244 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 24, 1881. 
to the damage by severe weather to the roots, and it will certainly 
cost as much or nearly so as the sheep will be worth to purchase all 
their food. To sell the sheep would prove nearly as bad, for where 
stock are forced on the market through a short provision of food in 
the country prices are sure to find a low level. A portion of the early 
lambing horned ewes, in consequence of their lambs having been sold, 
only require a few weeks to feed them into good mutton, and to do 
this bean meal mixed with cut Mangold will complete the fattening 
of these ewes better than any other kind of trough food at this time of 
year. The Dorset Downs and early Wiltshire and Hampshire Down 
ewes and their lambs must now be fed at great expense to get their 
lambs fat for the London Easter market, after which the ewes may 
have Mangold and meal until the grass in the water meadows and 
Rye on the arable land are fit for feeding. The Swedish Turnips in 
most instances where not pitted during the frost have but little feed¬ 
ing value where not actually decayed, and in fatting flocks it will 
require a large outlay to meet the deficiency of the root crops. In 
the case of breeding flocks, even where only kept in store condition, 
a more than usually liberal expenditure in purchased food will be 
necessary, especial^ on those farms without irrigated meadows. 
Italian Rye grass is, however, a capital and almost the only substitute 
which can be relied on for early green food in the absence of water 
meadows. The fatting bullocks in their boxes will require also in 
many cases to be put on shorter allowance of root food. This, how¬ 
ever, may teach the home farmer a lesson, for but few know how to 
dispense with large quantities of roots in fattening bullocks with 
Mangolds and meal cut and mixed ; 40 tbs. per day is quite enough to 
fatten the animal quickly if 2 tbs. of bean meal is added with good 
sweet oat straw ad libitum. The young cattle and dairy cows will 
still be in the yards and feeding on Carrots, except upon farms 
where there are ■water meadows available. With regard to young 
heifers intended for the dairy in the future, these may be kept in 
pairs in divided pens with so much space under cover, and so much 
outside ; and when kept in winter and summer until they bring their 
first calf, they grow up into notice as fine daily cows, and much 
larger than those which run the pastures and have to rough it during 
the winter months. When kept in entirely the manure accumulates 
under them on the principle of box-feeding, and they return valuable 
manure for the food consumed. 
ITALIAN CHEESE. 
M. Charles Pavia has published a pamphlet on Italian dairy 
produce, in which a full description is given of the curious modes 
of manufacture of Parmesan and Gorgonzola cheeses, a brief notice 
of which may interest our readers. 
M. Pavia speaks of Parmesan as the king of cheeses, “as it con¬ 
tains more flavour and aroma,” but we find from the description 
that it is really a skim-milk cheese, which does not arrive at per¬ 
fection until it has been kept at least three years. Parmesan 
cheese is made entirely from cow’s milk, and the bulk of it is 
made from April to October, whilst the cows are fed on green 
forage. It is stated that the daily production of northern and 
central Italy weighs about 15 tons, about one-fourth of which is 
exported. The milk is skimmed once or twice after it has stood 
from six to twelve hours, the cream being made into butter. The 
skimmed milk is then placed in a cylindrical boiler and heated by 
wood fires or by steam to 95° or 100° ; a curdling liquid is then 
introduced, but there does not seem to be any regularity in the 
system or its results. After stirring or breaking, heat is again 
slowly applied up to 150° Fahr., colouring beiDg also added. The 
cheese is then considered completely cooked. The curd is taken 
out, enveloped in linen, and put in a vat, being turned over once 
a day, but without any pressure, the surface being salted re¬ 
peatedly for six weeks. The salt is then scraped off the rind and 
fine linseed oil applied, which gives the black swarthy coat 
peculiar to Parmesan cheese. The cheese is then stored in cool 
dry warehouses, being kept for years, any which show a tendency 
to decay being quickly got rid of. M. Pavia protests against the 
cheese-bores being used in testing this cheese, as a “cheese bored 
may be considered as spoiled.” The crust is, at any rate, so hard 
as to turn the edge and spoil an ordinary cheese borer. This 
cheese has, no doubt, its admirers in this country amongst those 
who prefer something out of the common line, but we do not 
think a cheese so deficient in richness will ever take with the 
general public. Gorgonzola is of much richer character, being 
made of unskimmed milk and not cooked. The best of it is 
always made in the autumn. The fresh milk being coagulated 
at a moderate temperature, the curd is gently stirred and placed 
to drain, or hung up in pieces of linen. The curd from the even¬ 
ing’s milk is added whilst still warm to that put in the vat in the 
morning. At the joining of the two lots of curd a green or blue 
mould is formed, much esteemed by some, and which adds greatly 
to its value. The cheese is turned when it gets dry enough, but 
never subjected to any pressure, a little salt being rubbed on the 
coat of the cheese. It is kept at a low temperature through the 
winter, and ripens in the warm weather of the following summer. 
