1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



249 



A KTEW WAY OF MAKING CHEESE. 



In a conversation recently with an intelli- 

 gent gentleman, one interested in all farm 

 processes, and practically familiar with many 

 parts of farming, he related the manner of 

 making, or rather of , pressing cheese, prac- 

 ticed by a neighbor of his — a woman skilled 

 in household economy, and famous for her 

 nice cheese. With the number of cows usual- 

 ly kept, it takes three days to make a cheese. 

 Her former method was to I'un up a curd each 

 morning, keeping them until the third day ; 

 then mixing old and new curds together, and 

 putting them into the hoop and pressing. Her 

 practice is now to run up the curd and put it 

 mto the press at once, the hoop being about 

 one-third full. The next morning the second 

 curd is run up, that which was in the hoop is 

 taken out, the cloth changed, placi d in the 

 hoop again, the top of it then scratched or 

 broken with a fork, and the second curd ])ut 

 in, when it is again placed in the press, where 

 it remains all day. The third morning's curd 

 is then run up, the cheese taken from the 

 press, turned, the surface hacked up with a 

 fork, and the third curd again sliced on, 

 bringing the first curd in the middle of the 

 cheese. It is then pressed sufficiently, taken 

 out and placed in the curing-room. By this 

 process the work each morning is cleared all 

 away, and a good-sized cheese is produced of 

 superior quality, and one as firm and solid as 

 if all were placed in the hoop at once. — 

 Maine Farmer. 



THE HOKSE MARKET, 

 We are sometimes asked as to the state of 

 the hoi'se market in this vicinity. To such in- 

 quiries we have replied that the prices of 

 horse flesh were governed entirely by fancy, 

 for anything except those offered as workers, 

 or those which have become broken down 

 from age, ill treatment or other causes, and 

 that in giving the range from $5 to $1500, or 

 more, we were really giving no guide whatev- 

 er to the average rate. The following, from 

 the Journal of a late day, gives some interest- 

 ing information on this point : — 



The remarkalile mild weather of the last month 

 has brought about, among other things, an early 

 opening of the linrse marlvct. Generally not much 

 is done in this line until April, but the demand for 

 good horses is quite active, wliile the supply is 

 constantly increasing. Car loads from all sections 

 of tlie country are arriving every day, and a visit 

 to the established horse marts shows considerable 

 activity in this extensive business. 



Any one, after a casual visit to these institutions, 

 will very naturally ask, wliere do these horses all 

 come from, wliich could in a measure be better 

 answered by detailing where they don't come from, 

 as a large proportion of the States help to keep 

 the market supplied, and a large amount of Cana- 

 dian stock finds its way into the large cities in the 

 course of a year. New England supplies the finest 



driving horses that are found in this market, both 

 as regards speed and style. Maine sends among 

 her quota many of the Knox stock : Vermont has, 

 in previous years, sent numerous representatives 

 of tlie Morgan blood, and in this State it will not 

 be difficult to find on the various stock farms 

 horses of high pedigree, such as Morrill, Black 

 Hawk, Hambletonian, Abdallah, Mambrino and 

 other well-known stock. Having been raised in 

 our changeable clinuUc they are better adapted for 

 tliis market and Ijriug high prices. 



Kentucky and New York supply a very large 

 number of fine horses, a large proportion of them 

 blooded. Oluo, Micliigan, Indiana and Pennsylva- 

 nia also furnish a large supply, those from the lat- 

 ter State being, for the most part, large draft 

 horses, as they are possessed of great endurance. 



The horses that come from a distanee :ire hand- 

 led with great care after tiiey arrive, in order that 

 they may become acclimated. They are lightly 

 fed and exercised but little for a few days. They 

 come loaded fifteen to seventeen in a ear, in a loose 

 state, with their hind shoes off, and the best class 

 of horses have their tails braided and protected, to 

 prevent their being mutilated, as it is sometimes 

 the ease that, in their journey hither, occupying in 

 some instances four or five days, they are unload- 

 ed and fed but once, and becoming hungry they 

 will gnaw at anything. 



Prices may i)e quoted as stiff, good working 

 horses bringing all the way from .#'17-3 to §;3o0. 

 Driving horses are in good demand, and it is rath- 

 er difficult to fix the prices, so nuich depending on 

 the style, speed, action and pedigree of the animal. 

 A fine horse can be bought for about ^300, while a 

 horse first class in every respect will bring $1000 

 readily, and the higher cost stock sells quite as 

 quick as tlial of an inferior grade. 



RAISING POTATOES. 



I am convinced that we talk too much about 

 "large vs. small potatoes for seed," "planting 

 in hills or drills," and depth of covering, and 

 far too little about enriching and preparing the 

 ground, and keeping the crop free from weeds. 

 If the land is dry, rich, and clean, and the po- 

 tatoes are plantt^d in good season, and the soil 

 kept well stirred by the use of the cultivator 

 until there is actual danger of cutting off the 

 roots and tubers, and any weeds that have es- 

 caped the hoe are afterward pulled out by 

 hand, the chances are favorable for a good 

 crop, no matter what system of planting is 

 adopted. And, on the other hand, if the land 

 is wet and poor, and the weeds are suffered to 

 choke the crop, it is no use to talk about size 

 of seed, or distance of hills. Get the land 

 right, and if you have then time to talk about 

 new varieties, and the best method of planting, 

 well and good ; but do not try to get a good 

 crop by any species of agricultural "legerde- 

 mam. You cannot cheat nature ; and all who 

 attempt to do so are ultimately found out and 

 punished. It is the greatest evil connected 

 with our farmmg. 



Seeding Down Without Manure. 



M. S. Clark, of Vermont, has a piece of 

 land that was in corn last year that he wishes 

 to sow next fall with winter rye and seed down 

 with grass. His object is to get a good per- 

 manent meadow or pasture. He has no ma- 



