SMY 26 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
327 
whom a homestead or close of land belongs. 
The color adopted by Sir Charles Mordaunt 
(memorable as the plaintiff in the celebrated 
divorce case involving the insanity and guilt of 
Lady Mordacnt, and apparently compromising 
the Prince of Wales) on his West of England 
estates is a deep dark-red, the material em¬ 
ployed being a patent, ready-mixed application, 
which has a pleasing effect. 
In some cases, where the farm buildings have 
been erected many years, they are found very 
near the dwelling-house indeed, too contiguous 
either for health or pleasure ; but. mature expe¬ 
rience has shown the advisability of building at 
a distance sufficiently removed, that the efflu¬ 
via, arising from the confinement of a large 
number of cattle, may not contaminate the air 
one breathes, and this rule is now universally 
adopted. As a precautionary measure against 
possible contingencies, it is customary for some 
one, lantern in hand, to examine all the cattle 
before retiring, and though the isolation of their 
quarters involves an extra walk of a hundred 
yards or so, the drawback is more than counter¬ 
balanced by the boneflt derived in a sanitary 
point of view. w. h. 
4 4 4 -- 
POISONING RODENTS. 
In many parts of the West, and especially in 
California, squirrels, pocket-gophers and other ! 
species of rodents are so very destructive to I 
crops that it becomes necessary to poison or, in I 
some way, lessen the number of these animals. 
Strychnine has been extensively employed for 
this purpose and is generally quite effectual, but 
a correspondent of the California Live Stock 
Journal has bocn trying phosphorus, and finds it 
quite as certain death, besides being far cheaper. 
He gives Ids method of using it. as follows : 
A five-gallon oil-can is a good vessel to prepare 
it in, and one I usually use, 1 till tho can one- 
tliird full of water, and set it on the stove till il 
comes to a boil; thou 1 take otic-half corn-meal 
and one-half flour, and stir in till I have a stiff 
mush ; then I add two pounds sugar, and carry 
the can out of doors ami let it stand ton minutes 
to cool; then take a stick of phosphorus in a 
pair of plyers and plunge it in the mush till the 
stick has all melted. (Melting in tho mush, 
instead of in tho water, prevents it settling, and 
takes loss poison, and is more thoroughly mixed 
through the mass. It is quite important that 
tho mush should be considerably below tho I 
boiling-point or tho phosphorus will take fire.) 
Then add wheat ns long as you can stir it. Tim ' 
wheat becomes coated, and when swollen will l 
absorb the water, and yon can brouk it into ' 
Jumps of a suitablo size to use. A piece as large 
as a waluut is large enough for a squirrel or 
gopher hole, and should always he put so far in¬ 
to the hole that no domestic animal can get at it. 
It is no reason, because an animal does not die 
immediately, that it has not been poisoned. T 
call to mind an instance of poisoning by phos¬ 
phorus of a child of one of the physicians of San 
Diego. It, in some way, got bold of a hunch of 
matches, and though it seemed to have swallowed 
hut a very little of the compound, it was taken 
violently ill, and every known remedy was applied 
and the child partially recovered, and lingered 
for six months, but finally died from the effects 
of the poison. I write this to Empress upon all 
who use the drug tho necessity of extreme care 
in its use; for. like the “Mill of tho Gods," it 
sometimes grinds slow, hut nevertheless grinds 
very sure. In using it to poison gophers, dig 
down to the main runway, and put in a piece as 
large as a walnut, and, believe me, you will soon 
be rid of them. For kangaroo-rats and mice, put 
it into clumps of hushes, piles of brush or stone, 
where nothing else can get at it. The opinion 
prevails that it is liable to taka fire after being 
mixed, and even after being put out, hut I have 
the best of reason for believing it a mistake, 
having inquired of parties who have used it for 
fifteen years, and they scout the idea. 
In conclusion I will say that fifty cents’ worth 
of phosphorus will be more effectual in ridding 
your fields and orchards of squirrels than two 
dollars' worth of strychnia. 
- 4 ~ 4~4 - 
GATE POSTS. 
Thebe is one more point I would like discussed 
in your columns in regard to gates, and that is, 
in what manner can the posts ho set, bo as to 
prevent heaving which causes tho gate to sag. 
In this locality tho fence posts heave out of the 
ground very badly, and I have rend in somo 
paper that if atones were used instead of soil, 
and tamped down solid, the posts would not 
heave. Now I have not tried this, hut if any 
farmers have, who read the Rural New-Yorker, 
we would like to hear from them on the results. 
Steuben Co., N. Y. Clifton. 