It is mentioned as a peculiarity of the manufacture of all Italian 
cheeses that they drain and become dry without any of the pres¬ 
sure which is considered necessary in the making of all other 
foreign cheeses, and which it is suggested may be a matter of 
“pure prejudice on the part of other nations.” We lately heard 
a friend express the antipathy he felt to the use of maccaroni, 
due to a sight of its manufacture in the filthy surroundings of the 
towns of Southern Italy ; and though we think the natives of the 
district in the north, where dairy produce is made, compare favour¬ 
ably in the matter of cleanliness with their southern brethren, we 
much doubt if a personal inspection of the making of butter and 
cheese in Italy would increase the favour in which they are held. 
—(Journal of Applied Science.) 
VARIETIES. 
Agricultural Prospects. —An entire week of exceptionally fine 
weather has proved of inestimable benefit to agriculture, and the 
greatest possible progress has been made with spring sowings on the 
lighter soils. The young Wheats, though backward for the season 
of the year, begin to assume a decidedly healthy appearance, and are 
creeping along the ground in a manner which is always considered 
to be indicative of a good start in the life of the Wheat plant. 
On light lands sowing is now in full swing, but the clays turn up 
cold, although dry on the surface. The Wheats, in the great 
majority of instances, have the appearance of being likely to pull 
through ; nitrate of soda is not very dear this season, and its 
judicious use later on would probably turn out a profitable specu¬ 
lation. If this weather would but last throughout the month 
agricultural prospects would be considerably brightened thereby. 
Foot-and-mouth disease is declining, but liver-rot is working sad 
havoc amongst flocks in the Midland and West Midland districts. 
In Cheshire it is very prevalent amongst young cattle, and the 
dread of it nearly everywhere will be likely to lessen the demand 
for stores very considerably.—( Mark Lane Express .) 
- Litter for Rabbits.— A “ Rabbit-keeper ” writes :—“ I 
shall feel obliged if some of your readers will kindly inform me the 
best kind of litter to use for Rabbits. Hitherto I have used common 
hay, but my stock is now exhausted, and I find best hay rather too 
expensive. The next most convenient thing for me to obtain is 
barley straw, but some of my friends tell me it tends to produce 
vermin on the Rabbits. I shall be glad to know if this is so, or 
whether I may use it with safety.” 
- County Armagh Bee-keepers’ Association. —A corre¬ 
spondent informs us that the British Bee-keepers’ Association has 
exerted great interest in bee-keeping in Ireland, and that the first 
meeting of the above Association was held on the 11th inst. under 
encouraging patronage. Mr. George Greeymoved that an Association 
be formed, to be called the County Armagh Bee-keepers’ Association, 
for the purpose of encouraging the intelligent, humane, and proper 
keeping of bees. Some years ago an Association was formed in 
England, called the British Bee-keepers’ Association. There were 
only eight members at first, and now it numbered several hundreds. 
This Association worked by means of local organisations throughout 
the country, and the central Assoeiation was the means of collecting 
knowledge from other countries, such as Italy, Switzerland, and 
France, and also aided by giving money prizes and keeping up a “ bee 
tent.” This year an Irish Bee-keepers’ Association had been formed, 
and there was no reason why it should not work as well in Ireland as 
in England. There was a very large profit to be made by honey, as a 
large sum of money went out of the country for honey and wax ; and, 
again, the bees were not destroyed. The Association would show the 
members how to make up the honey in an attractive and saleable form, 
and would also try to get a market for the honey produced. An 
ordinary labouring man, who did his day’s work, could easily find 
time to look after ten hives. Rev. Mr. Lett seconded the motion, 
which was passed unanimously. The following were appointed 
office-bearers :—Patroness—the Baroness Von Steiglitz. President— 
Sir Wm. Verner, Barf. Vice-Presidents—Mr. M. C. Close, M.P.; Mr. 
J. N. Richardson, M.P.; Major Stewart Blacker, and Mr. John Han¬ 
cock. Committee—Dr. Lynn, Messrs. Wm. Allen, James Ussher, 
Thomas Best, and George Hazlett. Treasurer—Mr. T. G. Peel. 
Secretaries—Mr. G. Greer and Rev. H. W. Lett. 
