II 
VOLUME III. NO. 28. }• 
ROCHESTER, N. Y-THURSDAY, JULY 8, 1852. 
-! WHOLE NO. 132. 
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT. 
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION. 
The National Agricultural Convention, of 
which wo gave some notice last week, seems 
to have dono little for the cause which it was 
ostensibly called to promote. There were 
one hundred and fifty-four delegates pres¬ 
ent from twenty-three of the States, but the 
farmers as a class, took but little part in tho 
proceedings. Tho President, Hon. M. P. 
Wilder, gave an eloquent and appropriate 
opening address, and, while waiting tho or¬ 
ganization, other remarks of like character 
were made by B. P. Johnson Esq., and Mr. 
Calhoun, of Mass. The session, which con¬ 
tinued two days, was mainly spent in politi¬ 
cal debate, and all wo can learn, that was ac¬ 
complished, was tho formation of a U. S. Ag¬ 
ricultural Society, and the passage of a reso¬ 
lution requesting Congress to do something 
for the promotion of Agriculture, the great 
productive interest of the country. 
Tho topics of division among tho agri¬ 
culturists were, whether Congross should bo 
asked to establish an independent agricul¬ 
tural department of tho government, or 
whether it should create such a department 
in connection with tho Smithsonian Insti¬ 
tute, or whether a simple central society 
would best answer the purposes of the far¬ 
mers. Tho Business Committee, made a 
long report in favor of an Agricultural Bu¬ 
reau, which was strenuously opposed by a 
portion of the same Committee, who wished 
for a department of Agriculture m. connec¬ 
tion with tho Smithsonian Institute. The 
Chairman of tho Committee, Senator Doug¬ 
las, in support of the last project, remarked: 
If an agricultural department or bureau 
wero established, it would soon becomo, liko 
other offices of the government, a place for 
all politicians, and its occupants would be 
removable at every change of administra¬ 
tion. This would make these men much 
too anxious about politics to givo up their 
whole thoughts to their official duties, and 
tho consequence would be tho breaking 
down of tho whole thing. lie proposed 
that a department of Agriculture should be 
attached to tho Smithsonian Institute, and 
believed that this would be more in accord¬ 
ance with tho views of Smitiison than the 
course pursued at present by those in charge 
of tho Institution. 
There were now no practical results ; ab¬ 
struse and theoretical subjects were all the 
professors busied themselves about; and 
unless this state of affairs were reformed, 
tho Institute would become most odious in 
tho sight of tho American peoplo. If it 
was tho wish of the friends of the Smith¬ 
sonian Institute to make their establishment 
popular, tliey must rest it on tho great in¬ 
dustrial institutions of tho country. He 
wished tho Institution to prosecute the sci¬ 
ence's, but only with rofcrenco to practical 
results. Let them pay attention to geology, 
mineralogy, and mechanics, but not forget 
agriculture. Tho Institution must make it¬ 
self useful, and not waste its investigations 
upon tho stars and heavenly planets, and 
other matters which had no practical bear¬ 
ing. This Institution publishes transactions 
and sends them all over tho globe. It re¬ 
ceives vast numbers of agricultural reports 
and documents from all tho agricultural 
societies of tho country, but what does it 
do with them ? For want of an agricultu¬ 
ral department, thoro is no cxchango of 
these reports, and they lie accumulating 
and useless. 
Frof. Henry, of tho Smithsonian Insti¬ 
tute, replied in an ablo speech, explaining 
and defending the objects of tho Institute, 
lie said, tho will of Smithson was much 
misunderstood. Ilis object in making that 
rich bequest was not an ordinary ono; it 
was not merely useful knowledge, in the 
general acceptation of the word that he 
contemplated tho increase and diffusion of, 
but ho had high objects, expanded and ele¬ 
vated purposes, for he was a man of much 
acquisition and research. The object of 
Smithson was not to confino the benefits of 
his institution to this country only, but to 
the whole brotherhood of mankind. Tho 
peoplo of tho United States stand as mere 
trustees for execution of his will and tho 
proper use of tho fund; a fund not intend¬ 
ed for ends special to us, but for tho uni¬ 
versal family of man. 
All discoveries must bo oncouragcd, and 
such an institution as tho Smithsonian re¬ 
quired encouragement, that it might in the 
increase of knowledge, aid in adding new 
facts to scienco. For tho diffusion of 
knowledge there were thousands of institu¬ 
tions where there was ono for its increase, 
and tho Smithsonian Institution is pursuing 
its truo and genuine purposo in keeping that 
fact in full view. It had already published 
four quarto volumes, oYery page of which 
contained somo now addition to knowledge, 
and theso volumes wero distributed in 
every direction. Wo will, said Prof. Hen¬ 
ry, co-operate with agricultural societies, 
and especially with the society now here in 
process of establishment. The Smithsonian 
Institution will offer its hall, its books, its 
apparatus. 