-- 4--*-4 - 
Coal Ashes scattered on the stable fioor will 
absorb the liquid inannre, prevent the cattle 
from slipping and falling, afford an excellent ad¬ 
dition to the pickings of poultry around the 
place, and can afterwards ho spread on tho soil. 
patrii gusbaiikj). 
THE CLAIMS OF WINTER BUTTER-DAIRY¬ 
ING—ITS SUCCESS AT THE WEST. 
At a recent gathering of prominent New York 
butler and cheese dealers, at Albany, N. Y., the 
question was raised in regard to the comparative 
merits of Eastern and Western butter. One 
well-known dealer affirmed that of the fresh but¬ 
ter coming forward to New York during winter 
and spring, the Western waH better than the 
Eastern, and commanded from three to live 
cents more per pound. In assigning a reason 
for this superiority, it was claimed by some of 
the butter dealers present that tho best fresh 
butter coming to New York from tho West, 
during the season named, wasmado by dairymen 
who had adopted the now practice of “ winter 
dairy itig,” and that, the superiority of tho butter 
referred to was to be attributed to this cause. 
In the first place it was urged that tho new milk, 
under the Western system, must naturally make 
a sweeter butter containing more aroma than 
that produced from old milk obtained from cows 
about drying up, or at the last end of the sea¬ 
son’s yield, Hut, in addition to the compara¬ 
tively finer flavor of the new milk, it was en¬ 
hanced in quality by the rich and abundant 
food which the Western cow gets under this 
System—tho custom being to feed liberally with 
corn-meal and other ground grain, nnd, in somo 
Instances, with roots also, in addition to full ra¬ 
tions of hay. 
If the reasons assigned are the true ones— 
and that they have considerable weight every 
practical dairyman must admit then it may he 
well to inquire into the merits of winter-dairying 
and compare its general features with tho prac¬ 
tice usually adopted by Eastern dairymen. Win¬ 
ter-dairying lias some very obvious advantages. 
Fresh butter, with all the aroma of -iuno-mako, 
going into market weekly during winter, must 
ho considered a rarity hv consumers, and, on 
account of its peculiar excellence, will naturally 
command top prices. Again, butter can he 
shipped in winter with loss risk to flavor and 
texture than in hot weather, while it can bo hold 
by dealers for some considerable time without 
deterioration. Those arc important advantages 
to tho maker and tho trade. It is claimed, too, 
that winter is a more favorable time to mako 
butter Ilian summer, since any degree of tem¬ 
perature may bo maintained with more case and 
at loss cost for milk-room or dairy-house. Un¬ 
der the Swedish system, by which tho mil!: is 
reduced to near the freezing point when set for 
cream, the winter months, it would seem, must 
be more favorablo than the summer mouths— 
while under any system the decomposing ele¬ 
ments of heat are not then to he contended with. 
In winter, animal and vegetable substances arc 
not liable to decay and send off offensive gases 
and odorB, and hence the milk will not ho likely 
to absorb taints to injure the butter, as is often 
the case in summer. In this respect, winter has 
the decided advantage over summer for butter- 
making. So far, then, as the matter of taints 
from decomposing matter, ho far as the setting 
of tiio milk, tho making of tho butter and send¬ 
ing it to market are concerned, cold weather 
may ho regarded ns more favorable than ju 
summer. The price of labor is less in winter, 
but it is doubtful if anything can ho credited on 
this score, since labor cannot always he profit¬ 
ably employed at this season when not occupied 
directly with the dairy. 
We row come to the consideration of the cows 
and their yield. The expense of keeping cows 
which are giving milk in winter is considerably 
more than when they are dry, and more than 
when they are giving milk in summer on pas¬ 
turage. Under the best winter management, it 
canuot be claimed that tho animals will yield a 
larger quantity of milk than when on good pas¬ 
turage, and in the majority of cases the yield 
will he less, because there will be more exposure 
to cold and the prevailing inclemencies of tho 
weather, which will have an influence in averting 
the secretion of milk. Again, it can hardly ho 
expected that full rations of succulent food can 
always be provided in winter. On tho other 
hand, the liberal feeding of ground grain will 
give quality to thy milk and, with due attention 
to warm, well-ventilated and clean stables, with 
an arrangement for water so that stock may 
have full access to it without exposure to storms, 
it must bo admitted that a fair quantity of rich 
milk may he produced. And if a plentiful sup¬ 
ply of roots be provided, with early-cut hay, 
nicely cured, together with other succulent food, 
we can see no reason why the milk should be 
lacking in flavor. 
Corn-meal and other ground feed can he ob¬ 
tained at much cheaper rates at the West, and 
in this respect our Western friends have a de¬ 
cided advantage, for, without doubt, cows in full 
milk can be wintered as cheaply, if not more so, 
at tho West as dairymen can winter dry cows in 
the usual manner East. 
