1879.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURICT 
257 
shake the com down, and allow the steam to es¬ 
cape ; the top of the can is then pressed inwards as 
much as possible, the vent-hole soldered tight, and 
then the cans are returned to the vat, and “pro¬ 
cessed ” for four hours longer. Tomatoes are can¬ 
ned in a similar manner, but they require less than 
Fig. 9.— gate posts. —{See opposite page.) 
half as much boiling in the “process.” It will be 
seen that the difficulties attending these operations 
in an ordinary household are such that it can sel¬ 
dom be advisable, especially as the products are 
sold at such moderate prices, to undertake them in 
the household. We are sometimes written to for 
instructions by those who would undertake can¬ 
ning as a business. To such we would say that 
it would be highly unsafe to start such a busi¬ 
ness with no other knowledge than they could get 
from the mere instructions of any one—even those 
the most experienced. It is a trade, of which, like 
any other trade, the general principles can be de¬ 
scribed, but success will depend upon skilled ma¬ 
nipulation, which can only be given- by those who 
have worked at it. Such persons should either em¬ 
ploy a skilled foreman or superintendent. 
Heatness In the Dairy. 
Fig. 1.—FOR CLEANING COWS. 
Quality is always a measure of value; and unless 
perfect cleanliness is observed, the quality of 
butter or cheese can not be of the best. The dairy¬ 
man or farmer may not perceive any difference, but 
the expert buyer, or the fastidious consumer, will 
instantly detect inferiority in flavor, and hence be 
slow to purchase. Means for washing or brushing 
cows are rarely 
seen in a stable, 
and still less fre¬ 
quently is oppor¬ 
tunity offered for 
cleansing the 
hands of the milk¬ 
ers. So that in the 
great majority of 
cases impurities 
invariably get in¬ 
to the pail, are 
dissolved by the milk, and become absorbed by the 
butter. Dairymen admit the value of cleanliness 
and skill; but are not always aware of what con¬ 
stitutes proper cleanliness. As a blind man has 
no conception of a brilliant sunset, so some per¬ 
sons can not understand what perfect cleanli¬ 
ness and purity are. We were never more im¬ 
pressed with this fact 
than when visiting the 
Echo Farm Dairy at 
Litchfield, Ct. There the 
stalls were cleanly sand¬ 
ed, and without 6tain ; 
not a loose hair was to 
be found upon the cows ; 
the stable was spacious, 
airy, and well lighted; 
the cows udders were scrupulously clean; the 
milker’s hands were carefully washed before 
milking, and even the conversation of the hired 
men was clean, foul language or noisy talk being 
forbidden and avoided. The most scrupulous 
Fig. 2.—WATER-BOX. 
cleanliness was carried out in the dairy, every uten¬ 
sil was pure and bright, and the dairymaid who 
superintended the butter-making was a pattern of 
feminine neatness. No one, however fastidious 
or exacting, could object to the product of this 
dairy ; and there is no reason why the same methods 
could not be observed anywhere. A cottage can 
be kept as clean as a palace; and a very ordinary 
dairy can be made as clean as that of the Echo Farm. 
We give herewith a few hints as to how this 
cleanly management may be practised :—All drop¬ 
pings should be removed out at least once a day. 
The litter should be short ; sand, sawdust, or earth, 
being better than straw. 
The cows should be 
cleaned, carded, and 
brushed daily, and in 
the spring, when the 
coat is falling off, they 
should be brushed be¬ 
fore each milking. The 
stable should be well 
lighted, and kept white¬ 
washed and free from 
dust and cobwebs. Be¬ 
fore the milking, the 
udders should be brush¬ 
ed, wiped, or washed; 
if washed, they should 
be thoroughly dried at 
once to avoid cracking 
of the teats, and clear 
water be used. We find 
a brush, or a sponge, 
preferable to a cloth for 
this purpose. A small 
box, arranged as in figure 1, will be found con¬ 
venient. A leather strap is fastened, as shown, for 
a handle. The box is divided into two compart¬ 
ments, to hold a card, brush, sponge, and towel, 
and has a small pocket at each end to hold soap 
and some common cerate or ointment. A pail 
of water is taken into the stable; and to pre¬ 
vent fouling, a common pressed-meat can (fig. 