We are even now doing much for agri¬ 
culture. Wo aro preparing an extended 
report on tho forest trees of America; wo 
have published a volume on tho sea-weeds 
of America. Theso things might appear of 
no practical value or importance, and yet 
they are of the highest importance. 
The second day was spent in debate, 
Messrs. Holcomb, Robinson, Bell, Doug¬ 
las and others, participating, and the Con¬ 
vention adjourned sine die, able only to 
agree on the resolution abovo noted. We 
have not seen any “ official ” account of the 
proceedings, but condenso our report of the 
speeches, &c., from tho N. Y. Evening Post. 
Wo liopo there is a brighter side to tho pic¬ 
ture, and shall present it if there is, but as 
yet, to use the language of tho political press, 
tho whole affair seems “ a fizzlo,” as far as 
any practical result is concerned, and very 
like that of tho attompts lioretoforo made 
by Congress to “ do something” for tho Ag¬ 
ricultural Interest. 
BUTTER MAKING. 
BY A FARMER’S WIFE. 
OBSERVATION AND EXPERIMENT. 
Facts are to the mind, as food is to the body.— Burke. 
No employment or situation in life is 
more favorablo for tho observation of inter¬ 
esting and valuable facts, than that of the 
farmer. “ Creation, both animate and in¬ 
animate, lies beforo him,”—tho operations 
ho is generally engaged in, are substantial 
matters of fact, anil constantly subject to 
modification by tho stato of tho soil and of 
the weather. The deductions of experience 
are made from observation, and tho knowl¬ 
edge which ono can apply to any subject, is 
ever in proportion to their opportunities, 
and their power of digesting and drawing 
truthful inferences from the facts presented. 
It often requires a long series of observa¬ 
tions to establish or disprove any theory or 
supposition; henco the value of tho practice 
of not only observing carefully, but of re¬ 
cording minutely, overy tliing that bears up¬ 
on the point in question. 
To every young farmer, especially, is this 
a subject worthy of considerate adoption.— 
There aro many important problems con¬ 
stantly pressing themselves upon the atten¬ 
tion of agriculturists, which observation and 
experiment alono can work out. And it is 
through theso means that the advancement 
which has been made within tho last twenty 
years in agriculture has been accomplished. 
It is from tho facts gathered by caroful ob¬ 
servation of tho thousand things which in¬ 
fluence tho character and value of tho pro¬ 
ducts of the farm, that wo have learned the 
means of increasing those products. When 
every tarmer shall come to the determina¬ 
tion to learn all ho can by observation, study 
and experiment, and put his knowledge into 
actual practice as far as his moans will al¬ 
low, then will tho productiveness of tho 
country as a whole, como up to that stand¬ 
ard which now only tho most intelligent 
and enterprising farmers attain. 
Eds. Rural : —I do not attempt tho con¬ 
sideration of this subject in the expectation 
of adding any new and important facts, but 
to contribute my “mito” to tho general 
stock of knowledge already gained, and to 
note down a few plain and simple facts for 
thoso who aro, or expect to bo, dairy-women 
in a small way. It seems to be a subject 
that reifies ‘‘lino upon lino,” to induce 
peoplo to pnicbico on tho principle that good 
butter can lie more profitably made than 
poor butter. "•••'- : 1 
Something more than twenty ^cars ago, 
I took upon myself the responsibilities of a 
farmer’s wife, as too many others havo done, 
without an adequato knowledge of its re¬ 
quirements anil duties. I thought any ono 
who was cleanly, could make good butter; 
a process so simple, that skill was quite un¬ 
necessary. I therefore undertook the 
management of tho milk of ten or twelve 
cows, with all tho confidence of ignoranco. 
A few weeks convinced me that more 
knowledge and judgment wero necessary 
than I had anticipated, to produce tho very 
best butter. 
Among my neighbors was a woman who 
had been for years a dairy-woman in an ex- 
tensivo dairy in England. An old lady, 
somewhat fastidious in taste, whom we sup¬ 
plied with butter, observed that she would 
onsure to us among her friends, two cents 
a pound above the market price, as soon as 
my butter should equal Mrs. P.’s, (tlio wo¬ 
man abovo alluded to,) in quality. Here 
was a direct appeal to a motivo that always 
responds. I accordingly sought Mrs. P.’s 
advice. Said she, “ Lay down a few plain 
rules; experience and observation will do 
tlie rest. 
“ Let all milk vcssols, bo perfectly clean 
and free from acidity ; a good circulation of 
pure air, without having tho wind blow on 
tho milk; skim tho milk before it turns sour, 
nover letting tho milk thicken with the cream 
on; churning often enough to prevent tho 
cream from getting very sour ; churn mode¬ 
rately, lyork tho butter clear of buttermilk, 
salt with from ono to one-and-a-quartor oun¬ 
ces of fine, sifted salt, to ono lb. of fresh but¬ 
ter ; let tho butter stand twenty-four hours, 
then mould and prepare your butter for 
market, and depend on it, you will have a 
first rate article.” 
