The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-14 00:00:00

mILx.

A meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society took place
on Wednesday—Mr. R. Barker in the chair. Amongst the
members present were Lord Faversham, Sir john John-
stone, M.P., Mr. Holland, M.P., the Hon. Mr. Cavendish,
M,P., Sir E. Kerrison, M.P., Mr, Adams (the American
Minister), Sir T. Phillips, Professor Miller, of Stockholm,
Mr. Corbett, Mr. Jonathan Peele, Mr. Cantrell, Mr. Frere,
Mr. Gibbs, and Mr. Bosanquet.

After the ordinary business of the session had been trans-
acted,

Professor VOELCKER proceeded to explain the nature and
quality of milk, particularly with reference to the feeding
of cattle. He observed that milk was an emulsion of fatty
particles in solution, of cassein and milk sugar. The
colouring matter was produced by a large number of
globules, and in consequence of the intimate connection
between the food and the milk it was very apt to take the
flavour and even the colour of the substances upon which
the cows were fed. Generally speaking, the more opaque
the milk was, the better would be its quality, because in that
case it contained a larger amount of cream and butter.
between
attention;
nttio the
There was an extraordinary variation in the milk pro-
ducedl
o f the by
societydifferent
particularly
a nima
a ;
t and heedifference
milk of the cow, the ass, the goat, the ewe, and that of the
carnivorous animals—the dog, for instance—observing that
o th
directed the
it was a singular fact that the milk of the dog was much
richer in all its various constituents, more especially in,
curd and in butter, than any other kind of milk. It was
so rich, indeed, that no other food could be compared with
it. Solid butcher's meat contained less nutriment and more
water than that description of milk. This would explain.
the extreme difficulty experienced in bringing up a pup by
hand. Indeed, the only food good enough for it was con-
centrated beef tea, and the infusion of that must be highly
concentrated. Another singular circumstance connected
with that description of milk was that it possessed no sugar
until after the animal had been domesticated and fed upon
bread. He mentioned this fact for the purpose of showing
the intimate connection between the food and the composi-
ti of the milk. With respect to milk sugar (a large
specimen of which was produced) he observed that it wa
one of the most digestible of all substances, and was used
as a household medicine for children in cases of indi gestiort.
A teaspoonful or two of that sugar, or lactean as it was
called, was a most wholesome aperient, and there was no
other description of medicine so wholesome or safe as an
aperient. The reason why the milk of the ass was so be-
neficial to invalids, was that it possessed excellent diges-
tive powers from the absence of curd and butter, and being
a very pure .description of milk. One of the most extraor-
dinary circumstances with respect to ewes' milk was the
great variation in its composition. A short time ago he
analysed a quantity of ewes' milk for the Duke of Rich-
mond, who had lost many lambs, and who thought there
must be something injurious in We milk. He found no
pus or other matter which occasionally appeared in
diseased milk under the microscope, but that it agreed as
nearly as could be expected with the published analysis of
milk of that description. On analysing the milk at the
college farm of the society he found a difference of not less
than 30 per cent of solid 'matter. The milk thus analysed,
was derived from ewes that had lambed only three or four
days previously. The first milk yielded by a ewe just after
the lamb was dropped was more like cream than butter, but
he certainly was not prepared to find so great a variation
between the quality of the two description's of milk. With
respect to cows' milk, it was generally richer after the third
or fourth,calf. The season of the year also affected tha
quality of the milk in
.a remarkable degree. In moist and
temperate climates a larger supply and a better quality of
milk was generally obtained than in dry and hot countries.
He wished to correct one popular error. It was generally
supposed that the morning milk of a cow was richer than
the evening milk, but experiments had shown that
there was no appreciable difference, and that the qua-
lity of the milk depended very much upon the nature
of the food taken a few hours previously. The effect of
oil-cake was to increase the fattening qualities of the
animal, but the result was a decrease in the quantity and
quality of the milk. One of the worst possible things that
could be given to a cow was oil-cake, especially bad linseed.
He attributed the bad quality of the milk in large towns to
the abominable matters which were occasionally put into
Water containing lactic acid had a tendency to produce
milk when animals were fed on concentrated
the cake, rather than to the Ealulteration of the milk itself.
abundance of
a
food, such as bean meal or cake. In some eases it might be
dvisable, in the absence of brewers' grains or distillery
refuse, to mix some of the lactic acid with barley or bean
meal. The professor then proceeded to explain the various
lactometers used for the purpose of testing the purity of
milk, observing that a new one was in process of manufac-
ture, which would be found most useful to agriculturists,
and which might be depended upon with perfect safety.
Mr. BROWN, in proposing a vote of thanks to the profes-
sor, inquired what would be the effect of feeding on gorse
in respect to milk. That subject had excited a great deal of
attention, particularly in Ireland.
Professor VOELCKER believed that gorse would be found
a most excellent food. It was well known to be a good
food for horses.
that cows fed on grass
f ffthe
pasture was
Lord FBVERSHAM, in seconding the vote of thanks, re-
marked that there could be no doubt °
yielded an abundant supply o .
ndimbealsdimmiingihathbede f:edlnwihtihs
l ake, and that both thequan-
titytoo rich a description of o
and quality of the m
more beneficial than to
feed cattle
nothing could be
opinion
good. It was quite clearuith-woatoual
el and other roots. A
upon mangold
/
In reply
in whichmilk was placed the more easily would the cream
Vo ERthat the shallower the vessel
Professor
to avrd:qzuemstion by Mr. r. At)
easily
rise to the surface. One most important thing in a dairy
was to exclude the damp air, and he knew one farmer who
had found great advantage from lighting a fire in his dairy
whenever there was a prospect of a thunderstorm in sum-
mer.

A long conversation ensued with respect to the differen
modes of feeding, and the quantity and quality of the milk
produced, and it was stated by Mr, Blackburn that he had
frequently found his milk, when forwarded to London by
railway,)n a coagulated state. He had completely reme-
died that by redUcitig the milk to the temperature of water.
At first he placed his milk in cans as it came from the cow,
at a temperature of 90 degrees, and sealed it up. He had
since discovered that if it was allowed to becOme cold be -
fore it was placed in the cans coagulation did not take
place.

The motion having been agreed to, the meeting sepa-
rated.

Cries of " Help! Murder !" were heard on Sunday
evening in the Rue do Cain, at Caen. A hand, covered
with blood, was seen clutching the sill of the window of
one of the houses, where a boy, about 13 years old, named
Lejeune, was bleeding from two large wonnds in the throat,
at Caen under the surveil-
lance with a shoemaker's knife. Lejeune, while playing
just before with another lad, had been accosted by a man
who offered him two sous to go on an errand. He ac-
cepted, and followed the stranger to his room. 'What
•fol-
lowed is not yet known, but the cries of the boy were heard
soon after. The assassin had escaped, he is, however,
well known, being a liberated convict who had just before
left prison at Gallon, and was urved-
aulandeeasofuitheeartplylice. Lejeune received
is not divided, his life is act medical attendance,
Oa ai(Lered in
danger.