Ona griculture 
ROCHESTER, N, Y.-FOR THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1865, 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
AN OBtir.rS.ML WEEKLY 
RURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
Milk being a compound substance, is suscepti¬ 
ble of being operated upon by different chemical 
agents and the results of these different actions 
are widely different; for instance the action of 
an alkali, is two-fold, first to unite with and 
neutralize any existing acid, and second to 
saponify a portion of the butter. The action of 
acids is to change the electrical state of the atoms 
of casein, from positive to negative, or from 
repellant to attractive, thns producing coagula¬ 
tion, and also by contact to change the sugar of 
milk to lactic acid, and thus in turn acts upon 
the eoagulum to further consolidate it, and this 
we call making cheese. The casein, being almost 
pure albumen and very analogus to the white of 
eggs, is at certain temperatures, very susceptible 
to putrefactive influences, especially while in a 
state of solution, in the milk and before any 
lactic acid is formed, to cause coagulation. A 
natural consequence ot putrefactive fermentation 
is the production of impure eftrburetted hydrogen 
gas, oue of the most fetid, and offensive smelling 
substances known; as well as being a very light 
gas, much lighter than atmosphric air, and con¬ 
sequently if putrefactive fermentation should be 
going on in the casein at any time from the com¬ 
mencement of coagulation Until the time when 
the cheese is completely cured, this gas, being 
entangled at its formation with the casein, and 
being so much lighter than air, of course exerts 
a powerful expansive force, forces the particles 
of curd from each other, and here we have a 
porous cheese. 
Now if this view is correct it follows as a mat¬ 
ter of course that putrefactive fermentation is 
the cause of porous cheese, and I think the ex¬ 
perience of almost every cheese maker, when 
they examine the subject !i this light, will sus¬ 
tain this opinion, aud consequently the prevent¬ 
ive is found wheu we And how to prevent putre¬ 
factive fermeutation, or know how to arrest it 
when already begun. 
Putrefactive fermeutation is easily induced by 
contact with putrid substances, and it is very 
readily perceived bow small quantities of putrid 
matter may be left in milk pails, cans, strainers, 
curd knives, and in short all implements used 
about milk; how tile action of heat may induce 
putrefactive fermentation in the milk, especially 
If excluded from the air when fresh from the 
cow, aud perhaps already vucelnnated by putrid 
matter adhering to the milk pail, from the filtby 
huuds of the milker or diseased teats of the cow. 
When looking at all the chances for putrefaction, 
the wonder is, that milk does not all become 
putrid, or tainted as we usually term it, before 
we can get it manufactured into cheese—under 
favorable circumstances. 
Salt, and a low temperature, will, in a great 
measure, prevent putrefaction; hence every¬ 
thing used about milk should be cleansed 
thoroughly with salt, through all the warm part 
of the seasou especially; and the milk should be 
kept as cool as possible, while it stauds quiet, at 
all events. 
Ozone, a peculiar subsume, developed in the 
atmosphere by the action of electricity, exerts 
putrefactive influence iu a powerful manner; and 
hence, during the prevalence of thunder-storms, 
or the electrical state of foe atmosphere, pecu¬ 
liar to thunder-showery weather, milk is more 
liable to become putrid than at other times, and 
consequently greater preqiutions are necessary 
at such times than at othojs. 
The question now natifrally arises, whether 
after putrefactive fermentation has already be¬ 
gun iu the milk or casein, it can be arrested? 
and if so, how ? 
From my past experience, and close observa¬ 
tion, I am of the opinion (info after putrefactive 
fermentation lias beguu, feud even after it lias 
proceeded some time, it fnay bo arrested; and 
the surest means which I lave discovered, is by 
Increasing the amount and hastening the devel¬ 
opment of lactic acid. Tujeffect this with safety 
is a nice operation; but hi a judicious applica¬ 
tion of sour whey, I believe it eau be accomplish¬ 
ed, ami a proper use of salt iu the product will 
give a tine quality of fir mi mild, sweet, cheese, 
wheu iu the ordinary method of treatment, we 
should have uothuig but a very porous, rank 
smelling, strong cheese. 
