118 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
therefore, to instruct the public mind in useful knowledge, to inculcate mo-, 
ral and industrious habits, and to promote the good of others—fulfils! 
one of the first duties of life, and pursues the course best adapted toj 
promote his individual good. The pleasures of the mind, resulting! 
from the conscious performance of acts of good will to man, far ex¬ 
ceed those which spring from the indulgence of our animal appetites. 
This principle holds good, not only as regards our mental enjoyments, 
but the pecuniary prosperity, and general intelligence of a community, 
serve to promote the good of every individual, in a pecuniary, political 
and moral point of view—by promoting industry and social order, and 
multiplying the courtesies and comforts of life. 
Wealth and knowledge are but the means of happiness. It is the 
mode of applying them that renders them a blessing to the community, 
and a source of genuine happiness to the individual. Where they are 
employed to administer to bad passions—to pamper fashionable vices 
—or to oppress and degrade the ignorant and the weak—they then 
serve to contaminate public morals, and to inflict on society the most 
calamitous evils. But where, on the other hand, they are employed in 
furthering public improvements—to strengthen and encourage the weak 
—to instruct the ignorant—to teach, by example as well as precept, ex¬ 
emplary habits:—when, in fine, they are applied as philanthropy and 
Christianity admonish us they should be, in furthering the happiness 
of a community—of a state—of a nation—of the human family—then 
they become truly both public and private blessings. 
We seldom stop to inquire, how greatly we are dependent upon 
others for the enjoyments of life. Take, by way of illustrating our 
dependence upon others, the case of the merchant. He depends, for 
the sale of his goods, and the profits of his business, upon the 
custom of the farmer, mechanic and manufacturer, who make up 
most of the population of his neighborhood. If these are poor, from 
habits of indolence, from a want of competent knowledge to manage 
their affairs with profit, or from indulgence in extravagance or dissipa¬ 
tion, his business must be limited, and his profits trifling. But trans¬ 
form this community into intelligent, industrious and sober men, and 
how soon and how greatly his prospects change. Every thriving neigh¬ 
bor adds to his business, and increases the means of his enjoyment. 
How deep an interest, then, should the merchant feel, in promoting the 
prosperity of all around him—in diffusing useful knowledge, and in in¬ 
culcating good habits. The same dependence exists throughout all the 
classes of society. Each class, and each individual, therefore, best pro¬ 
mote their own good, by promoting the good of the whole community. 
BERKSHIRE CATTLE SHOW. 
Although it would not comport with the plan of our publication, to 
take cognizance of the many cattle shows which are annually held 
where the Cultivator circulates, yet that of Berkshire is always enti¬ 
tled to a passing notice, as being a pioneer in the good work, and as 
deserving high commendation for the commendable spirit with which 
it has been sustained, and the great improvements which it has produc¬ 
ed, in the agricultural, moral and intellectual condition of the county. 
The 26th anniversary of the Berkshire Agricultural Society, was 
held on the 5th and 6th ult. and although the weather on both days w.as 
wet and disagreeable, yet the attendance was larger, and the show of 
animals more numerous, than on any former occasion. About 150 pre¬ 
miums, amounting in the aggregate, to more than $600, were awarded 
to successful competitors. Of this amount, $165 were premiums on 
crops, eight of which were awarded on crops of ruta baga—$28 on the 
products of the dairy—$250 on animals—$40 on ploughing, and $125 
on manufactures. The reports of the committees indicate a progres¬ 
sive improvement in the various departments of mental as well as of 
rural culture. That of the committee on agriculture, is particularly 
flattering in these points of view, as will be noticed in the following 
quotation: 
“ The uncommon severity of the late winter,” say the committee, 
“ has injured or destroyed most of our fine fruit trees. If we wish to 
enjoy the health-giving luxury of delicious fruits, and do good for others,* 
we must continue to plant and engraft fruit trees of the finest varieties. 
The farmer should never despair; it is no part of the character of a 
good farmer, to be fickle or desponding. There were more than sixty 
applicants for agricultural premiums, [on crops.] Inquiry was made 
* This brings to mind the oft-repeated excuse for not planting trees, viz: 
that he, the planter, may not live to enjoy the fruits. The excuse is misan¬ 
thropic, and repugnant alike to duty and to interest. If our fathers had been 
influenced by this spirit of selfishness, how stinted would have been our 
“ health giving luxury” of enjoying delicious fruits? Let us requite the obli¬ 
gations we owe to our ancestors, by conferring greater ones upon the next ge¬ 
neration. So far as mercenary views are to govern, they decidedly urge to 
planting: For what adds more to the intrinsic value of an estate, than an 
abundance of choice fruits? Fifty dollars expended in planting, will give a 
better return to our children, or heirs, in money, to say nothing of the “health¬ 
giving luxury” which it will impart to them, than the like sum loaned on in¬ 
terest—even compound interest. Apples have become almost as useful in the 
economy of the household nnd the farm, as corn; and they are raised with far 
less labor, and are probably more certain in their product. 
