22 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 3,1889. 
requirements of the land,and how to select, mix, and apply the manures. 
No ; money alone will not make farming profitable—there must hesound 
and thorough practical knowledge brought to bear upon expenditure, for 
without such knowledge mere business capacity will not suffice. 
Before coming to a decision as to the size of farm he is able to under¬ 
take, a tenant farmer should not forget that in addition to the use of 
pure seed, to timely culture, skilful tillage, liberal yet judicious manur¬ 
ing, due attention must be given to drainage and mechanical division of 
the soil. If he can get a mixed soil farm that is naturally porous, well ; 
if not, and he turns to strong clay land, his outlay for drainage and clay 
burning will be proportionately higher and must be taken into account. 
Let this always be done beforehand, and let him by a simple process 
of calculation strive to see what amount per acre he requires in addition 
to the probable amount of the valuation, to undertake the cultivation 
of the farm successfully. A tolerably wide margin there always must 
be for accidents of the future, and there should also always be sufficient 
capital in hand to take advantage of every favourable opportunity for 
the purchase or sale of farm stock. For example, the man who was 
able to keep his lambs over or to purchase lambs last June, is quite cer¬ 
tain to realise a handsome profit on their sale as fat hoggets. 
Turning now to a brief notice of some of the branches of agriculture 
upon which my subject bears most directly, I turn first to 
DAIRY FARMING, 
because so much prominence has been given to it recently. With the 
facts before us of a condensed milk factory in full action in Essex, the 
recent establishment of a dairy factory in East Suffolk, and the still 
more important fact of almost every farmhouse having its own weekly 
surplus of butter to dispose of, the matter appears worthy of special 
attention as a factor to success in profitable farming. One of the most 
common arguments used against dairy farming is that if we do make 
butter there is no market for it. There are several answers to this, the 
most conclusive perhaps being the fact that the latest returns available 
show that in 1886 we imported 2,431,540 cwts. of butter and margarine. 
If it answers the purpose of continental and other farmers to export 
butter in such quantities to us, it is at any rate worth inquiry if we 
could not compete in the trade profitably. Dorset butter has made its 
way to Bury St. Edmunds, and commands a preferential sale there. 
In London Normandy butter is in equally strong request, yet neither as 
so purchased are of superlative excellence. Canon Bagot, who has done 
so much for dairy farming, tells us that the great success of Normandy 
butter is its never-changing character and uniformity, the large factories 
there always turning out the same article ; and though one far inferior 
in quality to that produced at our large factories, where the separator 
is used, yet has succeeded in getting a grip on the London market by its 
ever-constant uniformity, which is all the more remarkable from its 
being made up of purchased lumps of butter mixed together by a 
powerful butter worker. To show what may be done in this country, I 
may mention Lord Hampden’s butter factory, which he has established 
on his estate at Glynde, near Lewes. At this factory the tenants on the 
estate and other farmers of the district are able to dispose of their milk 
at this season of the year at 9d. per imperial gallon. The factory has 
been so successful that it is being enlarged sufficiently to deal with 
2000 gallons of milk daily. About 2000 lbs. of butter per week were 
being made some four months ago. For six months up to the end of 
March the price obtained was Is. 6d. per pound, it was Is. 4d. up to the 
end of May, and Is. 2d. in July, at which price buyers were willing-to 
take any quantity that could be turned out. I could point to another 
large dairy in Kent where first-class butter is invariably made, for 
which Is. 6d. per pound is given, and there too the demand exceeds the 
supply. In sad contrast with all this was Alderman Ridley’s declara¬ 
tion before the British Dairy Association, that most of the butter brought 
from local farms to Bury is not worth more than from 7d. to 9d. per 
pound. Now, considerable experience in dairy farming enables me to 
assert positively that inferior butter is an inevitable result of misman¬ 
agement, yet the process is simplicity itself, and contains no mystery. 
Thorough cleanliness and attention to every detail is all that is required 
to produce good butter, but the term of cleanliness as here applied is 
most comprehensive, and includes the food, the cow house, the milkman, 
just as much as it does the dairy woman and dairy. 
The cows most suitable for a tenant farmer are those in which we 
find the best combination of beef and milk. In Suffolk Red Polls we 
have both these important qualities well developed, for they are large 
fleshy animals with an average yield of fairly rich milk of 15 quarts 
daily, and are easily fattened for the butcher as they cease to be useful 
for the dairy. It is a remarkable fact that though not a dairy county, 
Suffolk has in the Red Polls so superior a breed of cattle 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 must be wholesome and nourishing, yet devoid of anything 
that can impart an unpleasant flavour to the butter. A cow requires 
some 80 lbs. of food daily, yet many a cow does not probably get half 
that quantity. No doubt many dairy cows are sadly underfed even 
when turned out to grass in summer. Milked at 6 a.m. and at once 
turned out to grass, they should be lying down and ruminating in the 
course of about three hours. If, on the contrary, they have to wander 
in search of food the greater part of the day, the yield of milk is 
unlikely to be so abundant or the quality so high as it ought to be. In 
summer the dietary should consist entirely of green crops, beginning 
with Rye, and followed with Rye Grass, Lucerne. Sainfoin, Clover, 
Tares, Meadow Grass, green Maize, and Sorghum. In autumn and early 
winter a mixed diet of Cabbages, Carrots, bran, crushed Oats (for 
delicate cows), hay, and silage ; later on, Mangolds take the place of 
Carrots, and Thousand-headed Kale follows the Cabbage. Each article 
of this dietary must be used in well-balanced proportions, especial care 
being taken not to use enough Cabbage, green 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 I ever had was 
a flowing spring, whence the water ran constantly in pipes through 
cisterns in each yard. Yards and lodges should afford thorough shelter, 
be well drained, the yards kept fresh littered, and the lodges scrupu¬ 
lously clean ; the walls cleansed at regular intervals with limewash, and 
with thorough ventilation. Let no foul litter from stables be thrown 
into the cow-yard, for cows will often eat it greedily to the detriment of 
the milk. 