But wheu the lactic acid fermentation has not 
been sufficiently developed while the cheese was 
in process of manufacture, and putrefactive fer¬ 
mentation sets in after the cheese has lain on the 
shelf some days, or perhaps weeks, I know of 
no remedy, aud I consider the only rule of safety 
is to be sure and have the acid developed to a 
sufficient exteut while the card is in the whey, 
and if this poiut is properly attended to 1 appre- 
“Perhaps I would vote for still another class, as say 
for one consisting of ail • Merinos not incladed in pre¬ 
ceding classes.’ But precisely what *nd how many 
classes I would prefer 'to see 'made—or how many of 
them l would prefer to see made dm and how many 
of them second classes—I am not. as alreadv stated 
now prepared to sav, without farther reflection on the 
subject. 
•1 should be perfectly willing to leave the arrange¬ 
ment of details to the Eecntive Board of the Society. 
We have never had a Board which did not decide such 
questions with candor and Intentional fairness, I 
trust that the Board for X-ffjS—which will necessarily 
hare the practical decision of this question—will not 
fall behind its predecessors iu the above particulars.” 
In accordance with, this dosing suggestion, a 
motion was made to refer back the question un¬ 
der discussion to the Executive Board, or Com¬ 
mittee. We do not recollect that any opposition 
was made to the motion, and we believe it passed 
nan. con. How then the editor of the Country 
Gentleman should “argue Dr. Randall's non¬ 
success in the establishment of the above classi¬ 
fication” partly “from the manner in which 
that discussion terminated,” we are at a loss to 
perceive. 
The Country Gentleman objects to the classifi¬ 
cation proposed by ns in our article of Nov. 
I 26tb, already referred to. We proposed two 
I classes, as follows : 
1. American Merinos. 
2. Merinos bearing wool sdapied :o the manufacture 
of broadcloths and other finer "fabrics. 
Our reasoning on the subject will be remem¬ 
bered by such of our readers as feel special 
interest in the question. Our idea was to give 
the first place to our own Merinos—matchless in 
the production of good, medium wool, and also 
matchless in profliabteness, as matters have hith¬ 
erto stood, and yet continue to stand—but we, 
at the same time, proposed the second class be¬ 
cause we felt anxious to encourage the grjusih of 
Jtmr mot a/sc/, in the hope that our country will 
soon manufacture its own broadcloths aud other 
finer fabrics. How completely the editor of the 
Country Gentleman mistook us, and how com¬ 
pletely he misunderstands the prevailing views 
of the breeders of American Merinos, and the 
character of the sheep, will appear from the fol¬ 
lowing remarks: 
“ The question of its [our proposed classification] 
being a practicable division, arises not only from the 
difficulty of establishing a line of distinction which 
shall be invariable, even by the most competent 
judges, varying as they do from rear to veer.—but be¬ 
cause fineness of wool is iu itself generally regarded 
is a point of superiority, and careful breeders misfit 
dislike exceedingly to see their sheep thrown by a 
committee from the ‘Broadcloth Mer.nos’ and put 
among the heterogeneous lots of course-grade Ameri¬ 
cans, and, still more, voluntarily to enter them with 
the latter. In other words, this division appears to 
leave us just where we stand at present,” Jfcc. v &c. 
We suspect that it will ho now to our breeders 
of first-class American Merinos to learn that 
they are aiming to compete with the Silesian, 
Saxon or other equally fine-wooled families in 
flueness of deece—or that they would “dislike 
exceedingly,” to be ruled out from such compe¬ 
tition at our Fairs— or that they would consider 
their sheep reduced to the rank of “ second 
grade Merinos,” if not put in the class where 
\fincnt <s of wool was made the leading considera¬ 
tion, instead of we ight of fleece ' 
The editor of the Country Gentleman thiuks 
that “much good might he accomplished” by 
our Agricultural Societies adopting the classifi¬ 
cation of Merinos which was practiced at the 
International Exhibition at Hamburg, in 1S63, 
which was as follows: 
1. Bred with especial reference to extreme fineness 
of wool. 
•2. Bred with especial reference to great weight of 
wooL 
3. Bred with especial reference to form of body and 
light keeping. 
4. Bred with u view to combine fineness of wool, 
quantity of wool, and weight of body. 
Our contemporary, however, suggests an im¬ 
provement ou the above, which we abridge with¬ 
out changing the meaning, viz: 
1. The best as regards fineness of wool. 
2. The best as regards quantity of wool. 
3 . The beat as regards sue .aud symmetry of carcass. 
4. The best combining quality and quantity of wool 
with well developed carcass. 
We should be glad to be informed wherein, in 
substance, the first and second divisions in either 
of the above classifications, differ from those 
proposed by us, except in changing their order 
of precedence—or wherciu they constitute more 
“practicable divisions”— or why they do not 
equally create an invidious distinction, tanta¬ 
mount to making classes of “first grade Merinos” 
and "second grade Merinos”—or why they do 
not equally leave ns “just about where we stand 
at present,” foe., Ac.! 
