if 
it becomes rancid and intolerable. Well 
made butler, if properly cared for, should re¬ 
tain its flavor and sweetness for months; but 
wc cannot expect to obtain such, butter 
from cream that has been badly managed. 
II. Cream that has been raised in a tem¬ 
perature of GO to 02% should be churned at 
about the same temperature. Butter makers 
do not like to have the cream churned at a 
temperature above 04% as it. injures the but- 
_ r a ... t for. If the temperature falls below 55 1 the 
temperature for the cream to rise. Will you be I labor of churning will be prolonged. We 
kina enough to tell ine what is the proper tern- - b ° 
lain) imsbanfrrp. 
X. A. AATLLARD, A. M., EDITOR, 
Or Littli Falls, Hklkimhi Cocntt, New Vokk. 
SETTING MILK 
J*'or Cream, aotl Chitming for Butter. 
In* theftrtJelceutitled “Sweet vs. BourCrfeam," 
in the Rural dated July the 2fth, you spt-alt 
ol the necessity of keeping milk at the proper 
peratnri:t Also at. what degree of heat, the 
cream will produce the best and largest amount 
of butter in the shortest time. I find that the 
woman who churns fur me often puts the churn 
in a tub of warm water. 1 think It is done to 
save trouble and make the butter come quicker, 
but am of (ho opinion that, the quality jfi injured 
by too much heat, though J nm not aware that 
there is any diminution in quantity, t.ut ruthoi 
an increase. 
I am u young housekeeper, and read with 
much interest all that relates to domestic affairs 
in the KtiRAb, part leu In rly evorythiiijr relating 
to butter making. Much under the “Dairy Hus¬ 
bandry in the North relates to the tnaiiufac- 
iPF®. r ' ' ,ees t‘. Iu this portion of Virginia I 
think I am correct In saying that there is not. 
a cheese Uctory to lie found. I will not admit 
the ladies of the “Old Dominion " are behind 
those of t.ho Northern Stall in the art of manu¬ 
facturing "good things” for the table, bat i do 
admit we do not know much about making bur- 
tor. I am anxious to learn something on the 
subject, and shall be glad of any information 
you can give mo through the columns of your 
Paper. M . B . v. 
Goochland Co., Va., July 31, I860. 
I.—The best temperature for setting milk, 
to got the cream, is at .about 00° to 02°. The 
range of temperature should run no higher 
than 05\ The butter makers of Orange 
county, N. Y., are of the opinion that the 
best quality ot butter is made from cream 
that has been obtained at a temperature a 
little below GO . Cream can be obtained in 
a short time and in large quantity by raising 
the milk to a temperature near boiling, and 
then setting aside to cool; but such cream 
has mine id the casein or cheesy particles of 
the milk mingled with it than milk set with¬ 
out the application of artificial heal, and the 
butter will be injured in its keeping qualities. 
In butter making it is important to get goof 
quality butter that will come of good color 
that is hard and has a waxy consistency, am 
that, will retain that peculiar aroma which 
imparts so much pleasure in eating it 
To accomplish these ends successfully, the 
milk, as soon as drawn from the cow, should 
he cooled down to GO' or G2 9 -, and this tem¬ 
perature maintained as far-as possible while 
the cream is rising. And to do this properly, 
there should be a spring-house and tanks ol 
water in which to set the milk. It is very 
difficult to arrange a dairy house so as to 
control the temperature of the milk while 
the cream is rising, without water. The 
Orange county plan is to have tanks six feet 
wide by ten or twelve feet long, anil twenty 
inches deep, which are constantly supplied 
with running water. The milk as it is 
drawn from the cow is placed in long tin 
cans, a v hi eh are at once plunged in the 
water and kept there until the cream rises. 
Generally the cream is all up in from twelve 
to twenty-four hours. The butter makers of 
Pennsylvania, who make the celebrated 
Philadelphia butter, have the water flowing 
over the bottom of the-spring-house. Here 
the milk is set in pans. Harrow Avalks are 
arranged in the spring-house so that the 
dairymaid may pass in and out and handle 
the milk conveniently. In both plans the 
principle of preserving an even temperature 
of the milk is the same, for it will be ob¬ 
served that the spring Avater that is constant¬ 
ly flowing in the A r ulsor spring-house, varies 
but little in its temperature while about the 
milk. 