But an important point claimed for winter- 
dairying is, that after the cows have been milked 
for a considerable period, and as tho quantity 
begins to materially docrease, tho nice, succulent 
pasturage of spring and early summer becomes 
available, and us tho cows are turned on this, it 
starts up an increased flow' of milk. Then, as 
pastures begin to depreciate, the cows are dried 
off, coming again in milk late in the fall or early- 
winter. 
Mr. Boxes of Marengo, III., who has adopted 
the plan of winter-dairying with groat success, 
and whose butter product is well known to the 
trade and commands high prices, dries his cows 
off about tho first of July anil lias them fresh in 
milk in the fall of the year. When hi mlllc, the 
cows get the moat, nourishing kind of food. The 
quality of the feed, lie thinks, makes a very great 
difference in the quality and yield of butter. 
Tho milking is always done at the same time of 
the day, In tho morning each cow gets four 
quarts of meal, and the milking is performed 
while they arc eating, after which about a tea¬ 
spoon fill of salt is given to each animal. A 
quart of oil-meal is also given each day to assist 
digestion. After milking and when the cows 
have finished eating, they ore lot. out to drink. 
The water is always wanned in the winter. 
When the weather is pleasant and warm, tho 
cows are let. out in the sun for three or four 
hours during the middle of the day. When 
brought in, they are fed with early-cut. hay. His 
hay is cut early, in order to retain its natural 
sweetness. At live o'clock in tho afternoon ho 
gives each cow five quarts of corn and oatmeal, 
mixed together, and then milks them again. He 
says: 
“ We arc very careful about our stables, and 
enforeo strict quietness in them. No striking or 
pounding of the cows is allowed; they are al¬ 
ways driven quietly. We keep them warm, but 
avoid too high a temperature. A number of cows 
in a very warm stable produce an unhealthy 
atmosphere. We consider that there is more 
danger of the stable being too warm than of its 
being too cold.” 
Mr. Boies feeds his skimmod milk to hogs, 
which are bought when they weigh from 50 to 
100 pounds. Tho corn fed them is either bought 
or raised, and so much is charged to tho pork 
account for tho skimmed milk. Under favorable 
oiremnstaucos, lie says, pork can bo made for l 
cents per pound with corn at CO cents per bushel, 
allowing the dairy 20 cents per 100 pounds for 
the skimmed milk. 
The question may now be asked, whether this 
plan of winter - dairying may he successfully 
adopted at the East. And in answeriug this 
question, the coat of ground feed is an import¬ 
ant. item to be considered. On the plan of feed- 
Aig adopted by Mr. Botes, wo find thut each cow 
would consume during six months, or 180 days, 
1.020 quarts of meal, and if wc reckon a bushel 
of grain to make 32 quarts, it will take a little 
over 50 bushels for each animal, to say nothing 
of the oil-meal. Now, if tho meal bo of corn 
and eats in equal parts, estimating the former at 
75 cents, and the latter at 00 cents per bushel 
wo shall find that each animal consumes meal 
duriug the six months to the amount of $26.25. 
This is a large outlay for grain, especially at the 
moderate prices named for it. But Mr. Boies 
says he makes cows yield, on an average. 300 
pounds of butter each per year. This is about 
100 pounds more than many of our best dairy¬ 
men get from tlieir cows, and if butter be put at 
30 cents per pound, the extra yield more than 
pays tho cost, of grain. Again, if Western but¬ 
ter, made and scut to market fresh daring win¬ 
ter, on the plan referred to, will command from 
four to fivo cents more per pound than Stato 
butter, hero will he fouud another item of con¬ 
siderable moment to ho taken into account.; for 
the extra fivo cents per pound on the average 
product of tho cow amounts to $15, though per¬ 
haps that amount should he modified as only 
covering the butter sold in winter. Of course, 
there will occur to dairymen many objections to 
the practico of winter-dairying. Any radical 
change, like this, on old and established custom 
cannot he expected to moot with general favor 
at once, and it is quite proper that it be closely 
scrutinized and objections brouglftt forward, so 
that no one maybe deceived as to its real merits. 
Tho subject is one which may well occupy the 
attention of Eastern dairymen, for if winter- 
dairying is the improvement claimed for it over 
the old plan, then our dairymen should not let it 
pass unheeded. 
.-- 
WHITE CHEESE. 
