fed, the yield of milk may amount to 1500 kilos. (1760 to 

 3300 Ibs.) and even more. 



Two samples of buffalo milk investigated by the author, one of which 

 came from Transylvania and another from Eoumania, had, on an average, 

 the following composition: 



Water, 82'93 



Fat, 7'46 



Nitrogenous matter, ... ... ... 4'59 



Milk-sugar, ... 4'21 



Mineral matter, -81 



100-00 



Total solids, 17'07% 



The Roumanian sample had a specific gravity of 1*0339 at 15 C. 