The only difference between those two first 
divisions and those proposed by ns, is that we 
also proposed only to require that the finer class 
should yield wool tiue enough for the wants of 
the broadcloth manufacture. Without some 
such dividing line, the viewing committee in the 
finest class would be called upon to give the 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
CHAS. D. BRAGDON, Associate Editor, 
To Correspondents.— ilr, Randall's address is 
Cortland Village, Cortland Co., N. Y. All communica¬ 
tions intended for this Department, and all inquiries 
relating to sheep, should be addressed to him as above. 
HENRY S. RANDALL, LL. D., 
Editor of the Department of Sheep Husbandry, 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS: 
P. BARRY, 0. DEWEY, LL. D., 
H. T. BROOKS, L. B. LANOWOTHY, 
T. 0. PETERS, EDWARD WEBSTER. 
CLASSIFICATION OF MERINOS IN PRIZE 
LISTS. 
Tub Rural New-Yotvkxr Is designed to be unsur¬ 
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that it can be safely taken to the Homes of people of 
intelligence, taste aud discrimination. It embraces more 
Horticultural, Sctcntirtc, Educational,Literary and News 
Matter, interspersed with appropriate Engravings, than 
any other journal,—rendering it far the most complete 
Aobioultubal, Literary and Family Newspafzb In 
America. 
The Editor of the Country Gentleman say?, 
(Jan. 13,) “ We understood Dr. Randall, at the 
Rochester State Fair, to advocate, distinctly, the 
separation [in the prize lists of the State Agri¬ 
cultural Society,] of Merinos under the three 
last named divisions,”—(Pauiar, Iniantado and 
Infkntado-Negretti or Silesian.) He subse- 
qtiently adds: 
“We argue Dr. Randall's non “ncces? in the estab¬ 
lishment of the above classiflcAtioD. partly indeed 
from the manner in which that discussion terminated, 
but nralaiy from the fact that in a sabsvouc-nt number 
of the Rural >jr.T-Y orker (ns quoted in the Countrv 
Gentleman of Dec. 2S&, page 401J the Doctor himself 
advises a wholly different'oonrse—namely, the recog¬ 
nition of one class of Merinos bearing wool adapted 
to the manufacture of broadcloths and other nner 
fabrics, aud of a second clus 6 including all other Meri¬ 
nos, to which he would add the word * American' as 
the distinguishing title.” 
When our respectable contemporary made the 
first of the above assertions, he had forgotten 
that in the very article “ quoted in the Country 
Gentleman of Dec. 33d," we “distinctly” denied 
having advocated the classification referred to? 
That article was published in the Rural New- 
Yorker of Nov. 30th, and the following para¬ 
graph (which, for reasons which will presently 
appear, we publish entire,) was contained in it: 
• I attempted to show in that discussion [at Roch¬ 
ester,, that French, Savon and other Merinos consti¬ 
tuted as distinct varieties a? most of the English oues 
which the Society recognized in its prize list : but for 
the reasons already given, I did not recommend their 
arrangement into atpanuo prize classes I slso at¬ 
tempted to *how that the different Spanish cabanas 
had beta kept longer separate and distinct frvin each 
other than the difierent varieties of either the English 
Long or Middle Wool breeds, and hence that it was in 
itself Considered, as proper to give them separate pla¬ 
ce* in a prize list as the former. I declared that one 
ot those cabanas, believed to bo LL 
pure in the United States; that another, the Haidar, 
iliuugh it has received some dips from the blood of 
Other cabanas to effect, certain Improvements, has 
mamnUued its character as a separate variety; that 
the so-called Silesian sheep, composed of a cross be¬ 
tween the Negretti and Iniantado cabanas, constitc/.e 
a third welt marked variety, Jfcc. If I am correct in 
believing Unit the above named or any other Spanish 
cabanas are represented in our countrv with no other 
or greater admixtures of blood than above stated, it is 
a: leas: apparent that they now constitute quite as 
unrelated varieties as the much crossed English ones: 
and that I am correct in that belief, I am' willing to 
attempt to prove on any suitable occasion. Iconsuler 
them also as distinct in characteristics. 1 did not, how¬ 
s' er, definitively propose to form them into prize class¬ 
es, for I saw great obstacles, in the way f this, 'row¬ 
ing out of prejudices, interests, and the real ditfiealtv 
m the case of many excellent docks, of ascertaining 
how far they partook of the blood of the different 
varieties—their owners having bred without an v ref¬ 
erence to the distinction between the Infant ado and 
Pauiar, I satisfied myself with show ing Uur it would 
ho as consistent aud proper, in itself, to classify our 
Merinos ihusjas to adhere to the present classification 
ot English sheep: and I throw out the facts for further 
investigation without committing myself to any ulti¬ 
mate conclusion.” 