A correspondent inquires concerning “the 
probable demand for white cheese, and whether 
prices are likely to be better for white than for 
colored cheese.” There is always a limited 
foreign demand for white choose to supply cer¬ 
tain markets, like that ut Manchester, where 
white cheese is preferred to colored, hut the 
larger part of tho choose demanded for export 
requires to he colored. We do not learn that 
the demand for white, cheese is increasing in the 
English markets, though it is said fro he slowly 
gaining for our homo consumption. At this 
writing, May 14tli, wo see no prospect of any 
larger quantity of white cheese being in demand 
than last year, and it will bo'remomborod that, 
during the latter part of tho season, there was a 
surplus of whito cheese which was slow of sale, 
and at lower rateB than colored choose of tho 
same texture and quality. 
White cheese often brings a hotter price than 
colored, when the make of the former is light 
ami not sufficient to supply the foreign demand. 
In suoli cases wo have known instances where 
shippers have contracted with certain well-known 
factories for the manufacture of white cheese at 
higher rates t han the host quotations for colored. 
This fact, has led many to suppose that whito 
choose is tho most marketable and commands 
the boat prices. 
The limited call for white cheese for exporta¬ 
tion, renders it unsafe for factories, in any con¬ 
siderable number, to enter upon its manufacture, 
unless Kpecial contracts ho made with shippers 
and dealers for its production. Colored choose 
for export is always in demand, if of good quality, 
and may bo regarded as tho standard for cliceso 
in our export trade ; hence for tho general mar¬ 
ket it will always be safo to run the make on this 
style. We have no means of knowing the num¬ 
ber of factories that will engage in the produc¬ 
tion of white cheese nnd tlioroforo can give no 
information as to tho comparative prices likoly 
to rttlo between colored and white cheese ; but 
without some special order from dealers, wo 
should hardly expect to got any hotter rates by 
making white choose than colored. 
Borne factorymen hold tho opinion that color 
in cheeso should he done away with, and that 
the American factories bv a united effort in 
abandoning the use of annatto, could so influence 
the taste of foreign consumers that there would 
soon ho no demand for colored choose ; and such 
a combination has been proposed. The scheme 
is wholly impracticable and all attempts of this 
kind, even though the desired combination he 
made, would only end in putting a premium on 
colored cheese and give the English or Canadian 
nmnnfaet.urerH another advantage in tho mar¬ 
kets, which they would not ho slow to im¬ 
prove. 
Wo should ho glad to see the coloring of cheese 
abandoned because it is a usoless expense to our 
dairymen, and adds nothing to tho quality of 
cheese, hut wo do not believe dairymen aro 
called upon to dictate to consumers what they 
shall, or shall not, have. If tho taste of our 
customers is for colored eheeso nnd if they will 
insist that color makes cheese more attractive 
and helps to give it a better relish, even though 
it he simply a matter of the Imagination, wo say 
supply the article demanded so long ns there is 
nothing in it harmful to health. Perhaps the 
time will come when colored cheeso will not bo 
wanted, hut from the present outlook it will not 
bo during the lifetime of this generation of 
cheese makers. 
- » 
NOTES ON CHEESE FACTORIES. 
We are about starting a butter and cheese 
factory in onr county, sufficient for about 400 
Cows. We are about to dig a well and supply 
tho water with a pump. We would like to know 
from your Dairy Editor, or from some of your 
readers who may have had experience, whether 
the pump can he run satisfactorily by a wind¬ 
mill. If pumped by engine, what power will it 
take for pump, heating, and other uses of the 
factory ? It has Leon suggested by some to dig 
the well inside of the factory building. Would 
this ho wise H What kind of pump and size of 
discharge-pipo would he best? 
An early answer would be highly appreciated 
by our community. -Jos. A. Btoufitkr, New 
Windsor, Carroll Co., Md. 
Remarks. — Windmills aro often used for 
pumping water from wells to supply factories, 
and they give good satisfaction. Tho water is 
pumped into a tank sufficiently olevated to load 
the water to the vats or for other purposes about 
the premises. As a steam boiler will ho needed 
at the factory, it might perhaps bo convenient to 
have an engine attached thut would do tho 
pumping and other work requiring power, about 
the factory, or a steam pump could he employed. 
In using an engine, the power required for 
pumping will depend upon tho depth of the 
Weil and size of stream or water supply. A 
pump having one and ouc-fourth-inch suction 
and three-fourths-Inch or one-inch discharge 
would ho ample. The well may he put inside the 
factory, with a large door over its mouth. It 
should he in a corner of tho building, and so ar¬ 
ranged that the water may he pumped into tho 
tank above. 
Messrs. Whitman A Burrell, or Mr. Chas. 
Millar A Bon, whose advertisements of dairy 
supplies and fixtures appear in tho Rural, can 
furnish all the necessary machinery — engine, 
boiler, pump, etc.—of the latest and most ap¬ 
proved pattern for factory use. 
