502 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
r June 14 1888. 
Take first of all the question of climate. In Ireland and the 
west of England the me in annual rainfall is so much greater than 
in the eastern counties, that the fact ought to bring conviction to 
•every thoughtful mind that climatic influences must have gradually 
-led up to the style of farming which is found to prevail in the east 
and west. In the moist climate of Cheshire there is a free growth 
•of herbage, snch as we vainly long for in Suffolk, but the less 
diumid climate of the latter county is specially adapted for the 
harvesting of seed, and when land is fully turned to account for 
that purpose it is not unprofitable. If any measure of reform is 
(possible here it is to be found in improved culture andi in the 
selection of pure samples of seed for sowing. Red and white 
<i'lover. Sainfoin, Rye, Rye Grass, and Tares or Vetches are still 
profitable crops to grow for seed. 
Reform in dairy farming, so far as it applies to the farms of 
Suffolk and ordinary farm dairies generally, consists really in the 
substitution of good management for bad. The test is simple 
enough, and no farmer of ordinary intelligence can possibly require 
extraneous assistance in applying it to his oavn practice. Let us 
once more enumerate the points of real importance in dairy farm¬ 
ing, and first of all turn to 
The Cows. —In these we require neither pedigree nor imported 
animals, but rather well bred cows, either pure or cross-bred, of 
local breeds, such as are to be had in eatery county. As Suffolk is 
in question we may take the Red Polls as being deep milkers (the 
aa'erage yield being fifteen quarts daily), with milk of high quality, 
and as being large fleshy animals easily fattened for the butcher as 
they cease to be useful for the dairy. It is a noteworthy fact that, 
though not a dairy county, Suffolk has in the Red Polls so superior 
a breed of cows that they are alike useful for the dairy and stock- 
yard, and there is a large and growing demand for them both here 
and in America. 
The Food. —This must be wholesome and nourishing, yet 
devoid of anything that can impart an unpleasant flavour to the 
butter. In summer it should consist entirely of green crops, 
beginning with Rye and following with Rye Grass, Lucerne, Sain¬ 
foin, Clover, Tares, Grass, Maize, and Sorghum. In autumn and 
early winter a mixed diet of Cabbages, Carrots, bran, crushed Oats, 
hay, and silage; later on Mangolds replace the Carrots, and 
Thousand-headed Kale the Cabbages. Each article of this dietary 
must be used in well balanced proportions, especial care being 
taken not to nse enough Cabbage, Maize, or silage to spoil the milk 
for butter, as it is apt to do. Avoid oilcake altogether, and if 
Turnips are used they must be cooked and the water strained off. 
If possible use fresh spring water. The best arrangement ave ever 
had was a floaving spring, from which the water was conveyed in 
pipes through cisterns in each yard. 
Yards and Lodges. —These places should afford thorough 
shelter, be avell drained, well littered with fresh litter daily, so 
"that the cows always have clean dry beidiug. We have seen 
admirable cow houses where no litter avas used, and the asphalt 
flooring avas kept scrnpulonsly clean, the walls cleansed at regular 
intervals with limeavash, and with thorough ventilation by means of 
louares in the roof. Let no foul litter from stables be thrown 
into the cowyard, for coavs will often eat this greeddy to the 
detriment of the milk. • 
The dairy should be perfectly clean, sweet, and have thorough 
ventilation, and there should be nothing in its surroundings at all 
likely to cause the slightest foul odour to enter door or av^indow. 
A floor of concrete faced with Portland cement is best, avith slate 
shelaing for the milk pans. Every ntensil should be scalded and 
then rinsed in cold avater after it is used. Churn at least twice 
weekly ; stir the cream as each skimming is put into the crock ; 
add no fresh cream at the time of churning, or for twelve hours 
prea-iously, a slight ripening of cream being good for the butter. Test 
the temperature of the cream with a thermometer before churning, 
and see that it is 57°. In cold weather this is managed by putting the 
cream crock in avarm water, and in hot weather in cold avater ; but it 
is much better for the butter if the dairy itself can always be kept 
slightly beloav, or at this temperature. Rinse the churn before 
using avith hot or cold avater according to the season. Churn slowly, 
stop at once when the butter comes ; withdraw the buttermilk, 
and avash the butter three times in fresh spring water, and once or 
tavice in salt water by placing salt in a muslin bag in some water. 
This is the best way of imparting a slight salting to the butter, and 
avoiding the use of crude salt; do not touch the butter by hand, but 
make it up by using a butter worker and slices. 