AY hen it is not convenient 
do not, believe in great haute in churning, or 
“ Hus shortest time ” that cream can be turned 
into butter. AYe often hear of churns in 
which it. is claimed the butter will come in 
three minutes. It is possible that good but¬ 
ter may be got from tint cream in that time, 
but wc have yet to be convinced that it can 
be done. That cream can be churned into 
butter in three minutes avc are aware, and 
have often seen accomplished in our own 
dairy, and, although the butter may be 
tolerable for present use, we have never been 
able, in our experiments, to get a good, 
keepable article Avhen the churning was 
done in so short a space of time. 
The butter globules are inclosed or sur¬ 
rounded Avitlx thin pellicles of casein. In 
churning these are broken, and separated 
from the oily particles. If the churning is 
done rapidly the separation is imperfect, and 
hence avo get an article of butter in AVhlch 
there is too large n proportion of the shells 
ol casein. It is the casein, or nitrogenized 
constituent ol milk, that decomposes and in¬ 
jures the flavor of butter, if all the shells 
of casein could be separated from the butter 
it. could be preserved readily Avithout sail. 
Pure fit or oil is very easily kept sweet. In 
some countries butter is melted, and the im¬ 
purities taken out by “trying it” like lard. 
Ol course butter treated in this Avav loses 
Us texture and aroma, but Ave mention the 
fact for the purpose of showing the principle )llI( L 
to be observed in obtaining butter of good 
keeping quality. In churning avc do not care 
to have butter come sooner than from half to 
three quarters of an hour. 
1 lie butter makers of Orange county avIio 
have had long experience, and Avho produce 
butter that sells in the market for the highest 
price, say that the churning process shook 
occupy from forty-five minutes to one hour 
Their opinions areAvortliy of consideration, 
because they make an article that is unrival¬ 
ed in the market, and from long and varied 
experience they ought, to be able to settle 
this point definitely. It is a great saving ol 
time and labor to have butler come in a very 
short time, but the experience of the Avorld 
has shown that nothing really excellent can 
be produced Avithout time and labor, and we 
do tint know Avliy butler making should ho 
an exception to the general rule. 
In conclusion, avc may remark that no 
one should attempt to make butter without 
using a good thermometer, especially in pre¬ 
paring the cream for churning. Old and 
experienced butter makers may guess at 
temperature pretty accurately, but the tem¬ 
poral uve of the surrounding atmosphere 
aries so much from day to day that no one 
served in several instances. For hay it is 
recommended to be cut quite young. Wheth¬ 
er it be employed for meadow or pasture, 
cattle seetn to be fond of it, and from this 
fact it would appear that it must compare 
favorably Avith other grasses in nutrition. In 
seeding for meadows, some advise sowing 
clover with it. The clover lasts a couple of 
years’ when the orchard grass crowds it out 
and takes possession. When heavy seeding 
is resorted to, like that employed by Mr. 
Mather, it is evident no clover should be 
sown, as the orchard grass at once covers 
the whole surface. 
1 lie suggestion that it, grows so luxuriant¬ 
ly as to crowd out daisies, should alone in¬ 
duce a trial of its merits. If it Avill destroy 
the daisy, there can be no cheaper way of 
eradicating that pest of dairy farms. 
----—- 
MANAGEMENT OF MEADOWS. 
can be sure of being right avithout an accu¬ 
rate instrument, for determining the degree 
of heat required in the cream to produce 
the best results. 
to have a 
spring-house the best arrangement Avith 
Avliich Ave arc acquainted for setting the milk 
is the Jennings’ pan. It is of tin, and sets 
upon a shalloAv Wooden vat., Avhieh is to be 
hik'd Avith Avater from the well or pen-stock, 
us the case may be, and thus the milk is 
rapidly divested of its animal heat, and a 
pretty even temperature maintained while 
the cream is rising. The cream that first 
rises is the best; and to make choice butter 
the cream should always be taken trom the 
milk before it bas become old and sour. The 
greater the decomposition of the milk the 
more Avill the cream be affected, and, as a 
consequence, the more difficult will it be to 
obtain from it a nice quality of butter. 
