74 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Explanation of table B. 
[In this table the figures 1 to 5 inclusive are magnified five times in 
diameter, or 50 times superficially; figures 6 to 9 are magnified 
100 times in diameter, or 20,000 times superficially ; and figure 10 
is magnified 30 times in diameter or 1,800 times superficially.] 
Fig. 
1. A front, and fig. 2, aback view of an infected ripe wheat grain, 
examined August the 5th, 1805. 
3. A longitudinal section of the same filled with hundreds of worms 
cemented together, in a torpent state. 
4. A transverse section of the same. 
5. The transverse section of a grain nearly ripe, which was inocu¬ 
lated and infected with the worms and the fungi of the smut 
balls, containing several large and some small worms, and filled 
with the fungi of uredofcetida or smut balls. 
6. A newly laid egg with the young worms visibly coiled up in it. 
7. A young worm in the act of extricating itself from the egg. 
8. An egg from which the worm is recently come out, after which 
the egg soon shrivels and decays. 
9. A young worm which had been some time extricated from the 
egg. 
10. A group of grain worms of all sizes, as seen under water in the 
_field of the microscope, examined July the 15th, 1808 : at A is 
one of the largest parent worms in the act of laying or casting 
its eggs ; at B is a smaller parent worm not yet come to matu¬ 
rity ; the rest are young worms all very lively. 
CO URESPON PEN C E._ 
ON THE DAIRY FARMING OF HERKIMER. 
To the Editors of the Cultivator. — Gentlemen —Agreeable to [ 
your request, I submit to your disposal an article on cheese husband¬ 
ry, together with some statements and observations, on the rapid in¬ 
crease, extension and improvement in that department of agricul¬ 
ture, in a narrow district on the north side of the Mohawk river, and 
second tier of towns, and in the counties of Herkimer and Oneida. 
Over this district was spread a sparse population as early as the 
year 1800, and by 1815, it had become a tolerably well settled coun¬ 
try. From about this time to the commencement of navigation on 
the eastern section of the Erie canal, there was here little advance¬ 
ment in improvement or wealth. 
This district, in length about 20 miles, is hilly, well watered, and 
peculiarly adapted to grazing, but not so to wheat. From 1806 to 
1815, the subscriber (bred to the use of the axe, plough and scythe.) 
made a cheese dairy on the farm whereon he now lives, of from 25 
to 30 cows. Cheese was then not an article of export; it was a 
dull article, secondary to growing young cattle, horses and wool. 
About 200 lbs, of cheese to each cow in the season, at about 6 cts. 
per lb. “in trade,” was considered about a fair income in those days, 
and is supposed to be so still in many large sections of our country. 
About that time, I reduced my dairy to a mere family use.— 
Not long after this time, some cheese speculators from Berkshire 
county, Mass, came into Norway in said district, bought their cheese, 
a few tons, at low prices, made contracts for longer or shorter peri¬ 
ods, and by theory and practice put a few farmers on a good manu¬ 
facturing course, and thus encouraged them to extend thier dairy ope¬ 
rations, and they have been extending till last season. It is com¬ 
puted that about 1,300 tons of cheese were exported from this dis¬ 
trict, and that the business is rapidly extending. Whether it is soon 
to be overdone, time only can determine. It is now questionable if 
there be in any town in the state a greater proportion ot opulent and 
independent farmers, in proportion to its population. Most of the 
little farms are now so amalgamated, that it is said to be difficult to 
sustain district schools, and open roads in winter, or hire any labo¬ 
rers by the day in some sections. 
Of all the products of agriculture to be seen in the great markets, 
in none can there be found so great diversity of quality and masses 
of inferior qualities, as in that of cheese ; none evince such general 
want of theory and system. I am speaking of the great mass.— 
Great improvements in any branch of industry usually proceed from 
sections where there is a community of exertion and spirit of enter¬ 
prise, rivalship and emulation directed to any one given object. And 
we have here also at this day much advantage in sale as well as in 
improvement, over an insolato dairy in another section. Here the 
greatest cheese dealers in New-York and other cities come to se¬ 
lect and purchase their supplies. 
