| 890 
} 
series of five days the amount was 3:935 lbs. ; 
bean-meal gave the next greatest quantity, 3°69 
Ibs. in five days; then comes barley and linseed, 
3°689 lbs. during the first five days ; barley and mo- 
lasses, 3°63 Ibs. ; and malt, 3:60 lbs. In the case 
of the white cow the quantity was—beans, 3°76 ; 
barley and linseed, 3:421 ; crushed barley, 3°376 ; 
barley and molasses, 3:26; and malt, 3126. With 
both animals we observe that malt is lowest in 
the scale, a fact which seems in some measure to 
militate against the idea of the origin of the but- 
ter being in the sugar of the food. Be this as it 
may, however, although there are many counter 
arguments in favour of the opinion that sugar 
affords such a supply, we think the tables Nos. 1 
and 2 tend to show that there is no relation be- 
tween the butter of the milk and the wax and 
oil of the food, since frequently, when the olea- 
ginous matter of the food is small, the butter is 
more considerable than on other occasions when 
the reverse happens. Since then the facts con- 
tained in the tables seem to prove that the 
butter cannot be supplied from the oil of the 
food, it becomes an interesting point for the 
agriculturist to learn from what element of the 
food it proceeds. It may safely be inferred that 
it must be formed from some other constituent 
of the diet by means of the vascular system, 
either as a primary or secondary stage. Sugar 
affords the most simple element from which it 
may be produced, because we now understand 
how the acid of butter can originate from sugar ; 
but even the albuminous principles might afford 
butter. Upon these grounds, then, we can infer 
that a certain degree of exercise would be more 
conducive to the production of fat than if the 
animal is allowed to remain at rest ; because, as 
the source of the fat or butter is dependent on 
the process of respiration, it is obvious that the 
more the function is encouraged within moderate 
bounds the greater the amount of oil-giving 
principle of the food will be taken into the sys- 
tem and converted into fat. We believe that 
this theoretical deduction is perfectly in conso- 
nance with the experience of good observers, who 
find that box or hammel feeding is more condu- 
cive to health of cattle and cows destined for the 
butcher, or for the production of butter, than 
close plant-like confinement, which is foreign to 
the nature of every animal, and at variance with 
the first principles of physiological science.” 
Cows, in summer, should be milked three times 
a-day at least; early in the morning, at noon, 
and just before night-fall. If this be not done, 
the greatest possible quantity of milk will be far 
from being obtained from them. The milk is 
secreted in the udder, very much in proportion 
to the quantity required, as we see in the case of 
dogs, cats, pigs, and other animals, which pro- 
duce more young than one at a time; and we 
know that a cow, by scanty milking, can very 
soon be put dry. It is therefore of the utmost 
consequence, that the whole milk secreted be at 
BUTTER. 
each milking carefully drawn away. The cows 
should be as little driven as possible before milk- 
ing; and their teats should be washed clean with 
water, applied by a bit of sponge, before the pro- 
cess commences. It may be laid down asa pretty 
general rule, that 18 pounds of milk will yield 
one pound of butter; and that this is the pro- 
duce of a single cow per day during summer, and 
half that quantity in winter. Some, however, 
will furnish twice, or even thrice this quantity. 
The effects of feeding, treatment, management, 
and the idiosyncracy of particular animals, are 
here astonishingly great. See the article Cow. 
When brought into the dairy, the milk should 
be strained through a fine sieve and then poured 
into pans or troughs about 4 inches deep. From 
12 to 20 hours in summer, and about twice as 
long in winter, should be permitted to elapse be- 
fore the milk is skimmed, after it has been put 
into the milk-pans. If, on applying the tip of 
the finger to the surface, nothing adheres to it, 
the cream may be properly taken off; and during 
the hot summer months, this should always be 
done in the morning, before the dairy becomes 
warm. ‘The cream should then be deposited in 
a deep pan, placed in the coolest part of the 
dairy; or in a cool cellar, where free air is ad- | 
mitted. It is customary to stir the cream fre- 
quently with the view of encouraging a slight 
degree of acidity, which is deemed necessary to 
the production of butter; but it is well-known 
that excellent butter can be produced from per- 
fectly fresh cream. 
In hot weather, churning should be performed, © 
if possible, every other day; but if this is not 
convenient, the cream should be daily shifted 
into a clean pan; and the churning should never | 
be less frequent than twice a-week. This work 
should be performed in the coolest time of the 
day, and in the coolest part of the house, where 
there is a free draught of air. Cold water 
should be applied to the churn, first by filling 
it with this, some time before the cream is 
poured in, and then by immersing it in water to 
the depth of a foot or so, during the operation, 
provided we use the pump-churn; or by apply- 
ing wet cloths to it, if we use a barrel-churn. 
Such means are generally necessary to prevent 
the too rapid acidification of the cream, and for- 
mation of the butter. The winter season and 
cold weather, of course, require an opposite prac- 
tice; but we can hardly be too cautious in the 
application of heat; for the common practices of 
wrapping the churn in a warm cloth, plunging it 
into hot water, adding warm milk to the cream, 
or placing the churn near the fire, all tend to in- 
jure the butter. The best way, perhaps, is to 
heat the churn, by filling it with boiling water. 
before the cream is put in, and to place it in the 
warmest part of the house; but not close by a 
fire. The temperature should be as near 55° as 
practicable, and ought not to exceed 60°. 
The operation of churning ought to be moder- 
