volume ii. no. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: 
A WEEKLY JOURNAL, DEVOTED TO 
Agriculture, Horticulture, Mechanic Arts and Sci¬ 
ence, Education, Rural and Domestic Economy, 
General Intelligence, the Markets, &c., &c. 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
ASSISTED BY 
J. H. BIXBY, L. WETIIERELL, and II. C. WHITE. 
Contributors and Correspondents: 
L. B. Lanoworthy, Chester Dewey, i.l. d., 
William Garbutt, M. M. Rodoers, m. d. 
S. P. Chapman, .1. Clement, 
David Ely, D. W. Ballou, Jr., 
Myron Adams, R. G. Pardee, 
H. P. Norton, I. Hildreth. 
T. C. Peters, Jas. II. Watts, 
F. W. T,ay, W. H. Bristol, 
T. E. Wetmore, Wm. T. Kennedy, 
R. B. Warren, S. Luther, 
Archibald Stone, H. D. Wiiitino. 
And numerous others—practical, scientific, and literary 
writers—whose names are necessarily omitted. 
The Rural New-Yorker is designed to be unique nnd 
beautiful in appearance, and unsurpassed in Value, Purity 
and Variety of Contents. Its conductors earnestly labor 
to make it a Reliable Guide on the important Practical 
Subjects connected with the business of those whose inter¬ 
ests it advocates. It embraces more Agricultural, Horti¬ 
cultural, Scientific, Mechanical, Literary and News Matter 
—interspersed with many appropriate and handsome en¬ 
gravings—than any other paper published in this Country. 
For Terms, Sec ., see last page. 
ROCHESTER, N. I.-THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1851. 
WHOLE NO. 94. 
PROGRESS AND 5MPJSOVEU04NT. 
DAIRY INTEREST OF NEW YORK. - NO. 7- 
BUTTER MAKING. 
In determining the different constituents 
of milk, chemists employ a number of tests, 
many of which can be of little practical 
importance to dairymen in general, though 
the result of such analysis may not be de¬ 
void of use or interest. The nature of the 
changes which take place during the sour¬ 
ing or the churning of milk may be more 
readily understood, by first having some 
knowledge of the su^ar of milk, and the 
acid of milk. If the curd be separated 
from the whey, and the latter boiled and 
skimmed, and cleansed and clarified—as 
farmers clarify maple sugar with the white 
of eggs—and reduced to one fourth its 
bulk by continued boiling, it will, if put in 
shallow earthen vessels, in a few days be¬ 
gin to deposite small white crystals in the 
bottom and sides of the vessel. This is 
known as the Sugar of milk. It is less 
sweet than our common sugar, not so solu¬ 
ble in water, and is gritty between the teeth. 
The addition of a little curd to a solution 
of this sugar, sours it and fermentation 
commences, forming lactic acid, and after 
complete fermentation, alcohol is produced. 
This sugar is always in the milk which 
the cheesey matter at a given temperature 
sours, producing fermentation. The same 
effect will be produced if a piece of rennet 
be immersed in the solution of milk sugar. 
The reader may now readily understand 
the souring of milk to be produced by the 
turning of the sugar to acid, through the 
action of the casein, or cheesey matter in 
the milk. This readily occurs if milk is 
exposed to the air, and is hastened by in¬ 
creasing the temperature, and' occurs im¬ 
mediately as it reaches the boiling point. 
One of the composite parts of milk is 
known as butter, though it is more in ac¬ 
cordance with the common usage to speak 
of it as cream from which butter may be 
made. A close analysis of milk shows 
butter to be the fat, or oil of milk inter¬ 
mingled with considerable portions of ca¬ 
sein and water, and having also a small 
quantity of the sugar of milk. These pro¬ 
portions vary with the different modes in 
which butter is prepared, whether from the 
milk or only from the cream. The nature 
of the pasture or feed may also materially 
effect the proportions of the cheesey or the 
fatty matter of which butter is composed, 
as also to this source can readily be traced 
the coloring substance, and some aromatic 
and other flavors which are often noticed 
in buttey. So also much of the flavor of 
butter may be traced to the milk having- 
been kept in an improper place, and it has 
even been known to partake of the flavor 
of roots and vegetables placed in the same 
room where the milk is left to cool and 
cream. 