Now, there is great difference in opinion 
ns to ay hat constitutes a nice qualify of but¬ 
ter. Borne people who have always been ac¬ 
customed to an ordinary article, judge from 
a low standard, and Avill pronounce a sample 
good that is really intolerable to those Avho 
are in the habit of eating and handling a 
“tip-top'’ thing. Again, butler may bo 
very good if it is to be eaten Avhen freshly 
made, but it kept, it soon begins to deterio¬ 
rate. When we speak of good quality, wc 
do not refer to that, class of goods that is fit 
only for present use. The manufacture of 
this kind ol butter is not to be recommend¬ 
ed. The markets are full of litis stuff, and 
great losses are sustained in consequence. 
Butter, to be good, must have some keep- 
ing qualities, lor it cannot be consumed from 
da\ to day as it is made. Wc have seen 
butter that Avhen freshly put up would pass as 
excellent to the taste, and yet in a few Aveeks 
ORCHARD GRASS IN DAIRY 
FARMS. 
TREATMENT OF KICKING COWS. 
A avuiter in the New England Farmer 
recommends thefollowingmethod for curing 
a coav of kicking : 
1 ake a small strap long enough for the 
purpose, bend the foreleg so as to bring the 
foot tip to the body. Then put the strap 
•round the arm and small part of the leg, 
near the hoof, crossing between so as not to 
slip off over the knee, and buckle. In ibis 
condition it is an impossibility for a coav to 
kick ; they may come to the knee a fcAv 
times, but are soon quiet. 
In confining the hind legs, either singly or 
together, there is danger of spoiling the ani¬ 
mal A spirited coav will struggle and some¬ 
times is thrown, when the hip, stifle or some 
other part is injured, perl taps for life. 
M e have used this method occasionally in 
our own dairy for several years, and find it 
a very good way when kind treatment will 
not prevail. Long finger nails are a fruitful 
of kicking coavs. The udder and 
teals of some cows are extremely sensitive, 
and great, care should be taken to handle 
them su as to cause no pain or uneasiness 
Some milkers go to work as if they were 
operating on a piece of leather, wringing lire 
teat and pressing their sharp finger-nails into 
it. Then, if the coav attempts to relieve her¬ 
self of the pain inflicted, she is straightway 
pounded and otherwise abused until she be 
comes a confirmed kicker. Generally eow.s 
that are treated kindly, and are not hurt 
while milking, will not kick; but occasion¬ 
ally a cow is found that, like some men, lias 
a bad, ungovernable temper that, flies at 
mere imaginary offenses. We once owned a 
coav ol this kind that was extremely vicious 
and would kick and attempt to hook those 
Avho were milking her, but by laying a rod 
upon her back she Avould stand perfectly 
3Iucn has been said and written about 
good meadows, anti still the question is open 
for much discussion. Many of the farmers 
through this country either do not know or 
do not put their knoAvledge to a practical 
use, how to keep the meadows m a good 
grass-bearing condition. Most of them seem 
to think that the more butter or cheese they 
can make from a particular piece of land 
this year the richer they will be, regardless 
of a future crop or the good of the farm. 
It seems to be a general practice through 
this section of the country for fanners, as 
soon as the grass starts in the spring, enough 
for a small bite, to give cattle the whole 
range of the meadows as avcII as pasture, 
grubbing the grass roots out as well as tread¬ 
ing the soil in wet places; and soon after 
haying, when the pasture is short, instead of 
having a patch of soAved corn to supply the 
Avan ts ot the stock, they arc allowed free 
range ol the meadow, and again the grass is 
cropped close to the ground and the roots 
left bare and exposed for the scorching sun 
and frosts of winter; and between the two it 
is a wonder that the next crop is worth 
cutting. 
Why not let the grass grow in the spring 
and again after haying? Do not think be¬ 
cause it is two or three or six inches high 
that it will be a loss to you if it is left to rot 
down; it will protect the roots of grass 
against the scorching sun and colds of win¬ 
ter, and make manure for the next crop. I 
am acquainted with farms Avhere this plan 
has been pursued for years, and not a particle 
of any kind of manure put on the land, and 
the crop lias grown better each year, and 
now yields over tAvo tons to the acre on an 
average, Avhen it formerly, under the old 
treatment., did not cut one-half ton per acre. 