To enable ali who feel any interest in the sub¬ 
ject to judge whether we. properly understand 
the scope of our own remarks, made at Roches¬ 
ter, in regard to the classification of Merinos in 
prize lists, we quote what we there said on this 
subject from the manuscript which we read ver¬ 
batim on that occasion: 
“There is another question of ranch practical 
importance in this connection, but which is not em¬ 
braced in the question placed before us for discussion 
this evening. It is this: Wbat difierent classes of 
Merinos should be recognized in the premium lists of 
the Society ? It is said to be the duty of him who 
proposes to tear down, or, as hi the present case, to 
change an existing system, to propose a substitute 
is halt I. acting on this rule, give my individual opin¬ 
ions ou itus question • l have had scarcely any time 
to reflect on this subject, since l received the Society’s 
invitation to participate in this discussion,—and there¬ 
fore tu> opinions are not matured, lkit l ha. e already 
reached conclusions which cover 4 part of the ground. 
•• If 1 was a member of the Exccniive Board of the 
Society aiul voted to recognize five distinct breeds of 
cattle and five distinct breeds of coarse winded sheep* 
in the premium lists of the Soc iety, I foci very certain 
that I should also vote to recognize those two noble 
monuments of American breeding skill, the improved 
Infant ados ami Fanfare. They differ us,-dreadv stated: 
ouch has its appropriate placei but either of them is 
vastly superior 10 any Merinos now or ever iu Spain— 
and. 111 the production of medium Merino woof to any 
Merinos now or ever iu any other country of the 
world. 
•• l think now I would vote for a class comprising 
4 Merinos producing wool adapted to tlic manufacture 
of fine broadcloths and ‘other fabrics requiring equal 
fineness of staple.’ Do von ask how this point could 
be pructienlly settled t It could be very easily settled 
by putting au experienced manufacturer, or a good 
wool stapler, ou your viewing committee. 
• Tiiis was said In reference to the fact that the prise list 
of the Sclety for tsui did offer pveemuua to five breeds or 
classes of Etislisli sheep, none of which were required to 
com pet u tgaltiJC each other, n:, Leiee-sp'i-s. Lone Wools 
not Leicester;*, South Downs, Middle Wools not South 
Downs; and among the latter the Shropshire Downs and 
Hampshire Downs were offered nepnrate premiums;— 
and to these classes conjoint I v was offered an aggregate 
amount of premiums exceeding by nearly tlfty percent 
the aggregate amount offered to fine tv 00 fed slieep ! 
in warm, only to S3, when we apply Die rennet, 
and want a firm eoagulum in from 40 to 00 
minutes. Wheu sufficiently firm, we cut with 
a steel bladed gang knife, so as to have the 
largest pieces about one-half or three-fourths of 
on inch square as near as may be, or so that it 
may be moved freely in the whey, then begin to 
raise the heat moderately, keeping the mass 
stirred so as to heat uniformly, and raise the 
heat to 86 degree?, and when the heat is fairly 
equalized, spread on a strainer and draw the 
whey down to the enrd; (unless the acid is too 
strong, in which eftse we carry the heat at once 
to 94, or if the add is very sharp we stop the heat 
at 90 or 92 degrees, then draw the whey and dip 
out and salt as soon as the acid Is right,) then, 
before removing the strainer we press the curd 
down firmly, after which we remove the strainer, 
and by pressing on the curd with the hands it 
becomes separated, and as soon as it will move 
freely in the whey we apply the heat, and let it 
run up to 94 or 90, being careful to not have it 
go above 96 at any time; it then stands until the 
acid is sufficiently developed, which varies ac¬ 
cording to the state of the milk and the amount 
of add nsed, when it is dipped out of the vat 
into the drawer, and salted at the rate of three 
pounds of salt to the thousand pounds of milk 
used. We have uo definite rules as regards time, 
being altogether controlled in that respect by 
the development and action of the add. 