“ Do you not havo to wash your butter a 
great deal in warm weather to got out tho 
buttermilk ?” I inquired. 
“ No,” said she, “ such a practice ruins the 
butter, it washes out tho sweetness ; I never 
allow any water to touch my butter; some¬ 
times I put a piece ot ice, or cold spring 
water in tho churn, but I do liko to do even 
that.” 
By close observation of theso rules, com¬ 
bined with ambition to excel, and got tho 
highest prices beforo tho first season was 
over, I succeeded in bringing my butter to 
tho required standard. 'I still thought Mrs. 
P. rather whimsical in her opposition to 
washing butter, and could not help accusing 
her of a little obstinacy. I at length be¬ 
came convinced that she was right. 1 then 
knew nothing of tho chemical process by 
which tho sweetness was washed out of tho 
butter, but such I found to bo tho fact. I 
found, too, that the use of water injured 
the buttor for keeping. By repeated ex- 
poriments, it was found that of two jars of 
butter treated precisely alike, excepting that 
ono was washed and tho other unwashed, 
after being kept through tho winter, tho 
unwashed would invariably prove to bo tho 
best. Chemical analysis has ropeatodly 
shown that tho sugar which forms an ingre¬ 
dient in all milk and cream, is dissolved and 
lost in the water, thoreby detracting from 
that delicious sweetness that all butter 
should possess. 
I know that a small farmer who keops 
hut two or three cows cannot always com¬ 
mand tho advantages of more extendod 
moans. But if two cows only aro kept, it 
I Is quito as important to tho owner that they 
J should bo good ones, and yield good butter 
in proportion to tho monoy invested, as it 
would bo if ho were able to keep twenty.— 
There aro very few situations, where suffi¬ 
cient accommodations cannot be obtained, 
by a small outlay of what the Yankees call 
“ contrivance,” to enablo a careful, observing 
woman, to mako tho very best butter. I 
can see no good reason why so much poor 
butter is made and carried to market, when 
a littlo more care and attention would pro- 
duco an article that any woman might bo 
proud to call her work. 
It is so much moro convenient too, to sup¬ 
ply individual families, and take the money 
for your butter, than to have that which you 
arc obliged to solicit grocers to buy, and 
then bo paid in their goods, at their own 
prices. 
I am much inclined to think that what 
wo have gained in time, by the introduction 
of churns that will produce butter with five 
or ten minutes labor, has been overbalanced 
by loss in quality and quantity. I have used 
“Gault’s Churn,” but will not say there 
is none better, but with that I have found 
rapid churning would always injure tho 
quality of the butter. As to what is de¬ 
nominated cooking butter, which is blit an¬ 
other name for rancid, worthless stuff, such 
an article should never bo used in any kind 
of food, as all experience shows that it is 
decidedly unwholesomo, and spoils tho taste 
of anything in which it becomes an ingre¬ 
dient. If by accident or from other causes, 
butter becomes rancid, consign it to the re¬ 
ceptacle for “ soap grease,” and enter the 
amount on tho page of “ losses.” 
When a good spring of water can be com¬ 
manded, a very little expense will make it 
a valuable auxiliary in tho making of good 
butter. Hero I would say a few words about 
vessels in which to set milk. If the ar¬ 
rangements allow of setting the pans in 
running water, I prefer the stone crocks of 
tho potteries, perfectly glazed, made a little 
larger at the top than at tho bottom. The 
only reason why thoy aro preferable to tin, 
is tho liability of tho latter to rust, from 
continual contact with tho water.. In all 
other situations, I behove tin is tho best of 
any thing wo can at present use, both on 
account of cleanliness and economv. I 
presume at some future time, glass will 
come into uso for that purposo, and thoro is 
no doubt it is better for milk pans than any 
other material, or will be, when it can bo 
manufactured sufficiently cheap and strong. 
A few years ago, when zinc was highly rec¬ 
ommended for milk pans, my husband was 
desirous that I should give them a trial; I 
did so, and directly found that the least 
acidity would decompose enough of tho zinc 
to color that portion of tho milk that set¬ 
tled at tho bottom whon tho milk began to 
turn sour, rendering them wholly unfit for 
tho purposo. 