2) is used to hold the water; the cover of 
which is clipped in such a manner that it may 
hang upon the side of the box. By this system, 
the labor is very slight, and a small boy or girl can 
go ahead of the milkers and prepare the cows. If 
the teats become scratched or cracked by accident, 
a little of the ointment should be applied to them, 
this being removed when the udder is cleaned pre¬ 
paratory to milking. There is no need to moisten 
a cow’s teats to draw the milk easily; that is a 
practice to be avoided in well conducted dairies. 
to the eaves. The frame would consist of two 
sills, two plates, four posts on each side, four 
cross beams, and a light roof, as shown in section 
at figure 1. Braces of iron rods would serve to. 
beep the sides from spreading, and to support tlie- 
axles of the wheels. Four wheels, 2 feet in diame¬ 
ter, would be required. The sides should be 
boarded to the bottom, but the ends only half way 
down, as at figure 2—in which the shed is given in 
perspective. The sheep can then go in and out as 
they may feel inclined. A shed of this kind and 
size would accommodate 35 to 40 sheep, and need 
not cost over $20, all complete. Where straw, or 
Fig. 2.— PORTABLE SHEEP SHELTER. 
coarse long grass is to be had, either may be used 
for the covering, if the frame is well made aud 
stiffly braced. Feed-troughs should be furnished, 
in which bran or grain may be given. The cost of 
one of these sheds would be repaid each year, 
if only in the saving of manure, which would other¬ 
wise be dropped in the fence corners, where it is 
wasted, as the sheep huddle there through the day 
for shade. The comfort and health of the sheep 
would be much improved ; which means profit. 
A Portable Sheep Pen. 
Many sheep are lost from disease, caused by ex¬ 
posure to the hot sun of the summer months. 
Dysentery is a frequent complaint thus produced, 
which a cool airy shelter might prevent. We have 
found it very con¬ 
venient to have 
even a rough 
shelter, made of 
poles and rails, 
and a roof of 
boughs and straw, 
in the pasture, to 
shade the flock 
from the midday 
sun. But this, al¬ 
though cheap, is 
often more costly _ 
... , ,, Fig. 1.— SECTION OF SHELTER, 
in the end than a 3 
more expensive shelter. A permanent shed, built iu 
a light manner, and mounted upon wheels, for in¬ 
stance, would be far more useful, and although 
more costly at first than the cheaper shed, would 
in the end pay a better profit on its cost, if it did 
not actually cost less at the end of 5 years than the 
former, with its several removals and renewals. 
We give herewith some suggestions of such a shed 
as we would build if we were in present need of 
one. The shed should be made with alight frame, 
18 or 24 feet in length, 9 feet wide, and 6 feet high 
Feed-Racks for Yards or Fields, 
We give herewith, in response to some inquiries, 
some illustrations of cheap and convenient racks 
for feeding green crops to stock, for use in yards or 
Fig. 1.—FEED-RACK FOR SOILING PURPOSES. 
fields. Either complete or partial soiling is now 
very frequently practised, and many farmers and 
dairymen find it impossible to do without this help 
during that part of the season when pasturing fails. 
Early planted corn-fodder is now nearly ready for 
use, and in feeding this a great saving is gained by 
the use of racks which prevent its waste. At figure 
2 is shown a common form of feed-rack; easily 
made, and which, if 
three feet square, will 
accommodate 4 cows 
without danger of 
quarreling. It is made 
of fence strips nailed 
together and braced as 
shown. Wrought nails 
should be used, and 
the same be securely 
clinched. A larger 
rack, useful for cows 
or sheep, is shown at 
made of fence strips 
Fig. 2.— CONVENIENT 
FEED-RACK. 
figure 1. This may be 
with 4x4 scantling for 
posts, and in size 16 feet long by 4 feet wide. 
Buckwheat. —It does not pay to make a naked 
fallow, even to clear land of weeds. For to leave 
the soil idle for a season, is a waste of resources, 
