No. 216.] 641 



the season. There was only one cow in England that exceeded these, 

 and that was the famous cramp cow of Lewes, of the Sussex breed. 



Mr. Colraan says nothing about soiling that I saw, to the east, 

 but that the farmers all grazed their cows in summer, and some of 

 them told him, that they like to get their cows to pasture as soon 

 as possible in the spring, they thought they did better in health and 

 milk. He gives the Irish credit for their fine dairy, rich pastures 

 and excellent butter. The English, Scotch and Irish, though, go 

 ahead of the Americans in the quality, if they, do not in the quan- 

 tity of their butter, especially for keeping sweet longer. But all 

 must yield to the Holland (Dutch) for quality of butter and cheese, 

 and fully equal to any of them in quantity and probably a little more. 

 The Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland, offered a large pre- 

 mium a few years since, for the best report on the Holland dairy sys- 

 tem. This was given to Mr. Mitchell, who visited Holland and in- 

 spected very minutely, and with great care its dairy establishments, 

 and published his report thereon, nothing, he says, can equal the clean- 

 liness and method of their whole system of milk, cheese and butter 

 operations; their cows are turned out to grass generally, early in April 

 and kept there thirty weeks, and then brought in for the winter, one 

 man to every ten cows, who tends them in the pasture, brings them 

 up at night, stables and milks them. The dairy women, two for 

 every ninety cows, receive the milk from the men at the dairy house, 

 and all after is under their care and done by them. The stables for 

 the cows are well ventilated, ten feet ceiling and wide, paved with 

 the bist dutch brick, every convenience for catching and preserving 

 their droppings, liquid and solid, that not a particle may be lost, and 

 to preserve cleanliness. The stables of the cows are kept as neat 

 and clean as the parlors of their owners, and of course their milk 

 houses where they keep their milk and make their butter and cheese 

 must be; nothingf in the least offensive in smell, allowed to come near 

 them; it is sure, they say, to affect the milk and butter. Their but- 

 ter, whether for packing away in barrels or to be sold immediately, 

 is well worked, and salted with the best of soft fine salt, that it may 

 dissolve and be equally diffused through the mass, two pounds of salt 

 to fourteen of butter, not a particle of milk or whey left in it. After 

 the cows have been at grass about three weeks, the milk and butter 

 shew it, and as they work the latter, keep their implements and do 

 it up, it is both delightful to look at and delicious to taste, and sells 

 for a while at home in Holland, for from 50 to 60 cents the Dutch 

 pound of 17 1 oz. and if they can get it in London in season, which 



[Am. Inst.J QQ 