Bo yon see where the gain is. 
Another mistaken idea is that it is better 
to cut the hay late. Let it stand until the 
seed shells out and it Avill seed the ground. 
Better cut the hay before the heads entirely 
fill, and you Avill have belter hay and not 
draw so much life from the soil. Who does 
not know that stock xvi 11 thrive much better 
on green, early cut hay than dried, brittle 
stalks ? 
Freetown Corners, 1809. 
•-♦♦ 4 -- 
house or cellar till the seA r ere cold gi\*cs 
warning that they must be protected to keep 
them from freezing. 
A variety of ways are adopted by different 
persons for keeping them. Some have them 
in holes near a hearth where fire is kept 
t hroughout the Avinter. Some loose pieces 
of plank in the lloor are all the covering 
they have, except when they arc covered 
Avith dry sand. Borne put them in heaps in 
the cellar and cover them Avell with sand. 
The same saitd is sometimes used a number 
of years in succession. Those who have not 
a good supply should be sure to get it during 
the warm, dry summer season, before the 
tall rains begin. Borne put them up in 
mounds out of doors and put a shelter over 
them. One, Avho makes them his specialty, 
puls them in bins or garners around bis cel- 
lat, and keeps fire in the cellar during all 
cold weather. Ills experience teaches that 
the essential points in preserving them are 
to keep them warm, dry, and where they can 
get air. The first of this year I saw some 
large potatoes of the crop of 18G? which had 
been kept in a warm room. They had long, 
green sprouts growing on them, and had 
sltoAvn them all the winter. They Avere 
growing lighter — evidently hollow. I have 
m my mantel one of the crop of 1868, which 
is supporting a number of sprouts several 
incites in length. It is apparently perfectly 
sound. 
Much was said, some months ago, about a 
system of preserving them by drying—so as 
to render them capable of cheap and easy 
transportation. Rev. Dr. Marshall of 
Vicksburg had the matter in hand. No one 
in my section has tried it or knoAvs anything 
definite about it. 
It is thought that the sweet potato might 
be much improved if people would give 
enough attention to its cultivation and en¬ 
deavor to secure fine varieties, as is done in 
the case of the Irish potato. Very generally 
a large proportion of the crop is lost Avith us 
because care is not taken to keep them 
either dry or Avarm. a. x. 
c. 
THE SWEET POTATO. 
Tnis valuable edible is best adapted to a 
quiet, chewing her cutl and manifesting not w < irm . temperature and a soil of sandy loam, 
the slightest uneasiness. I have found that it is not onlv produced in 
TREATING AFTERMATH. 
This is 
, and 
This, 
Mil Iters should study the temper of cows 
they milk, and find out whether a coav kicks 
on account of pain or Avillfulncss. If it is 
from bad temper, the strap applied to the 
foot is a very good Avay to subdue her, but 
avoid whipping and beating in all cases. 
- 
inly produced in 
greater quantity, but decidedly better qual¬ 
ity, when raised in stick a section. It is very 
much sweeter. Its quality is said to be im¬ 
proved by exposure to the sun for several 
hours before it is cooked. 
i very important tiling. Upon it 
depends much of tlie benefit of our grass 
lands, both pasture and meadow. Cropped 
short, tlie frost is euro to hurt land 
so are the hot suns of September, 
however, is the smallest part. This coating 
of grass it is found is the very best manure 
for grass reproducing itself,—but it always 
reproduces ilselt by a largely increased 
profit AvIiicU it gets from the atmosphere, 
doubling its quantity at least. So an after- 
math ankle deep would be half knee deep 
in effect. 
Besides, it gives a start early in the spring. 
Decayed, its manurial properties at once 
reach the roots lying near the surface; and 
hence the early green of well protected fields. 
But some fields are early mowed, and with 
With care it is raised successfully in colder a r ‘ c,i soil > £ r °w a heavy aftermath, heavy 
PREPARING ANNOTTO FOR 
ORING CHEESE. 
