14 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 2, 1885. 
so clearly necessary to ensure the production of really good 
butter, as to require no particular mention here. But so 
frequently have we seen rooms used as dairies that were un¬ 
suitable for the purpose that it is in the interest of our readers 
to point out how liable cream and butter are to sustain harm 
or be spoilt outright from exposure to the taint of impure air. 
Much has been done at dairy and agricultural shows to ex¬ 
plain the entire process of making good butter, and to show 
that it is not a matter of chance, luck, or guess work. But 
in addition to the large working dairy, with its elaborate 
apparatus and steam power, we should much like to see a 
small model dairy for, say, a dozen cows, wherein we could 
find the best possible combination of economy, simplicity and 
utility. Great and wealthy societies are apt to take too high 
a flight, which occasionally carries them over the heads of 
the class they profess to benefit, and they may certainly be 
said to have done so in this matter. Our model dairy should 
contain two rooms—one for the pans of milk and the butter, 
and the other for the churning, butter-making, and cleaning 
of dairy utensils. The air of the dairy proper must be still 
and cool—neither hot or cold at any season of the year, the 
temperature never exceeding 55° nor falling below 50°. The 
windows should have ribbed plate glass, such as Hartley’s 
rough plate, to keep strong light from the cream ; the walls 
should be battened, and the roof thatched with heather, reeds, 
or straw. A simple furnace and flue is sufficient to keep the 
dairy at a safe temperature in winter, and it is to be regarded 
as indispensable, the temperature of the dairy and of the 
cream for churning being precisely two of the matters of detail 
that are commonly neglected, often at a cost of time and 
labour much to be deplored. 
Straining the milk should receive careful attention. In 
very hot weather it should only be in the pans twenty-four 
hours, in warm weather thirty-six hours, and during cold 
weather forty-eight hours. The correct temperature for the 
cream when nut into the churn is 57°, and it is brought to 
that temperature by putting the cream crock in hot or cold 
water. It is also a good plan to rinse out the churn with 
cold water at 57° just before using it. We have found it by 
no means an easy matter to induce dairywomen to use a 
thermometer. With many of them butter-making is still a 
mystery into which ordinary mortals must not seek to pene¬ 
trate, and as to using a thermometer, why, anybody could 
do that; but they prefer trusting to their judgment, and a 
certain intuition which they assume to possess. We are 
obliged to own that the result is doubtful. Sometimes, or 
several times in succession, the butter is good, then comes a 
failure, the blame being invariably cast upon the cows. Nor 
can such blame be lightly set aside, for it must in fairness be 
acknowledged that the milk of a frightened cow, or which has 
been much worried by flies, will sometimes spoil that of other 
cows if mixed with it. Then, too, it must not be forgotten 
that a filthy cow-house will taint the milk. There must be 
thorough cleanliness from the milking to the using of the 
butter. A dirty udder and the milker’s hands must both be 
washed before the milking. We use bright tin pails and 
glazed pans kept perfectly clean. The large barrel churn is 
used three times a week, and a small box churn for the daily 
table supply of butter. No salt is used in the daily churnings, 
but for the butter from the hand churn about 1 lb. of salt is 
added to 50 lbs. of butter, which is made into pounds and 
half-pounds. The churn is turned slowly at first, then faster, 
but with a steady regular motion which ceases at once when 
the butter comes, the average time of churning being about forty 
minutes. The butter-milk is run off, and fresh clear spring 
water is used to wash it three times, and it is afterwards 
washed twice in water in which the salt has been dissolved. 
Ice is very useful in very hot weather; when it cannot be 
had, and the butter is soft, it is left in the churn for an hour or 
two in cold water. A butter worker is decidedly better than 
heating butter by hand or with a towel. We use a grooved 
table and a ribbed roller, and finely grooved butter-slices, so 
that handling is altogether avoided. 
Potting butter for winter begins when the cows are turned 
upon the pastures to eat the fresh young growth of the after- 
math following the hay crop. The milk is then at its best, 
the butter high-coloured and of a rich nutty flavour. Jars, 
glazed inside and out, are used, each jar being filled at once, 
and not gradually, the butter at top being covered with a 
thick layer of salt, the top being covered with a bladder and 
lid. Especial care and attention should be given to this 
work, for it is now, when good butter is so easily made, that 
carelessness creeps in, and we have twice had our store of 
potted butter for winter spoilt. We prefer jars which will 
contain 20 lbs. of butter, as that quantity is soon used, and 
if well made it is good to the bottom of the jar. If old jars 
are in use examine them narrowly, and see if the glaze is at 
all worn off; if so, discard them, for a porous jar is liable 
to absorb impurities, which would taint and spoil the 
butter. 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
We have now haymaking in hand upon six farms, and have had to 
watch closely the manner of setting about and conducting the work by 
the bailiffs. It is our rule to state our wishes clearly to each bailiff, to 
afford him every facility for carrying them out, and to see that it is done. 