The dairy should be perfectly clean and well ventilated, and there 
should be nothing in its surroundings at all likely to cause the slightest 
foul odour to enter door or window. Milk subjected to contact with 
anything offensive, whether it he the dirty hands of milkers, unclean 
utensils, or foul odours, becomes tainted just in proportion to the quality 
or character of such material. A floor of concrete, faced with Portland 
cement, is best, with slate shelving for the milkpans. Every utensil 
should be scalded and then rinsed in cold water 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 
previously, 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 warm water, and in hot weather in cold water ; but it is much 
better for the butter yield if the dairy itself can always be kept slightly 
below, or at this temperature. Rinse the churn before using with hot 
or cold water, according to the season. Churn slowly at first, stop at 
once when the butter comes, withdraw the buttermilk, and wash the 
butter three times in fresh spring water and twice in pickle made by 
dissolving some salt in water. This is the best way of imparting a slight 
salting to the butter, and avoiding the use of crude salt. The butter 
should not be touched by hand, but be made up by using butter workers 
and slices. Given due attention to these details in cowyard and dairy, 
excellent butter may always be had, there would be no occasion for 
butter factories, and the dairy, instead of being a standing reproach to 
us, would take its legitimate place in profitable farming. 
(To be continued.) 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 82' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8'0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. I 9 A.M. I IN THE DAT. 
1888. 
December, 
0 g 
a i ’gj 
«£§ 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
Temp, of 
soil at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
a 
a 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass 
Inches. 
deg. 
deft. 
def?. 
dei?. 
dei?. 
deg. 
deg. 
Sunday. 
16 
30.539 
36.1 
35.9 
N.w. 
38 2 
36.8 
33 9 
39.2 
34.2 
Monday. 
17 
30.886 
34.6 
84 5 
s.w. 
38.6 
35.3 
33.2 
37.8 
34.1 
Tuesday .... 
1* 
30 235 
30 7 
30.9 
N.E. 
38.1 
46.3 
27 9 
47.9 
30.2 
Wednesday .. 
19 
30 001 
45.9 
45 4 
S.K. 
379 
48.4 
29.1 
52.6 
26.9 
Thursday .... 
20 
29 698 
42.4 
42.2 
S.E. 
39 8 
48.9 
40.9 
61.9 
32.9 
Friday . 
21 
19 345 
46 9 
44.9 
S.E. 
408 
51.2 
42 4 
55.3 
38.8 
0.010 
Saturday .... 
22 
29.133 
48 7 
47.2 
S.E. 
42.1 
51.4 
46.6 
62.5 
41.9 
0.015 
19 905 
40 8 
40.1 
| 39.3 
45.5 
36.3 
51.0 
34.1 
0.125 
REMARKS. 
16th.—A dull, damp, misty morning ; fine day ; and damp misty night. 
17th.—Dull fine morning ; fine day ; loggy night. 
lttth.—Foggy in the morning, gradually clearing off, and again foggy at night. 
19th.—Mild dull morning; fine day with occasional gleams of sun, and fine night. 
20th.—Fine mild morning, bright sun ; fine night. 
2 lst.—Mild, showery morning, with blue sky, fresh breeze, and rain at night. 
22nd.—Mild, showery early morning; fine day, with occasional sun gleams; fine'night,. 
A damp and rather foggy week, with about the average temperature.—G. J. SYMONS.- 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAT. 
0 
I 
1888. 
December. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32° 
and Sea 
Level. 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
0 . 
‘-C 0 
So 
p. . O 
6 0*2 
H 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass 
Sunday.23 
Monday. 24 
Tuesday .... 25 
Wednesday.. 28 
Thursday.... 27 
Friday . 28 
Saturday .... 29 
Inches. 
29.552 
29.529 
29.748 
29.768 
29 950 
29.475 
29.859 
deg. 
43.4 
46.6 
35.2 
39.4 
40.4 
46 9 
37.9 
deg. 
41.9 
45.3 
34 8 
38.5 
39.1 
46.3 
36.9 
E. 
S.E. 
S. 
S.W. 
S.E. 
S.E. 
N.E. 
deg. 
42.4 
42 4 
42.4 
42.1 
40 7 
418 
41.6 
deg. 
48.9 
50.9 
49.2 
45.6 
49 6 
48.8 
40.8 
deg. 
40 8 
43.1 
316 
35.5 
31.2 
40.8 
36.4 
deg. 
53.4 
52.8 
50.1 
62.1 
52.1 
51.3 
43.8 
deg. 
32.1 
36.3 
25.9 
29.9 
25.1 
36.6 
28.9 
In. 
0.433 
0.247 
0.164 
0.152s 
29.693 
41.4 
40.4 
41.9 
47.7 
37.0 
52.2 
30.7 
0.99 3. 
REMARKS. 
23rd.—Dull fine mild morning, dull and overcast day, and fine night. 
24th.—Dull and damp, with slight showers during day, very wet from 5 to 9 P.M : 
fine night. 
25th.—White frost and fine morning, but damp; wet afternoon, very heavy rain at 5 P.M. 
26th.—Slight showers about midday, otherwise fine and bright. 
27th.—White frost, bright morning, fair day. 
28th.—Wet till 10 A.M. and from 11.30 to 2 P.M., the remainder dull and damp. 
29th.—Cloudy at damp. 
G SrMo N ttle ^ rcv ^ 0U9 wee ^> an ^ slightly above the average; rain also in excess. 
