1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARI^IER. 



381 



sleeves rolled up, and each of them on bis 

 knees holding his pet buck or ewe with one 

 hand, while with the other he plied the sharp 

 shears over the smooth, fat sides of the im- 

 mense Cots wold, or followed the heavy folds 

 of the neck of some Merino." 



FLAVOR OF CHEESE. 

 In connection with our remarks last week 

 upon this subject, we publish the following ex- 

 tracts from a circular issued by Mr. Weeks to 

 the patrons of the Week's cheese factory in 

 Verona, N. Y. Mr. W. is the secretary of 

 the American Dairymen's Association. Its 

 suggestions are applicable to private as well 

 as to factory dairying. 



1. Never, under any circumstances, send a can 

 of milk to the factory tliat has not been strained. 

 A tin strainer pail is best, but a clean, carefully 

 scalded cloth, stretched upon a neat little frame, 

 which may be placed directly over the can, will 

 answer. This I deem all-important, and any one 

 who will examine the contents of the strainer at 

 any factory will be convinced of it. 



2. Sec to it that the milking be performed in a 

 cleanly manner, and never tolerate filthy habits in 

 milkers. It is unjust to the purchaser and to the 

 consumers of our cheese. 



3. Pay more attention to the cans, especially to 

 the seams, covers and faucets. In hot weather be 

 particularly vigilant. A thorough rinsing at night, 

 and a rinsing, washing, scalding and sunning in 

 the morning, will suffice, though it is very desira- 

 ble that in hot weather the cans and faucits be 

 scoured with salt twice a week. 



4. When it is possiljlc, avoid the use of all wood- 

 en vessels. Tin is the only fit article for pails, ^c. 

 When wood is used, extra care must be employed 

 in cleansing. Beware of freshly painted pails, for 

 their use is dangerous. 



5. See to it that when the cows are driven from 

 the pasture, they be not chased by dogs, nor in any 

 way huiTied and heated. 



6. Always have leaky cans promptly repaired. 



7. In portions of the year, when milk is sent to 

 the factory only once daily, always put the night's 

 mills into the can (into two if you have them,) 



leave the cover off, set in a cool place, and stir the 

 mass with a dipper several times during the even- 



"WASTE OF FORCE IN VEGETATION". 



There are many facts in vegetable growth 

 that are wonderful and mysterious. A com- 

 mon pump will raise water some thirty feet 

 with comparative ease, but with all our con- 

 trivances of air-chambers and complicated ma- 

 chinery, it is difficult to raise it seventy-five 

 or a hundred feet. Yet how readily the sap 

 "runs" to the topmost bough of the highest 

 trees — though the perpendicular ascent may be 

 from two to three, or even four hundred feet, 

 as in the case of the Great Trees of Califor- 

 nia ! What makes it go up ? 



The following article does not answer this 

 question, but it states some curious facts and 

 theories which we think will interest every one 

 who has trained grape, hop, bean or pea vines. 

 It is entitled, "On the Consumption of Force 

 by Plants in Overcoming Gravitation," and 

 was written by Thomas Meehan, Editor of the 

 Gardener'' s Monthly, and published in the Pro- 

 ceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciouces, 

 Philadelphia. 



Every one interested in Horticulture knows 

 how uncertain is the successful cultivation of the 

 grape in the United States. The vines usually 

 nourish well for a few years, but in most in- 

 stances become the prey of numerous diseases 

 before thej^ attain any very great age. 



In remarkable contrast with this general 

 failure is the fact that grape vines growing over 

 trees are generally healthy and fruitful to a re- 

 markable extent. Branches from unhealthy 

 vines on trellises, when they can get to ramble 

 over the twiggy branches of a neighboring 

 tree, resume the health and vigor lost by the 

 parent or main vine. 



These facts have had numerous observers, 

 and are generally admitted. They have been 

 frequently discussed in Horticultural journals ; 

 but every theory hitherto brought forward has 

 been refuted. For instance, it has been sug- 

 gested that the partial shatle afforded by the tree 

 benefited the grape vine ; but it is as perfect 

 when growing over low bushes, onhot banks, ex- 

 posed to hot and dry temperatures, as when lux- 

 uriating among the shady branches of the tall- 

 est trees. Again, it has been suggested that as 

 the vine is supposed to like a dry soil, the 

 roots of the tree tended to absorb superflu- 

 ous moisture, and thus furnished the best con- 

 ditions for the vine roots ; but healthy vines are 

 found on trees in impassable swamps ; besides, 

 the cases of branches from trellises before al- 

 luded to, answer this supposition. Some have 

 thought that as the foreign vine, growing im- 