COL- 
Tmc Practical Farmer Avell remarks that 
our dairymen have yet to learn Iioav valua¬ 
ble orchard grass is for their purpose. “ It is 
sown through the section hardly by one 
farmer in twenty; why avc do not know, 
excepting that it would be an innova¬ 
tion the routine system of clover and 
timothy which has been in vogue for a 
hundred years. Orchard gra s is one of the 
very earliest to start in ihc spring. It not 
only comes forward early, but it grows con¬ 
tinuously through tlie season. No other 
grass is so little affected by drouths or will 
bear Avithout injury heavy stacking. It 
seetns to grow and keep green till almost 
New Year’s, and is most emphatically a per¬ 
manent pasture, lasting many years, improv¬ 
ing the soil by the radiation of its numerous 
fibrous roots, and will crowd out. daisies and 
most other vegetation. It wants to occupy 
the ground solely.” 
A few years ago, in a tour through Otse¬ 
go county, N. Y., avc visited the farm of A. 
A., Mather, Esq., of Burlington. Upon 
this farm Mr M.sliOAved us a field of orchard 
grass, from which four tons of hay to the 
acre had been taken that year, and the yield 
of aftermath Avas then abundant. The orchard 
grass occupied seven acres and had been 
doAvn four years, having been seeded at the 
rate of two and one half bushels seed to the 
acre. Mr. Mather stated that the average 
annual yield for the four years had been fully 
four tons to the acre, two crops being taken 
each year from the land. 
AY herever Ave have seen orchard grass it 
lias given abundant satisfaction, and why it 
is not more largely cultivated by dairymen 
is somewhat singular, as the Farmer remarks. 
That it stands drouth Avell avc have ob- 
AYe are in receipt of inquiries concerning 
the preparation of annotlo for coloring 
cheese. AYe give some of the methods em¬ 
ployed by old and experienced faclorymeu: 
First Recipe .—Dissolve six pounds concen¬ 
trated potash and one pound saltpeter in five 
gallons of warm water, then add thirty gal¬ 
lons cold water, put. in as much choice ail- 
localities, and in a soil that is quite stiff. 1 
know one living in such a section who makes 
considerable by selling seed every spring. 
He is as sure to keep bis as his neighbors are 
to lose theirs. It is simply because of greater 
attention. He plants overy year in the same 
place and never fails. lie uses stable manure 
and ashes. 
It is not known by evory one that Avhen 
plants are scarce it does very well to clip oil' 
the ends of the vines of the early plan I in 
and set them out like the genuine ” slips.” 
Many persons prefer planting a piece of the 
enough to cut, but making it too late for a 
new growth. In this ease—and the case is 
frequent—turn in your stock and feed down, 
leaving sufficient for a good coat of protec- 
It is best to turn in large herds at 
notto as the liquid Avill dissolve, heat gently _ _ o _ _ 
to a boil, put into a cask and store in a cool [ potato of the Spanish variety, instead of rais¬ 
ing in a liot bed and transplanting. Other 
kinds certainly do best Avhen the “ slips” are 
transplanted 
Persons of experience think trimming or 
clipping the vinos does good Avhen they are 
too rank. Tlie theory seems sound; the 
vine is monopolizing the nutriment; cutoff 
the vine to Avilhin a foot or two of the hill, 
and as the A'ine gets less the root gets more, 
I do not think that cutting the vine does 
much good unless it is done at an early 
stage. One thing is certain about it, the 
vine is a valuable thing for hogs. AVhcn it 
groAvs rank it is very succulent, and is keenly 
relished by them. 
Cows, also, are fond of the vine, but it is 
said to diminish rather than increase their 
milk. Luxuriant vines generally show small 
and stringy potatoes. It is found that light 
kind, only moderately rich, is much better 
than land so strong as to bring heavy vines. 
The time of digging should be. put off as 
long as there is life enough in the vine to in¬ 
dicate that tlie potato is still growing. If 
frost bites the vines it is not thought to in¬ 
jure them at all. The digging before the 
vines are blackened by frost is the exception 
in my locality, and every farmer raises some 
of them hero. I knew one observant old 
farmer who made it a rule to defer digging 
until the north side of the hill was frozen. 
