THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
an extensive business in all three. The Rec¬ 
tangular has met with as much favor in fac¬ 
tories and creameries as in farm dairies, and 
been spoken of by practised dairymen'as be¬ 
ing a very satisfactory churn. We have used 
to and fro, as the butter globules pass along, 
and a settling together of the whole mass equal 
at last to the thickness of the layer of cream 
that accumulates on the surface—the milk 
occupying the spaces before occupied by the 
globules. I feel I have taken too much space 
for this article, yet it is really important that 
the true mechanics of cream-raising should be 
understood, however much it may be to the in¬ 
terest of some individuals to muddle the facts. 
the fluid practicable to be obtained. This in 
large-globuled milk is so slight as to be prac¬ 
tically of no importance, while in small-glob- 
uled milk it is a decided advantage for cheese¬ 
making, to which that class of milk is best 
adapted. 
The difference between buttermilk, the resi¬ 
duum of butter made from entirely sweet 
cream and sweet skim-milk, quite manifest to 
the senses, (and to which Mr. B. refers), is 
both a mechanical and a chemical one. As 
usually found, such buttermilk contains small 
masses of butter, which affect its taste as they 
come in coutact with the palate. The agita¬ 
tion of churning, by promoting extensive con¬ 
tact with the air, also generates a slightly acid 
condition, even in the sweetest buttermilk, 
evident both by tests aud to the sense of taste. 
In regard to the relation of the law of speci¬ 
fic heat to the rising of cream, Mr. Bliss, in a 
confused way, seems to adhere to the original 
mistake made about it. which Dr. Sturtevaut, 
in his manly way, at once acknowledged when 
the facts were brought to his notice by a cor¬ 
respondent. It is an unquestionable fact that 
bo far as this law acts at all, it acts directly 
against the idea that cream rises best iu a fall¬ 
ing temperature. 
Mr. Bliss says, “ The theory that cream is 
carried down by the descending currents is un¬ 
tenable,” and again, referring to my explana¬ 
tion that cold setting is effective because it is 
setting at a uniform temperature, “ this state¬ 
ment is wholly untenable.” Dogmatism is not 
argument. But it is quite true, as found in 
practice, that the more quickly the newly- 
drawn milk is put in the cans, and the more 
quickly it is brought to the temperature of the 
water, the more quickly and perfectly the 
separation of the cream is secured. Aud this 
entirely agrees with, in fact, confirms my 
“ theory.” 
As to the climax which Mr. Bliss finally finds 
to be capped in my statement, that the sole 
point to be observed in practical cream-raising 
is the abolition of currents in the milk, and 
which he thinks he renders absurd by saying, 
that " uutil Nature's laws are suspended, no 
cream can be raised without both an upward 
and a downward curreut in the mass,” let me 
suggest to him a little experiment. Let him 
string half-a-dozen small beads, each upon a 
striug by itself with a knot iu the end. Let 
him deposit the beads in the bottom of a tall 
glass vessel, having the threads drawu straight 
and secured to a cross-piece resting on the open 
top of the vessel. Then let him fill the vessel 
with alternating layers of differently-colored 
sand. Then let him slowly (cream is from four 
to 12 hours in rising) draw the beads to the 
surface, pulling directly upwards. What will 
he find ou examining the sand through which 
the beads (representing butter globules) w^re 
raised? Has there been any mixing of the 
layers? Has there been anything more than 
a slight lateral to-and-fro motion of the par¬ 
ticles of sand as the beads passed 6lowly up¬ 
wards? Just so it is in the rising of cream; 
only, in place of the upward drawing force 
exercised through the strings, we have the 
force of gravity which presses (through the 
particles of the milk) upon the butter glob- 
grew rapidly and well all winter, were ready 
for market early in the spring, even before 
chicks hatched in January and February, aud 
were sold at the top of the market. Many of 
the pullets would lay a dozen or more eggs 
before their turn came to die. He says they 
cost him less per pound than any that are 
hatched before May first. He evidently has 
faith in his business, as his fall chickB will eat 
three tons of corn-meal from the time they are 
hatched until they are sold. This, at $17 per 
ton, will he $51 for winter feed on an experi¬ 
ment, as many would call it. For my part, I 
will this year set my hens as often as they 
wish to sit, up to September 1st, and try my 
friend's plau and see ‘* how 'tis myself.” Who 
else will try the same ? A. M. Van Auken. 
CATALOGUES, &c., RECEIVED 
What Northern Men Sat of the South. 
—This pamphlet of 63 pages contains the pro¬ 
ceedings of the Convention of Northern resi¬ 
dents ot the South, held at Charlotte, N. C., 
Jan. 15th, 1879; also letters giving individual 
expressions of opinion aud facts relative to 
products per acre, social life iu the South and 
a good deal of miscellaneous information with 
regard to the South aud its people. Although, 
of course, the views herein given are a trifle 
one-sided, yet it would he well for all intend¬ 
ing to immigrate to the South to send for this 
pamphlet, aud learn what settlers from this 
section think of the country. It will be fur¬ 
nished gratis on application to N. Dumont, 
Charlotte, N. C. 
Quarterly Report of the Kansas State 
Boit rd of Agriculture for the quarter ending 
March 31, 1879. This pamphlet of 77 pages 
also contains much useful and interesting in¬ 
formation relative to industries, population, 
etc., etc., by counties. Alfred Gray, Sec’y, 
Topeka, Kansas. 