Given due attention to the avhole of these details in cowyard 
and dairy, excellent butter may alavays be had, and there wonld be 
no occasion to have butter factories. We mike particular men¬ 
tion of this, because ave have reason to suppose that such factories 
are recommended as a remedy for bad butter now taken to the 
shops from farmhouses. But no factory can make good butter 
from cream that is spoilt by inattention to one or other of the 
simple conditions ave have enumerated. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
As we sit down to aanite this note ave are longing for a few hours’ 
rain for the spring corn, grass, and root crops. The longing is all 
the greater because we know in many favoured localities rain has 
fallen, and without a dripping June aa-e dare not hope for that full 
measure of success for avhich ave have striven so earnestly. Corn- 
hoeing ended, and the hoeing among root crops so far advanced, 
ave could welcome rain heartily, but if the weather proves unkind 
the hay crop avill be small, and spring corn must suffer too. There 
are excellent crops of Winter Tares, Sainfoin, and Lucerne noav in 
use, and. we earnestly wish that farmers upon avhom a premature 
sale of lambs and sheep has been forced simply for lack of food, 
would give more attention to these valuable green crops. Lucerne 
especially should be sown so extensively as to render a supply of it 
from spring till autumn a certainty for all the live stock on the 
farm. Once well established in the soil in rows so that it may be 
kept clean, it is certain to give a bountiful summer supply of green 
food for several years, for the roots penetrate so deeply into the soil 
that it is literally droughtproof. 
The first crop of Clover has been eaten by the sheep upon many 
farms, where they are so fortunate as to have it, but the failure the 
Clover plant last year, owing to the drought, was so general that a full 
crop now is exceptional, and both stover and seed is likely to be 
scarce and dear next season. On poor pasture hay cannot be a full 
crop, but where manure has been used regularly and in good time 
growth is vigorous enough, but even that would be the better for rain. 
Haymaking will probably be late generally, and we must push on 
the work briskly when it is once begun. A short hay crop does not 
always point to high prices, for foreign Oats and other imported 
food come into competition with it so much as to keep down prices. 
Sheep-shearing has been done, and the lambs are withdrawn from 
the ewes. All the ewes unfit for breeding another season are draughted 
from the flock to be fattened for sale. This is best done in folds, and 
much good may bo done to land now and onwards to the autumn in 
this way. When the ewes have fully recovered from any wounds 
caused by the shearing they should be dipped in Cooper’s mixture to 
destroy ticks and lice, and to keep off the fly. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 
CAMDEN SQUAllE, LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 83'40"N.; Long. 0° 8'0" W.; Altituda, 111 faet. 
Date. 
9 A.sr. 
IN THB DAY. 
Hygrome- 
a . 
Shade Tern- 
Badiatlon 
a 
X888* 
ter. 
^ a 
perature. 
Temperature 
oi 
« 
June. 
C 
In 
On 
3 
Dry. 
Wet. 
P o 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
grass 
Inches. 
deg 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sunday. 
3 
29.«7i 
7l.« 
62 4 
S.E. 
58 2 
81.7 
5i.3 
)2 .6 
46 0 
Monday. 
4 
31) <>71 
63.0 
67. t 
S.W. 
CO.l 
75 2 
51.8 
121.6 
47.6 
Tuesday .... 
6 
30.149 
52.1 
47 5 
E. 
6k2 
59.2 
4SG 
97.2 
49.7 
0.032 
Wednesday.. 
6 
29 871 
61C 
5).3 
E. 
58-3 
60.2 
47 2 
81.2 
462 
0017 
Thursday.... 
7 
29.842 
58.2 
545 
S. 
664 
69 8 
46.1 
116.9 
89.9 
0.032 
Friday . 
H 
29.75f> 
62-2 
58.0 
S.B. 
5t).9 
68.7 
53 4 
1>'9.2 
51.7 
U.l'*2 
Saturday .... 
9 
29.675 
55.9 
54.6 
S.E. 
5U9 
C7.5 
518 
106.6 
49.6 
0-093 
19.877 
59.2 
64 9 
j 58.1 
68.9 
50.7 
108.6 
47.2 
fl.£76 
REMARKS. 
SrS.— 4 bright summer day. 
4 1).—Generally bright, but cloudy at times in morning and evening. 
5th.—Jlouily and cool, with spots of rain In the afternoon, 
fl'.i .— On 1 and damp, wi'h slight showers. 
7i I .—Variable, wjlh a very slight shower in the morning. 
8tl'.—Showery early, some sun-nine in the morning; showery afternoon, fine evening. 
9th.—Qioo i y, with showers In the morning; hot sunshine and slight showers alieuately 
in the afternoon. 
A very sudden fall cf temperature between June 8rd and 5th, the maximum being 
52-5“ lower on the latter day. Rut for the heat of June 3rd the temperature of the week 
wou'd have been below the average.—G. J. bViloKS. 