We are all too well acquainted with 
the difference in the quality of butter 
made in different localities as well as of 
that made in the same neighborhood even 
where a similar method of making is pur¬ 
sued. These differences are owing to the 
season at which butter is made—to the 
food of the cows, and in many instances to 
the cows themselves, since there are cows 
that with the best of food, rar^y furnish a 
first rate article of butter. The great dif¬ 
ference, however, in the quality of butter, 
will be found, we apprehend, in the manner 
in which it is made. The method of its 
preparation, from the milking of the cow, 
to the packing of butter for market, should 
early claim the attention of dairymen.— 
One of the requisites for obtaining good 
cream easily is to scald the milk as soon 
as it is brought in from milking. Those 
who have followed this practice, have found 
it productive of gre<*t saving, not only in 
the increased amount of cream that rises, 
but in the facility with which the cream is 
changed to butter while churning. 
The mode of scalding is to set the pan 
as soon as strained upon the stove, and let 
it heat until a bubble or two rises to the 
surface by the heat—then set it away. 
A writer in the N. E. Farmer, says:— 
“The cream should be skimmed off while 
the milk is sweet, and care should be taken 
to drain off the milk from the cream when 
it is skimmed, for if it is allowed to sour 
and go to curd, it will remain in the butter, 
in little white streaks, and render it very 
unsaleable. Cream should be churned 
while it is sweet and cool; then the butter 
will come hard, and the butter-milk can be 
extracted with much less trouble than when 
it comes soft. After the butter comes the 
butter-milk should be turned off and cold 
>. ater put in the churn and churned a little 
to take the butter-milk from the butter.— 
The butter-milk should be got out with as 
little working as possible. If butter is 
worked too much, it breaks the grain and 
makes it greasy, and it also destroys the 
flavor. The butter-milk may be squeezed 
and spatted out instead of working with a 
machine that cuts and breaks the grain and 
injures the quality. After washing the 
butter in the water, it should be washed in 
good strong brine, that takes the water all 
out of the butter. If water is left in, it 
will turn white, where the drops stand.” 
As this is a point upon which a diversity 
of opinions exist, we shall in another num¬ 
ber give it an extended consideration in 
connection with the subject of salting and 
and packing butter, for home consumption 
and for sending to foreign markets. + 
THE STATE FAIR. 
Horses; the Gen. Gifford — Cattle; the Earl of 
Seaham — Sheep; the French Merinos — Poultry. 
The State, Fair recently held in this city, 
has been favorably noticed in all parts of 
the country. It was indeed, a great and 
splendid affair. It was an immense exhi¬ 
bition ; and every thing excellent; and much, 
that was altogether superior in its kind. It 
would almost seem invidious, to single out 
and designate particular articles, where all 
deserved high commendation. Still it will 
do no injustice, to give merited eulogium 
where it is due, provided it does not dero¬ 
gate from the claims and merits of others. 
I shall not allude to the Mechanical or to 
the Horticultural departments; but parti¬ 
ally and briefly to that of the stock, only. 
The exhibition of fine and valuable Hor¬ 
ses of every description, I suppose has never 
been equaled in this country. There were 
those, in form, size, and muscular develop¬ 
ment, as perfect as they could be, for the 
uses and purposes for which the horse is 
designed. I will allude in detail to one only 
—the “ Gen. Gifford.” Now I have seen 
many of the most celebrated horses of the 
time, both English and Arabian — both im¬ 
ported and bred in this country—horses of 
large cost, and great celebrity—but I never 
saw a horse, that I considered a more per¬ 
fect model, than the Gen. Gifford. True, 
he has not the size and weight required for 
the team horse; and it is not for this pur¬ 
pose that he is needed or commended. But 
as a roadster —a horse for the saddle, for 
the light pleasure wagon and the traveling- 
carriage, I have never seen what I consider ( 
his superior—and perhaps I can say, his 
equal. It would be difficult to find in his 
race, the same amount of material consti¬ 
tuting so fine a form—so well, so justly and 
compactly put together. And then the cor¬ 
rectness of his movements—his fine action, 
and his ambitious, brave and animated spirit, 
I will not say, cannot, but I do say, need not, 
be*exceeded. If put to well-bred mares, 
of larger size, of good forms, and fine spirit 
and action, I think his stock, as pleasure hor¬ 
ses and roadsters, will take the lead of any 
thing now on the turf. 