Pressure Is applied immediately after the enrd 
is put in press, gently at first, increasing after¬ 
wards, and we are no ways particular about the 
eurd being fine when it goes to press, but aim 
to have the salt thoroughly incorporated and 
evenly mixed. I prefer to have the milk per¬ 
fectly sweet when the rennet is applied, and 
endeavor to have it 30 if possible. Wo add some 
whey when the milk is very sweet, and frequently 
add sour whey after the last heat is applied, to 
hasten the development of the acid. We have 
never tried mixing alkali with the milk wheu 
sour. 
The curd is put in the hoop warm, as appears 
above. We use the screw press and press one 
day, but are eontideut two days pressure would 
be better. From oue to two hours alter the 
cheese is put iti the press it is taken out and 
dropped from the hoop on a round stool, half an 
inch smaller than the hoop, the bandage Is then 
slipped ou by means of a tin saeker, turned over, 
replaced in the press and powerful pressure ap¬ 
plied. We have used during the past seasou tin 
hoops, 15 Inches diameter aud 16 inches deep, 
but do not like them, as they are not strong 
enough to bear the requisite pressure. 
With present appliances for heating, ventila¬ 
tion, <&c., I am not able to keep the curing house 
at any thing like an equal temperature, except 
the basement room,— aim to keep the tempera- 
tare of the basement from 50 to 60 degrees as 
nearly as possible. I prefer to have cheese iu 
higher temperature during the first two weeks 
than ever afterward. The curing house is ven¬ 
tilated by ventilators in the roof, trap-doors iu 
the floor and windows at the sides. 
Stirring the milk at uight and cooling as rap¬ 
idly as possible prevents the cream from rising 
iu a measure; what rises is mixed w ith the milk 
by dipping through a strainer and stirring. 
We prefer to mix the night and morning milk 
together, and after mixing the rennet, we pre¬ 
vent the cream trout rising by agitation until co¬ 
agulation begins, which is from 15 to 25 minutes 
from the time the rennet is put in, and I am not 
able to discover that double the usual amount of 
rennet has any other effect than to hasten the 
process, provided the reunct is good, and putri- 
faetive fermentation has not commenced iu it. 
The question what makes porus cheese ? and 
how to prevent St, is of much importance to 
cheese makers, aud about which there Is so nnteh 
difference of opinion, that I shall feel fully ex¬ 
cused if I devote some considerable space to 
its discussion. 
N. Y, STATE CHEESE MANUFACTURERS’ 
ASSOCIATION. 
[Continued from page 29, last No.] 
I’rice of yinnufactnrfna for 1S63. 
One of the subjects for discussion reported by 
the committee on programme was “The price of 
manufacturing for the ensuing year.” This sub¬ 
ject was referred to a committee of gentlemen 
who reported in favor of recommending manu¬ 
facturers to charge ten per cent, of the price per 
pound obtained for the cheese. This report 
called out 11 great deal of miscellaneous talk. 
Most gentlemen thought the per centum too large 
—Indeed were opposed to recommemling any 
price at all, hut were in favor of leaving it en¬ 
tirely to competit ion and circumstances. Others 
were in favor of making the rate uniform, charg¬ 
ing a per cent, ou the price obtained, thus 
stimulating the manufacturer to make cheese of 
the best quality iu order to obtuin the highest, 
price. It was urged now, that with a fixed price 
for making, it did not matter to the manufac¬ 
turer whether he made good or poor cheese. 
The owners of the milk pay him one cent per 
pouud; but If his fee for manufacturing depend? 
upon the character and reputation of his manu¬ 
factures iu market, as it would If he received a 
per centum of what the cheese sells for, he will 
exert himself, not only to make the greatest pos¬ 
sible number of pouuds from the milk, hut to 
make it of the beat possible quality. He becomes 
at once Interested in the reputat ion of Ins cheese 
in the market. Aud it was strongly insisted 
upon by oue member of the committee that ten 
per ecuL is not too great a per cent. The report 
of the committee was finally modified so us to 
recommend that the manufacturer should receive 
a per cent, of the price received Ibr the product 
wheu sold, but recommending no per cent. 
A Fuotory Report. 
A large portion of one session was consumed 
in reading the reports ef operations from the dif¬ 
ferent factories represented, It is to be hoped 
that these reports will he published by the so¬ 
ciety in a condensed, amt if possible, tabular 
form. One of the most interesting reports pre¬ 
sented was that made by Mr, Bartlett of Mun¬ 
son, Ohio. We think it worth giving our renders. 
It is us follows : 
5\ hole number of cows, 645; average number 
of eows, 550; number pouuds of green cheese. 
RRisburg 
Fay Co lucj 