Many persons complain of being unable 
to mako yellow butter in winter. Some 
cows will yield yellow butter at all seasons, 
others not at any season; much, however, 
depends upon tho kind of food given to the 
cow. I think tho freezing of milk takes 
tho color out, and injures tho butter. I 
prefer setting milk where it will not freeze 
till tho cream has all risen; next to that, I 
liko the practico of scalding the milk till 
tho minute Bubbles begin to riso from the 
bottom of tho pan, then let it stand from 
twelve to eighteen hours, when tho cream 
will bo all at tho top in a rich mass that 
may bo cut; henco the name, “clotted 
cream,” which always yields a largo quanti¬ 
ty of butter in proportion to its bulk, with 
a very littlo churning. I havo seen a bowl 
of this cream converted into butter by stir¬ 
ring with a common tablo spoon in three 
minutes. Tho buttor has a peculiar sweet¬ 
ness, and tho cream is considered a great 
delicacy, particularly among English people, 
eaton with fruit at dessert. 
Any desired shado of yellow can bo given 
to winter butter without in tho least injur¬ 
ing tho flavor, by grating an Altringham 
carrot into a littlo milk and straining into tho 
cream. I mention this kind of carrot be¬ 
cause it is higher colored, and consequently 
less of the juice is required. A little prac¬ 
tice must regulate tho quantity. Tho yolk 
oi a frosh egg, well beaten, to two quarts of 
cream, will produce the same result. 
Since writing the abovo. I have been look¬ 
ing over an article for the “ Dairy,” in a re- 
.cent number of tho Boston Cultivator, and 
find somo interesting remarks made beforo 
a Council of tho Royal Ag. Society, by a 
gentleman who kopt an extensive dairy in 
Holstein. I find his practice so well agrees 
with my own ideas of proper dairy manage¬ 
ment, that I send you the remarks for pub¬ 
lication, if you think proper.* His dairy is 
much liko that recommended in tho plan of 
a ” I arm Cottage,” which took the premium 
of tho N. Y. Stato Ag. Society in 1848, and 
sinco published in the Rural, of October 
10, 1850. 
’Wiilow-deH Farm, June, 1852. 
*The article referred to, will be found on the next page, 
headed “A Holstein Dairy.”—E d. 
THE WIRE WORM, 
Messrs. Editors :—I havo looked in vain 
in tho Rural for accounts of experiments 
for destroying or preventing the ravages of 
tho wire-worm, but having given considera¬ 
ble attention to the subject and tried sever¬ 
al plans on my own farm, I send you tho 
following for publication, if you think it of 
interest to your readers. 
Many ways aro proposed to head theso 
troublesome and destructive worms, and tho 
bugs into which they change—littlo black 
bugs about half an inch in length. Somo say, 
“ salt them,” which may do for a small piece, 
but is too expensive for a large field. Others 
ca N> “plow and Harrow often, for two years, 
and you will starvo them out,” but this, also, 
is very expensive. I used them up one 
year pretty well, by burning the bugs, but 
that does not seem to last for a long timo, 
for thoy will soon travel from ono field to 
another. I have often watched them; they 
run quite fast, and stop frequently at stones, 
sticks, chips and tho liko, seemingly in 
search of company. Tho bug would stay 
but a moment, and then would be seen look¬ 
ing out to know if the way was clear—then 
ho would start on in a hurry, and I never 
could turn them out of their course, by 
stopping or hindering them—thoy still kept 
in tho same direction. Thoy seem fond of 
company, and generally congregate togeth¬ 
er under flat stones, sods, bundles of grain 
and the liko. Their worst enemy is the 
skunk, which makes them its principal food. 
I have seen them at work, gathering them 
from their hiding places on a fallow,—but 
my burning them was ahead of all other de¬ 
structives. 
One year whon working a fallow on which 
I knew they abounded, and where I had fre¬ 
quently observed both worms and bugs, and 
saw them change from tho first to tho last, 
I first thought of this experiment. So, just 
beforo cross-plowing I drew a chain across 
tho lot, making marks over tho wliolo at 
seven paces apart, and then put a small fork 
full of straw every few feet on theso lines. 
I then lashed two stono boats together, put 
a boy on, and set him driving through be¬ 
tween tho rows to .disturb tho bugs anil 
smooth tho ground. I followed, and could 
see them seeking for a hiding placo, and 
when thoy got under the straw they would 
stay there. In about a week we set the 
straw on fire; after burning, I looked in the 
ashes and found from forty to fifty bugs un¬ 
der many of the bunches. The worms did 
not injure my wheat that year, though they 
bad almost destroyed my crop for two years 
beforo. 
These worms are doing more or less in¬ 
jury overy year, and it is very desirable that 
some means may be found for their destruc¬ 
tion. I hope thoso of your readers who 
havo had any success in their eradication, 
or who can throw any light on their pre¬ 
vention, will give their experience to the 
public through your columns. 
Sylvester Kellogg. 
Iloneoye Falls, N. Y., 1852. 
A man’s naturo runs eithor to herbs or 
woods; therefore let him seasonably wator 
tho one and destroy the other. 