The display of blood Cattle was magnifi¬ 
cent. 0 ur Canadian neighbors exhibited 
many, that might justly be styled the most 
splendid specimens of their race. But 
coming under the head of “ Foreign Stock,” 
they could not compete with the noble herds 
of our own citizens. All the leading breeds 
of blood cattle were ably represented. The 
finest herds of the most eminent breeders in 
the State, furnished numerous and splendid 
exhibitions. I make no comparison between 
the different breeds, where so much excel¬ 
lence appeared; and where all exhibited 
in the highest degree, the leading charac¬ 
teristics of their kind. I will allude to two 
bulls only, of the “ Improved Short-horns.” 
The bull, “Earl of Seaham,” owned by 
Mr. Ambrose Stevens —recently import¬ 
ed — three years old, of roan color— was a 
magnificent animal. It would be useless 
to attempt to particularize his fine points— 
all was tine, correct, and justly proportioned. 
And if with the addition of years, he should 
not prove to be too large, he will be con¬ 
sidered as filling up the circle of the “ per¬ 
fect animal.” 
The other, was a splendid bull, owned by 
our Canadian friend, Adam Ferguson, Esq. 
He was four years old, of beautiful roan 
color—large, and perfect in form and pro¬ 
portions. So fine a head, with so bright and 
mild an expression of the eye, I never be 
fore saw on a bull. His horns, though but 
few inches in length, were beautiful in form 
and position—a feature not often met with, 
among the improved Short-horns. The 
painter, or engraver, who should attempt to 
flatter this animal in executing his likeness* 
would only mar his beauty. It would be 
extremely difficult for either artist, to do 
him simple justice. I speak in strong terms, 
—and he merits all I have said. This fine 
animal, I learn, was purchased by S. P. 
Chapman, Esq., of Madison county, before 
leaving the Fair. ' The farmers of that coun¬ 
ty may justly congratulate themselves upon 
the acquisition of so valuable an animal. 
I viewed with much interest, the exhibi¬ 
tion of fine wool Sheep. The smooth, sof^ 
tine wool Saxons were beautiful. But as 
the current seems to be setting in favor of 
the Merino, I examined this breed more 
closely than others. What was styled the 
French Merino, I consider superior to all 
others of the Merino family. They were 
fine size—(nnd we do not desire a sheep to 
be as large as a cow, and as costly to keep,) 
—had fine, thick fleeces, of beautiful staple, 
and not a coarse hair upon the surface.— 
They resembled the French Merino of the 
Rambouilette flock, imported and bred by 
the late Chancellor Livingston. They are 
measurably free from the superabundance of 
yolk, that constitutes so large a portion of 
the weight of the common Merino fleece. 
They are highly deserving of the attention 
of the farmer. ^ 
In regard to Poultry, the exhibition was 
extensive and various,—more so than had 
been anticipated; for the accomodations, 
though extensive, were not half equal to 
the wants of exhibitors. All the celebrated 
breeds and kinds were represented; and no 
doubt by specimens of much excellence.— 
But I question altogether the expediency 
of cultivating the large foreign breeds. A 
Chittagong or Shanghae, that should 
weigh 12 lbs., cannot be sustained at less 
cost of food, than two fowls weighing 6 lbs., 
each. And the large boned, coarse bird, 
cannot be expected to equal in fineness of 
flesh, and delicacy of -flavor, the smaller 
breeds. The Dorking and Poland have 
now become natives. The Cochin China 
and Shanghae are yet to be acclimated.— 
And I confidently expect to find them, more 
tender and difficult to raise, and less profit¬ 
able and desirable, than the smaller fowl. 
The reputation of the Poland, is fixed and 
established—-a medium sized fowl, satisfac¬ 
tory for the table, and superior to all others 
for laying. The Dorking, superior to all 
common breeds in size, in fullness and beau¬ 
ty of form, and excellence for the table— 
and equal to any except the Poland, for 
laying. They are, beyond a per-adventure, 
the preferable fowl for the farmer, and will 
doubtless come into general favor. 
In regard to the characteristics of the 
Dorking, the connoiseur will have his own 
fancy. I would not cultivate the white, for 
I have found the white bird less hardy than 
the colored. I would not esteem the speck¬ 
led, for the speckled Dorkings I have seen, 
have little, and sometimes nothing to dis¬ 
tinguish them from the common dung-hill, 
except the toe. Nor would I tolerate one 
of any color, either cock or hen, with a sin¬ 
gle comb, like a fin on a fishes back. They 
should possess a rich, broad, double comb. 
