1863.] 
.AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
181 
About Ginger. 
This is the root, or rather the under-ground 
stem, of a plant which is a native of the East 
Indies, but is now grown in many other tropical 
countries. The stem grows 2 or 3 feet high and 
is reed-like ; the flowers are borne on a separate 
stalk, they are of a dark purple color, and ap- 
pear from between broad scales, as is represent- 
ed in the engraving. In order to save room, the 
artist has cut off the top of the leaf stem, and 
placed it by the side of the flower stern. Our 
supply comes from both the East and West In- 
dies, and is imported in the root, which differs 
much in appearance and quality. When scald- 
ed as soon as it is taken up and dried in the sun 
it has a dark brownish color, but if the root is 
scraped before it is dried, it is much lighter col- 
ored. Some of the finer kinds are not only 
scraped but bleached, and are known as white 
ginger. The root is retailed in powder, and in 
the grinding is frequently adulterated with meal 
and similar substances, and several grades of 
ground ginger are kept at the wholesale stores 
at prices corresponding to the amount of adul- 
teration. The preserved ginger, which is 
brought in jars from China, is prepared from 
the young and tender roots, before they have be- 
come stringy or have acquired a very powerful 
pungency. The fresh root is imported from the 
West Indies, and is frequently sold in cities for 
the purpose of flavoring citron-melon, and other 
preserves. These fresh roots which are usually 
brought in the Fall, may be planted in a pot and 
kept through the Winter, and in Summer be 
turned out into a warm place in the garden 
where they will flourish during hot weather. 
Storing Butter under Ground- 
■ 
A. Thompson, Pendleton Co., Ky., writes to 
the Agriculturist: " Last June I commenced pack- 
ing butter. I washed it well through two or 
three waters when it was first churned, and 
worked it over again before I packed it, putting 
it in large stone jars, ana digging a hole under 
the floor of the smoke house, having no cellar 
or other good cool place. The top of the jar 
was left just above the ground. I thin put 
strong brine about two inches over the butter, 
pouring it off each time as I put in fresh but- 
ter, adding nothing but salt to the butter, and 
in January last I sold 60 pounds of butter that 
was as sweet and good, as when first packed." 
To preserve butter in good condition the first 
essential is thorough working. A very small 
amount of buttermilk left, will soon taint the 
whole mass. When well worked and properly 
salted, ijt should be kept at a uniform low temp- 
erature. This was secured in the above in- 
stance by partially burying m a shaded place. 
Some other location than a smoke house would 
usually be preferable, as butter quickly absorbs 
any odor from surrounding substances. A 
small building would pay, where much butter 
is to be stored. A great gain will be realized by 
selling June made butter at January prices. 
Which are the Best Milk Pans? 
The following experiments lately made at the 
Munster Agricultural School Farm in Ireland, 
to determine the effect of various materials used 
for milk pans, upon the yield of butter, are given 
in the London Agricultural Gazette. The pans 
selected were of five kinds, viz. : glass, earthen- 
ware (black glaze), delft (white earthenware), 
tinned iron, and wooden vessels. In order to 
carry out the experiment with the greatest 
accuracy, the feeding of the cows was changed, 
and the temperature of the dairy varied at each 
experiment. The milk as it came from the 
cows was strained into a large vessel, and then 
measured accurately into the pans. The quan- 
tity of milk set in all cases was 8 gallons, and 
the cream from this, ranged from 5 to 6 pints. 
One week was allowed to elapse before the next 
experiment was commenced. In all, four ex- 
periments were made. In the first experiment 
the feeding was of a rich nature, and a large 
produce of butter was expected, and the tem- 
perature of the dairy was high for the season, 
viz., 55°. The feeding consisted of White Tur- 
nips, Swedes, Rape-cake (3" lbs. to each cow 
per da}'), grains, and hay. The expectation of 
a large yield of butter was realized, as two of 
the vessels gave the highest produce — 3 lbs. of 
butter from 8 gallons of milk. In the second 
experiment the temperature of the dairy was 
lowered to 48°, and the feeding was Aberdeen 
Turnips, Swedes, grains, and hay. In the third 
experiment the temperature was raised to 50°, 
and the feeding "was Mangels, Swedes, Aber- 
deen Turnips and hay. The temperature was 
52° in the fourth experiment, and the feeding 
was Mangels, Swedes, grains and hay. The 
produce in butter is shown in the following: 
^ 
— 
_ 
VI 
?n 3 C 
E- 
£" 
E» 
EV 
« 0} — 
►52 
Milk vessels 
u 
U 
s.5 
Z3 
&* 
w 
H 
W 
a 
og 
lbs. oz. 
lbs. oz. 
lbs. oz. 
lbs. oz. 
lbs. oz. 
