333 
Report on the Farni-Frize Compelition, 1871. 
and butter beiiifi^ sent into the market." We liave no doubt that 
the milking is better done by males, and in Mr. Walker's case it 
lias the advantage of giving those employed in the dairy an extra, 
three hours per day for their work, which they really need. 
The milking commences at 5 o'clock, night and morning, and 
ends from G"15 to ij-'SO o'clock — one of the milkers cauying- 
the milk, with a yoke and swing tins, crossing the farnivard,. 
through the kitchen, and into the cheese-making room, where each 
night the milk is poured into four milk-coolers. These coolers- 
are placed in a trough made of Staffordshire bricks and cement,, 
into which the dairy-help has pumped spring water. After 
remaining in the water for about three-quarters of an hour, 
having been frequently stirred, the milk is poured into one of the 
two cheese-tubs, such as are known in the district as " Travise's 
Patent," and for which Messrs. ]\Iellard, of Rugcley, last year 
obtained a prize at the Oxford Show. These tubs or vats, made- 
of block tin, stand on wooden stages about 10 inches high. One 
tub is 3 feet 4 inches antl the other 3 feet 1 inch in diameter, and 
both are 2 feet deep. Each tub has a perforated follower called 
a sinker ; and for putting pressure on the sinker is a wooden frame 
with a contrivance above, resembling those of the lever cheese- 
presses, but having a much heavier weight — say of 40 or 50 lbs. 
In the front of the tubs are two vents, the one about G inches 
above the other, to each of which a screw plug is fitted, and with- 
drawn at pleasure to let out the whey. The first milk from the 
coolers being poured into the tul:)s or vats — the same coolers are 
refilled with milk, and replaced in the cooling trough, into which 
the help has again for about ten minutes been pumping spring 
water. The milk, both in the coolers and the vats gets a frequent 
stirring until bed-time, to keep the cream from rising. 
The household consists of Mr. and Mrs. Walker, a farm pupil, 
three little children, a cowman, a pigman, waggoner, and two- 
lads; the dairy-help, vessel cleaner — who is also housemaid — 
and the nurse girl, Mrs. Walker acting as dairymaid. 
The dairy duties begin in the morning at 5 o'clock — the 
vessel-cleaner or housemaid lighting the cooking- range fire, and 
the dairy -help the vessel-boiler fire. The dairy-help is fortunately 
strong, active, and interested in her duties. She is intrusted to- 
skim, scald, and purify the whey "top" or cream — a barrel 
churn being used — and in July about 30 lbs. of butter per week 
was taken, or over half a pound per cow for fifty cows. But 
some eream is now being taken off the evening's milk, in con- 
sequence of the cheese being so rich and tender, lor although 
one of the samples of cheese exhibited at Wolverhampton was 
commended, and the other highly commended, they were, as 
stated by the cheese Judges, wanting only in firmness. 
