14 
after coming from the separator it should 
be thoroughly cooled, then gradually 
brought to a temperature of 60 to 70 
degrees and frequently stirred. In this 
way it soon ripens. The ripening process 
is hastened by the higher temperature ; 
but when the temperature is above 70 
degrees there is danger of hostile fermen- 
tation. When churning is done twice a 
week a temperatura uf about 60 degrees 
is about right for ripening. Stirring three 
times a day is essential to good ripening. 
New cream should not be added to old 
within twelve hours of churning time, as 
it has not time to ripen. If cream is to 
churned less frequently, say once a week, 
it is well to keep the temperature as low 
as possible until a day or two before 
churning; if it is not then sufficiently 
Tipe it should be heated to 70 degrees, 
afterward, at churning time, the tempera- 
ture being lowered. The proper ripeness 
of cream may be determined by acid test. 
Experienced butter makers, however, 
depend largely on aroma, appearance, and 
consistency. ’ 
The ripening process, as explained by 
science, is the development of certain 
species of bacteria or living organisms. 
These germs are propagated at will, are 
bought and sold commercially. They 
help in butter-making somewhat as yeast 
helps in bread-making. It must not be 
supposed, however, that these commercial 
starters will insure good butter where 
any vital details are at fault ; they simply 
insure a fair, quick start. Commercial 
bacteria are identical with those growing 
naturally in the finest, cleanest dairies, 
where all condi‘ions favor the making of 
high-grade butter. 
The ideal way to dispose of the product 
of the dairy 1s to market the cream or 
butter and keep the skimmed milk at 
home. The fat carries no fertility away 
with it; the skimmed milk can be profit- 
ably converted into veal and pork, and a 
large manure pile will be left. 
Molasses feeds are becoming popular in 
America. They are made of various mix- 
tures of zrains, oat offal, refuse from 
flouring mills, ground corn- stalks, finely- 
ground hay, rice hulls, malt sprouts dis- 
tillers’ and brewers’ grains, cotton seed 
meal and similar products with 10 to 30 
per cent. molasses. 
THE AUSTRALIAN 
BEE BULLETIN 
A Monthly Journal devoted to 
Bee-keeping. 
Edited and Published by E. Trppze, West 
Maitland; Apiary, Willow Tree, N.S.W. 
Circulated in all the Australian Colonies, 
New Zealand, and Cape of Good Hope. 
Per Annum 65s., booked 6s. 6d., in Aus- 
tralasia, outside N.S.W., add 6d, postage. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
The Farm, 
When is Draining Necessary ? 
1, Whenever after rain water remains 
in the furrows or stump holes. 
2. When the soil sticks to your shoes 
or horses’ feet and farm tools. 
3. Whenever you see water in the foot: 
prints of a horse or other animals. 
4, When animals sink deeply into the 
soil. 
5. When the rays of the sun form a 
hard crust on the soil. 
6. Whenever after heavy rain the little 
holes in the ground show more water in 
them than in other parts. 
7. If after rain a stizk is put into the 
ground and taken out, water will rise in 
the hole. 
8 If crops will grow better when the 
land is gathered up into small ridges 
In the first place. we get rid of the 
stagnant water, both on tho surface and 
below it. Stagnant water has an injuri- 
ous effect on vegetation. it is deprived of 
its oxygen, and whlle it remains in the 
soil it prevents fresh water from taking 
its place. Water held in suspension is 
detrimental to plant life, and must be 
kept moving ; it also opens the soil and 
lets the air in after it. 
Thus, draining resolves itself into keep- 
ing the water moving, to prevent its 
stagnating and souring the. soil. No 
crops, unless perhaps rice and New Zealand 
flax, can prosper in water-logged land. 
Experiments with Barley. 
As a result of experiments with barley 
conducted by the Yorkshire College autho- 
rities in conjunction with the Yorkshire 
Council for Agricultural Education, the 
following conclusions are drawn by Pro- 
fessor Seton :— 
1, Two-and-a-half to 3 bushels per acre 
seem to be a sufficient seeding of barley 
for both yield and quality. 
2. At Garforth the results from “ pick- 
ling” have, so far, shown that the treat- 
ment adopted may be depended upon as 
a simple and cheap preventive against 
smut. One pound of bluestone (sulphate 
of copper) dissolved in 1 gallon of water, 
and distributed over 1 sack (4 bushels) of 
seed, was the amount used. It may be 
that a smaller quantity would be equally 
efficacious in preventing smut, and, if so, 
tkere would then be less risk of injury to 
the young plant. 
3, For medium-class soils in good con- 
dition it would seem that au application 
of about 5 cwt. of salt per acee improves 
the yield, and possibly the quality, of 
barley. 
4, On medium class soils in only mode- 
rate condition artificial manures can be 
profitably used, For the production of 
the best yield and quality a “complete” 
November 1, 1907 
’ mixture seems necessary. Such a mixture 
may consist of the following :— 
About | cwt. sulphate of ammonia, or 
a corresponding quantity of nitrate of 
soda, top-dressed some time after the 
barley is through the ground, 2 cwt. 
super, 2 cwt. kainit. 
Mulching 
The reaver will find (says Weathers’ 
“Garden Plants’’) this expression used 
many times in connection with the cul. 
tural directions given for various plants, 
I is, therefore, advisable to explain its 
meaning and value. 
A “mulch” or ‘mulching,’ in garden- 
ing language, means an extra covering of 
soil, rotten leaves. or manure, either 
separately or combined, placed over the 
roots of plants, either after the 1.tter 
have been newly planted or a4 any period 
during their growth when it may be con- 
sidered advisable. 
The advantages of mulching may be 
summed up as follows :— 
1, During the hot and dry summer 
months it preve ts excessive evaporation 
from the soil, and thus not only preserves 
the moisture from the roots to absorb, 
but it also prevents the soil from becom- 
ing excessively het by day and cold by 
night, thus maincaining a more regular 
temperature 
2. In winter it protects the roots from 
frost, and also keeps the soil warmer. 
3, When a rich mulch is applied to 
newly planted trees and shrubs, it not 
only has the above advantages, but the 
manurial matters contained in it are 
washed down into the soil, and enrigh it 
with food for the benefit of the newly 
formed or forming roots. 
4. A good mulching of rich manure to 
all kinds of fruit trees after they have set 
their fruits is highly beneficial in assisting 
them to swell rapidly and ripen more 
quickly Onceaplant no matter whether 
a tree. shrub, or annual—begins to de- 
Gladioli The WORLD’s © 
AND FINEST and IM- 
Sweet ) PROVED GIANT 
VARIETIES, 
Peas e 
L. H. Howell 
Gladioli Specialist, 
MOUNT VICTORIA, 
NEW SOUTH WALES. 
~NOW READY TO SEND OUT. 
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