Glass .. .. 
3 
2 10 
2 12 
2 14 
2 13 
Earthenware 
{black glaze) 
3 
2 10 
2 12 
2 14 
2 13 
Delft . . 
2 14 
2 S 
2 10 
2 12 
2 11 
Tinned iron 
2 14 
2 8 
2 10 
2 12 
2 11 
Wood keelers 
2 4 
2 4 
2 6 
2 7 
2 m 
It will be noticed that the yield of butter was 
varied by change of feed and temperature, but 
that the superiority of the glass and glazed 
earthenware was maintained throughout. The 
milk in wooden vessels was less affected 'by 
temperature, wood being a poor conductor of 
heat. The milk soured first in the wooden kee- 
lers, and in the delft and tinned iron vessels a 
few hours sooner than in the glass and glazed 
earthenware. The longer milk is kept sweet, 
the more time there will be for the cream to 
riso unobstructed by coagulation. The pores 
of wooden vessels in time are more or less 
affected by moisture and acidity, according to 
the pains taken to cleanse them, and this hastens 
the souring of the milk. They can not be kept 
as clean as tinned iron or glass. The latter 
material in the above experiments gives about 
5 per cent more butter, than the tinned iron, 
and 18 per cent more than the wood. The 
heaviness and brittleness of glass and earthen- 
ware are objectionable, and the loss from break- 
age would probably counterbalance any ad- 
vantage gained in increased quantity of butter. 
The tinned iron pans in common use in this 
country, are, all things considered, the most 
convenient vessels yet brought into use. But 
for the expense, the best vessels would be por- 
celain lined iron ware, such as are used for pre- 
serving kettles. It may be a question whether 
the great durability of these vessels, as well as 
their effectiveness, may not make them the 
cheapest in the end. The annual interest would 
not amount to five cents each, per annum. 
An Improved Dish-Pan. 
A Western correspondent of the Agriculturist, 
"Bay," sends a sketch of the household implement 
shown below with the following description and re- 
marks : " Diameter of the pan lengthwise of top, 19>£ 
inches, at the bottom 15 inches ; short diameter of 
top 15J^ inches ; of bottom, 11}^ inches ; depth of 
pan 7 inches ; handles 2 by i inches. My mother, 
a good housekeeper after the English pattern, al- 
ways considered it a lady's bonnden duty to wash 
up the breakfast dishes herself, thereby making suro 
each day that her china-closet was in order, that 
none of the silver was missing, or glass and cutlery 
strayed into the kitchen. This operation is facili- 
tated by such a pan as I describe ; having divisions, 
one for washing, the other for draining : it can be 
used without slopping, and obviates the necessity 
that exists in some families, of having dishes car- 
ried to the kitchen and back, after each meal. This 
not only saves time, but risk of breakage, as well 
as insuring a wholesome division between dining- 
room and kitchen table articles." [A dish-pan of the 
above dimensions, would seem to be too small for 
both washing and draining divisions, unless for a 
family of only two or three persons, and using but 
few changes of dishes.] 
To Keep Bed Clothes on Children. 
Many a severe cold, and not unfrequently sick- 
ness and death, have resulted from sleeping with- 
out covering ; and this happens quite as frequently 
in Summer as in Winter, for in the latter season, 
greater care is exercised, and the windows and doors 
are less likely to be left open in a way to produce 
a direct draught of air. Restless children will 
throw off the clothing, notwithstauding the final 
visit to their beds by the careful mother or father, 
before retiring. This can, in part, but not wholly, 
be prevented by light suppers of simple food, taken 
early enough to bii in part digested before going to 
bed, which is always advisable. No one, young or 
old, can sleep well with a poultice of hearty, undi- 
gested food on either the outside or inside of the 
stomach. In addition to the above, we have for 
several years successfully practised fastening the 