Bulletin of American Berkshire Associa¬ 
tion. Springfield, Ill. This is the first number 
of a neat periodical of 30 pages, devoted to the 
interest and record of this fine breed of swiue. 
Price, $1 per annum ; edited by P. M. Spring¬ 
er, Secretary of the Association at Springfield, 
Illinois. 
List of Premiums, Etc., for the Oregon 
State Fair, to be held on the grounds near Sa¬ 
lem next Sept, or Oct., as shall be decided by 
the Ex. Com. in June; 154 pages. E. W. 
Waite. Sec’y, Salem, Oregon. 
Fowl Breeder’s Guide and Descriptive 
Circular, from E. E. Hardin & Co., Scotia, N. 
Y. .giving full details as to breeding, etc., as 
accomplished on tlieir experimental farms. 
Prooramme of the Seventh Aunual Exhibi¬ 
tion of the Inter-State Industrial Exhibition, 
to be held at Chicago from Sept. 3 to Oct. 18. 
J. P. Reynolds, Sec’y. 
Report of the Committee of the Georgia 
State Agricultural Society, at its convention 
held at Hawkinsville, Feb. 18-20, 1879. 
the butter worker on our Experiment Farm 
during two seasous. Ab we are very particu¬ 
lar, not to say hypocritical, in such matters, 
this fact is indicative of our appreciation of 
the worker. The Churns have no internal 
machinery, the cream is precipitated from 
corner to corner, or side to side with a con- 
cussive force that is likely to develop every 
grain of butter in the fluid. More particular 
information may be had by applying to the 
manufacturers direct. 
HENS WANT COAL ASHES 
Not having had an opportunity to get oyster 
shells enough to supply our hens, we have 
been giving them coal ashes with the cinders 
left in, aud have been surprised to see how 
much they will eat. They eat the charred por¬ 
tions. Wc have a great deal of confidence iu 
the instinct of animals. They know what they 
want. Our hens, 50 of them, eat a panful of 
coal ashes every day, notwithstanding they 
have lime before them all the time. f. d. c. 
UNION RAILWAY POWER 
Wm. L. Boyer & Bro., of Philadelphia, Pa., 
have a horse-power that combines many ex¬ 
cellent points. A recent inspection of the ma- 
chine has led ns to illustrate the 
\ device for overcoming the ten- 
(Y 'I sion on the moving platform as 
' it passes around the ends. It is 
| ® pfe/ e wj| the uneven tension at the points 
J where the platform passes from 
a; jJttI A feS the top to the underside of the 
^ f -, . j$|| tread that is accountable for all 
jerky, unsteady motion. In the 
g | | w| " Union ” it will be seen that the 
* driving gear is placed somewhat 
wj ‘ !| back of the forward end of the 
$ i Ml power, and that it meshes into 
I E 1 to P au( l bottom of the mov- 
I .Y ing platform. Iu this way the 
1 * SjjggJC' l driving gear is acted upon only 
I I by the straight sections of the 
• 1-SlHhrl platform chain 
THE RAISING OF CREAM, 
giving steady 
IP^pn^i draft, aud avoiding the irregular 
M § motiou of the bending end see- 
■k // tions. As the bottom, or return- 
ing sections are at the same time 
propelled up the inclined track and around the 
front end there is little wear or friction, or loss 
of power expended by the animals in getting 
the platform into position to transmit their 
power to the motor. It may be worth men¬ 
tioning that the chain links and wheel bear¬ 
ings are hardened, reducing the chances of the 
RECTANGULAR AND BOX CHURNS 
The English trade journals are very sedu¬ 
lously urging the importance of reorganizing 
the patent-laws, reducing the costs especially. 
It is claimed that the fees required to fully se¬ 
cure an invention amount to prohibition. 
At the International Dairy Fair held in New 
York last winter, Western dairymen won some 
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW TRACTION 
ENGINE. 
the main shaft is also a oevei wneei inrougu 
whieh the power is transmitted to the inclined 
shaft, and from thence—by means of another 
pair of bevel wheels—to a horizontal shaft 
which extends across and under the cylinder 
of the boiler. This shaft is attached by brack¬ 
ets to the fire-box, and at each end is provided 
with spur pinions which drive large spur 
wheels, which are connected by suitable pawls 
and ratchets to the hubs of the hind wheels of 
the engine. 
The bevel wheel at the upper end 
of the inclined shaft i& held by a 
“ feather," or fixed key, and two 
set-screws, and can be quickly 
thrown in or out of gear by these 
means. Whenever the engineer de- 
sires to use the traction attachment, 
he merely slips this bevel wheel 
up into gear with the bevel wheel on 
the maiu shaft, lighteus up the set 
screws, and is ready to apply the 
whole power ot the Engine to the 
driving wheels. 
This device has proved itself equal 
to all practical requirements- Messrs. Nichols, 
Shepard & Co. of battle Creek, Mich., have per¬ 
fected this attachment for use on their thrash¬ 
ing engines, and ibis season it will be included 
iu the outfit If the purchaser so desires. The 
engine itself is thoroughly well made and has, 
among thrashermen, become very popular. 
ules, and they in turn press upon the milk. 
But as the butter globules are the lighter, they 
do not press so strongly as the milk iu the 
downward line, and so they are, as it were, 
exteuded upwards as we extrude the seeds 
from a grape by pressing it between the thumb 
and finger. There is, necessarily, no motion 
in the milk particles except the lateral one, 