If dug Avhile tlie hmd is wet, they should be 
P«t where they can dry out before they are 
put away. Indeed, they are often kept in 
an open place or at least in piles in the 
place. 
Second Recipe .—Dissolve four pounds pot¬ 
ash in one-liall barrel ot Avater, put. in as 
much pure annotto as the liquid Avill cut. 
The mixture need not be boiled. 
7/uni Jlerijx !.—Take four pounds of best 
annotto, two pounds concentrated potash, 
five ounces saltpeter, one and a half pounds 
sal-soda, and five gallons boiling water. Put 
the ingredients into a tub, pour on the boil¬ 
ing Avater. The annotto should be inclosed 
in a cloth, and as it dissolves squeeze it 
through the doth in the liquid. About two 
ounces of this mixture is sufficient for one 
hundred pounds of curd in summer. 
In coloring cheese, the best way is to fix 
upon the desired shade by trial, marking the 
quantity of liquid used, and after that, is 
known Ihc same proportion will give color 
that is uniform. 
The Butter Swindle.—Men are operating this 
humbug in the South as well as in the North. 
They sell individual rights for one dollar, and 
county rights for ten dollars, in North Carolina 
they use one pound of butter, one pint of milk 
and a small quantity ol cream of tartar, to pro¬ 
duce what they call two pounds of butter. The 
pulpy mass has to be eaten pretty soon, or it re¬ 
solves into a sort of liquid state. Some persons 
or intelligence, but ignorant of chemistry, have 
been imposed on, not to mention the multitude 
of the ignorant. An old miser in my commu¬ 
nity makes the amusing suggestion (he was in 
earnest) that to save butter, and make a small 
quantity go a great way, jr.it just a littleon your 
bread, and turn the buttered side down next to the 
tongue. —A- 
turn. 
once, and keep in till sufficiently fed down. 
This will give a uniform appearance. Thus 
a week or two of excellent pasture may be 
obtained for a dairy, the land coming oitl all 
right as Avell as tlie coavs. This feeding off 
is equivalent to half a crop where tlie soil is 
t good one and the previous crop was cut 
eariy. r Q 
- +++ - 
\ New f odder Plant. —The Massachusetts 
I loughnian speaks ot a new forage plant Avhieh 
M. LA. Slier of Boston has introduced and is 
cultivating, and Avhieh he confident will prove 
to bo a great acquisition to the fodder plants 
iioav commonly groAvn. The Ploughman de¬ 
scribes It us the Gah’t/u ojhduntlsot the botanists, 
a native of Spain, and first introduced into Eng¬ 
land iu the latter part of the sixteenth century. 
The roots consist of many strong libers, frequent¬ 
ly jointed, stems numerous, hollow, erect, trom 
three to six foot high. Its flowers are produced 
in loose spikes from the top of the stem, and 
blootu from June to September. The pods are 
erect, nearly cylindrical, from tivc to eight 
seeded, and swollen out with air. It is said to 
yield a largo built of produce, and its composi¬ 
tion shows it to possess a high nutritive value. 
Cattle do not appear to relish it at first, and eat 
of it sparingly; but. it is thought they will soon 
learn to like it. 
The Origin 0 rthe Peach Blow Potato.—The ed¬ 
itor of the Country Gentleman need not believe 
the statement about the origin of the Peach 
Blow, for it is not the true one. They were th st 
raised from the seed ball by \. A. & M. Shrp- 
iieri3 of Old Saratoga, Saratoga Co., N. Y„ a 
number of years ago. There were several other 
kinds; one they called Shepherd Reds, and the 
Peach Blow, Calico potato. Henry Holmes of 
Saratoga, gave them the uaine of Peach BIqav— 
M., Dutchess Co. 
Bouton or lYappahannock Wheat. — Have any 
of your readers groAvn this wheat; if so, does it 
yield as Avell as other kinds, and onAvhat soil 
does it do beat?—j\ t. 
Turnip Seed from the Patch.—Seed from tur¬ 
nips left in the patuh are good for soAviug, as has 
been long and frequently demonstrated by my 
neighbors.—w. m. 