Bennet, of “The Poultry Book,” styles 
the Fawn colored Dorking, one of the best 
varieties of fowls known; and considers 
them aji improvement on the common Dork¬ 
ing in size, without diminishing the fineness 
of the flesh—and says he shall hereafter 
cultivate this variety. That his fawn color¬ 
ed hen from the latter part of February to 
the 20th of June, laid 118 eggs, missin 
only three days. Uniformity of color, and 
a color different from the general run of the 
common dung-hill, are exceedingly desira 
ble, if not indispensable, in characterising a 
distinct breed. This object is attained, in 
both the white, and fawn-colored Dorking. 
Remarks. —In giving place to the above, 
it may be proper to remark that its author 
is not at present interested, either directly 
or indirectly, in the kinds of stock mention¬ 
ed. He was formerly an extensive, farmer, 
and the owner of as many fine horses, cat 
tie and sheep as any one man ought to pos 
sess — and from his long experience and 
good judgment, is eminently qualified to 
write upon stock and stock breeding. For 
this reason - - and the additional one that he 
has no interest to subserve, except that of 
the public—his remarks are reliable, and 
cannot be ascribed to personal motives.— 
Eds. Rural. 
POULTRY PROFITS. 
L nquestionably the keeping and rear- 
ing of poultry, whether upon a large or 
small scale, is one of profit. To the farmer 
it is especially so, as it furnishes his table 
with much luxurious living in the way of 
eggs and “ chicken iixins,” while the cost 
to him is trifling and far below that of him 
who lives in the village or city. As facts 
are better than theories, however plausible, 
I will just add a scrap of my experience. 
At the commencement of the last win¬ 
ter I obtained nine hens and a cock. They 
were ordinary fowls, such as are common to 
farm yards where the imported and im¬ 
proved breeds have not found their way.— 
Neither have they had any especial care* 
as I had no proper conveniences for hous¬ 
ing them. Their feed consisted mainly of 
buckwheat, with poor corn and boiled po¬ 
tatoes occasionally. They have had no 
meat food except such as they procured in 
their field ranges. They have had an un¬ 
limited range. Yet since spring I have 
continued to furnish them fuod. I have 
done so to satisfy their appetites and pre- 
ent them from mischief-doW in tbe ffar- 
den and fields. A well fed hen will show 
but little disposition to trouble her ow r ner by 
scratching up the seeds he may have plant¬ 
ed, or tangling down and destroying his 
grains. Let those who starve their fowls 
to mischief, try the experiment of giving 
them a full supply of food the year round, 
and their stereotyped complaint of having 
“the most mischievous hens that ever lived’ 
will vanish like a charm. ' 
But to my poultry profits, which stand 
thus:— 
To 10 fowls, at 25c......$2,50 
To cost of feed for hens and the rearing of 
chickens,. 1,56 
Making the whole cost,.$4,06 
Up to the present time (middle of Aug.,) 
I have had, beside those set for chicks, 
39 dozen eggs, which at 8c., give.$3,12 
We have now of good size nearly fit for the 
table 40 chickens, at one shilling,.5,00 
$8,12 
Which not only pays for the cost of keep 
but for the stock, and leaves beside 100 per¬ 
cent. as profit, and that too at the very 
owest price of the season. t. e. w. 
MULES vs. HORSES. 
Editors Rural: —We are not a little 
surprised in this day and age of agricultu¬ 
ral improvement, that so little is said and 
written on the superiority of mules in place 
of horses. We do not remember to have 
seen a premium awarded or offered for the 
mule, by our State Society, and we cannot 
account for the omission, except it is the 
ignorance in regard to them, that so gene¬ 
rally pervades this northern region. 
A residence of several years at the South 
has satisfied us of the following facts, viz: 
Mules live twice, if not thrice, as long as 
horses; they are not one fourth as subject 
to disease; they are kept on one-half the 
food; they will perform an equal, if not 
greater amount of labor; they are more sure 
footed, they stand heat and cold, rain and 
shine better, and with the law and power of 
kindness, are quite as docile and managea¬ 
ble. Their powers of endurance are re¬ 
markable ; for wear and tear, for Tom, Dick 
and Harry to drive and take care of, they 
are the team of teams. 
In order to wake up the public mind to 
the subject, we would suggust that the 
State Society offer a premium for the best 
essay on the comparative merits of mules 
and horses, and that they award a prize to 
the best and second best pair presented at 
our next State Fair. s. w. 
Saratoga Co., Oct. 3,1851. 