If a man betrays by his actions that he is puzzled a kindly word or two of 
explanation will soon set him right if he is fairly intelligent, and it is only 
when a case of egregious stupidity occurs that one has to interfere and 
take up matters with a firm hand. In so critical an undertaking as hay¬ 
making this must be done, for a day wasted may lead to a serious loss. 
Workmen soon know if the foreman or master understands his business, 
and they are very apt to act accordingly. As usual, there has been some 
trouble with machinery arising solely from crass ignorance and stupidity. 
A little patience and firmness, however, soon set things right. The hay 
crop is certainly a good one, and we have a remarkable example of tho 
wisdom of careful culture and the use of good seed for permanent pasture 
in a twenty-acre meadow with the third year’s crop. The bottom was 
thick with White and Red Clover, among which were Grasses of some¬ 
what lowly growth ; above them were the Fescues, Timothy, and Foxtail; 
while above all, fully 3 feet high, was a wonderful growth of Cocksfoot. 
It was still higher in some places, and we were amused at the sight of 
some men mowing round tree clumps almost hidden from view as they 
bent to their work. At first the tedding machine made rather poor work 
at this extremely heavy crop, but by crossing and bringing the horse rakes 
somewhat early into use we contrived to keep it all well turned and 
shaken. Frequent showers have much helped root crops. Both Swedes 
and White Turnips have come well, and the Mangolds are already making 
a brave show. We have White Mustard on several farms in all stages of 
growth, and have just had twenty acres more sown upon some heavy land, 
clean, but poor. 
The F.ooh .—The lambs are weaned, and all of them have been sent 
from the home farm to two upland farms. We were somewhat puzzled 
to find scour very prevalent among the strong early lambs that were 
feeding upon a sound piece of Rye Grass and Trefoil. Upon inquiry we 
found they were having an extra quantity of linseed cake, which has a 
laxative tendency if used to excess among young animals, and we have 
had the quantity used much reduced. AH the over-age” and inferior 
ewes have been withdrawn from the flock, to be at once folded upon a 
strong piece of Clover ; they will also have some dry food, and be brought 
on for the butcher by autumn—not all at once, but in batches as they 
become sufficiently fat. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32-40" N.; Long. 0° 8- 0" W.; Altitude, III feet 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Rain 
1885. 
June. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32« 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
i of Wind. 
Temp, of 
Soil at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
d«*g 
deg. 
de«. 
In. 
Sunday . 
21 
29.969 
5-1.9 
48.4 
s w. 
580 
66.6 
46.3 
118.6 
41.9 
— 
Monday. 
22 
30.156 
60.8 
53.4 
S.W. 
58.2 
68 2 
48 1 
117.8 
43.1 
— 
Tuesday. 
23 
80.084 
59.4 
56.7 
E. 
58.7 
65 6 
54.9 
80.3 
534 
0.013 
Wednesday .. 
24 
29.917 
73.6 
62.8 
S TC. 
58 9 
82 6 
55.7 
122.0 
48 9 
0.173 
Thursday ... 
25 
29.975 
56.9 
55. L 
W. 
60.8 
58.6 
55.3 
69 5 
55.3 
— 
Friday. 
26 
30.215 
53.9 
50.7 
N.E. 
58.6 
64.0 
50.8 
86.1 
50.6 
— 
Saturday .... 
27 
30.304 
58.5 
53.2 
E. 
57.4 
74.2 
45.1 
117.0 
41.4 
— 
29.089 
60.0 
54.3 
58.7 
68.5 
50.9 
101.6 
47.8 
0.186 
REMARKS. 
21st.—Fine and bright, but not hot. 
22nd.— Fine and pleasant morning ; cloudy afternoon. 
23rd.—Cloudy day, with drizzle in morning. 
2ith.—Fine, bright, and hot; evening cloudy, with spots of rain. 
25th.—Dull all day, but fresh and pleasant. 
26 th.—Fine but cloudy ; bright, cold, moonlight night, 
27th.—Fine and bright. 
Although very warm on Wednesday, the following day was so cocl as to quiet 
counteract it, and the temperature for the whole week was rather below the average. 
, There was very little rain.—G. J. SYMONS. 