In 1828, we (myself and sons,) commenced cheese making again 
from 40 cows, as a prime object, and in the full conviction that there 
had been and might be, in that department, great improvement, both 
in the manufacture and management of cows to get the greatest 
yield ; that the principles involved in cheese making might be eli¬ 
cited and developed, and reduced to system, if not a science, by ex¬ 
periments, by interchange of views with intelligent farmers, and ob¬ 
serving their process. Here the business conversation when farm¬ 
ers meet, turns much on this subject. How much cheese per day, 
each cow? In the various seasons of the year, how much each cow 
through the season ? are passing questions, and are put by friends 
remote also. Answers to these, and the theory of cheese making, 
the subscriber has often been called upon to put on paper, and to 
point out as distincntly as might be, the difference between the for¬ 
mer and the latter process, as practised by himself and others. This 
has been done by saying that the yields per day at full grass in May, 
will range from two and a half to four pounds each cow, as they 
come from the press, and will shrink about ten per cent at six months 
maturity. The yields per cow in this section,through the season, may 
range from 2501bs. to 500ibs. each cow; the latter however is an 
extreme point, at which very few arrive ; the calf being taken from 
the cow the first week. Last year, we made from 78 cows 32,009 
lbs. Our cows, though good for so large a number, are not as se¬ 
lect as some smaller lots. Others had greater yields. 
In stating the difference between the former and latter process of 
making, we say that less heat on the milk and through the making 
process, and less salt has been applied; the cheese made soft, and 
preserved in shape and from spreading and cracking, and the depre¬ 
dations of Hies, by bandaging. This is done with thin cheap cotton 
cloth, soon after it comes from the press, if the weather be hot.— 
Cheese making is a chemical operation, subject, to atmospheric in¬ 
fluences, and to know how to meet its consequent exigencies, con¬ 
sists in a great measure the art. The milk is “ set” (rennet applied) 
in warm weather considerable below the warmth of milk directly 
from the cow. Cool weather requires more warmth, as the heat is 
continually passing off. The rennet should be free of taint, and 
made in quantity to last several weeks, that its power can be relied 
upon to “fetch the cheese” in three-quarters of an hour, or be sure 
in an hour be so congested as to be ready to “break up,” which is 
done with the hands from bottom to top of the tub or vat, or with an 
utensil made of fine brass wire like a riddle, in half inch squares, a 
sharp rim, and two bails crossing each other higher than the milk in 
the tub. It is then left a short time to settle ; then begin to dip off 
the whey, and of the first put some over the fire, and as soon as 
may be, gradually increase the warmth in the tub, dipping off the 
whey and making fine the curd, endeavoring by all means to keep 
the whey as green as possible ; the greener the whey the richer and 
more cheese. For the last half hour, which we call the scalding 
process, we have very little more than animal or milk heat in the 
tub, with the curd made nearly as fine as Indian corn, which, if all 
works well, is ready to be dipped off into a cinque or basket in 
about two hours from the setting. If the whey turns whitish, and 
smells rank and sour in hot weather, less heat should be applied, the 
process hurried on, and the sa't applied as soon as may be, or the 
cheese will be much smaller, dry and hard. Those who apply greater 
heat in scalding, usually cool off in the tub with cold whey or water. 
But as tending to be more round and adhesive, we prefer cooling by 
exposure to the atmosphere, in grinding up the curd in a mill, (after 
the whey is well pressed off in a strainer,) so as to be ready to re¬ 
ceive the salt, which is two pounds of dry salt to 100 lbs. cheese, 
made so dry that very little can pass off in the whey. No injury 
can be sustained by severe pressing; it may as well be done in one 
as two days ; it must be effectual. 
The colouring (if any,) should be of annato, dissolved in pure 
strong ley, kept in a dimijohn or glass bottle. One large spoon full 
may colour the milk for 20 lbs. of cheese. The colouring on the 
outside shoukl be the same, very much diluted, and applied with a 
brush as soon as the cheese comes from the press. After drying an 
hour, should then be ointed with butter or lard, and ever kept moist 
with the same to prevent cracking. 
We do not darken our cheese rooms or attempt to keep out the 
flies, but in hot sultry weather open the windows and doors and give 
them air. Cool dry winds blowing directly on will crack the cheese. 
Black or Cayenne pepper applied to cracks or unsound places will 
prevent depredation by flies. In extreme hot weather, it may be 
well to let the cheese pass one day without turning. We keep up 