by the oldest member of the committee of each one—whether, in the 
management of their farms, they used ardent spirits ? Of the whole 
number, there were but two who used this fearful poison—a fact that 
tells well for the high moral advancement in the holy cause of tempe¬ 
rance, of the leading farmers of old Berkshire. Your committee have 
observed an air of neatness and improvement in . the cultivation of our 
farms: a spirit of inquiry, a desire for improvement is abroad among our 
farmers; many of them take agricultural papers, abounding with use¬ 
ful information. Your committee would respectfully recommend the Cul¬ 
tivator, as a very cheap and very useful agricultural paper, published 
at Albany, and worthy the patronage of our farmers. It seems to be 
the generous and laudable ambition of many, very many, of our agri¬ 
cultural brethren, to respect themselves, and by doing good and communi¬ 
cating good, by promoting education, tefnperance, refinement and good 
morals, to exalt and dignify the ancient and noble profession 
TO WHICH THEY BELONG.” 
BUTTER. 
The following remarks upon the manufacture and preservation of 
Butter, were written by the conductor some three or four years ago. 
With some slight alterations, they are now submitted to the readers 
of the Cultivator, as containing the most essential rules to be observed 
in the management of this important household art: 
Butter is one of the staple productions of our state; and every hint 
that serves to improve its quality, or increase its quantity, must be 
useful. There are various methods of making butter, as from new 
milk, lobbered milk and cream ; and there is certainly a great diversi¬ 
ty in its quality. The cause of this difference may partially be owing 
to the season, the feed and the breed of cows, but most is owing to ma¬ 
nagement. Our dairy women are very much like their good husbands, 
apt to be somewhat conceited, too wise to learn, and generally believe 
their own mode the best, and never suspecting that philosophy or sci¬ 
ence can have any sort of connection with this humble branch of house¬ 
hold labor. All seem to be agreed, however, upon the following points: 
1. That cleanliness is the first requisite, for many and very obvious 
reasons. 
2. That every sort of liquid should be separated from the butter— 
because if such is suffered to remain, it soon becomes rancid, and 
taints the mass. 
3. That the salt used to preserve it should be pure, because bad salt 
will not keep it sweet—rock salt, and that produced by solar evapora¬ 
tion, being deemed best. 
4. That no more salt be used, than is necessary to render the butter 
palatable—all excess being injurious to the taste, and an imposition 
upon the buyer. 
5. That the vessel in which it is packed should he incapable of im¬ 
parting to it any bad flavor—wood abounding in pyrolignic acid, and 
red earthen being improper—the first giving a bad taste, and the lat¬ 
ter, by reason of the decomposition of the glazing, which contains 
lead, being in a measure poisonous. 
6. That when packed, the external air should be wholly excluded 
from the butter—because the air soon induces rancidity. 
Our dairy women have added two other rules, which they deem all 
important to the preservation of good butter, but which I am induced 
to think are hut little known and less practised, viz: 
7. That no water be suffered to come in contact with the butter in 
any stage of the process—because it tends to lessen the essential vola¬ 
tile matter which gives to butter its rich peculiar flavor. 
8. To have the salt incorporated with the butter in the first opera¬ 
tion of working, and after an interval of twenty-four hours, to apply 
again the butter ladle until the whole of the liquid is expelled. By 
this operation the salt is dissolved and effectually blended with the but¬ 
ter, which is freed more effectually from buttermilk. 
And we will add two other rules, viz: 
9. When the cream is employed, it should he somewhat sour, though 
not stale, as in this slate the butter more readily separates from the 
serous or cheesy matter. 
10. That the temperature of the cream, when submitted to the 
churning process, should not be below 52, nor above 62 degrees— a 
lower temperature rendering the separation difficult, and a higher one 
essentially impairing the quality of the butter. A thermometer with a 
sliding gauge, adapted to this and other household purposes, will cost 
$2 or $2.50. The temperature maybe regulated without bringing wa¬ 
ter in contact with the cream, by setting the churn in a tub of water, 
either hot or cold, as may be required to change the temperature of 
cream. 
We sat down to write merely an introduction to two tables, which 
we are about to copy, and which indicate the temperature at which 
cream may be most advantageously wrought into butter. It may be 
said that these will serve but little purpose, as a thermometer is sel¬ 
dom seen in a dairy house; yet it will show the importance of keeping one. 
The Highland Society of Scotland offered a premium on experiments 
on the temperature at which butter can be best procured from cream. 
