Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-06-05
AGNICVNYUH.lN.

Observing that premium is offered
by the Agricultural Society, for the
greatest quantity of butter obtained
from cows, shall throw together a
few unconnected observations, for the
benefit of those who may be inclined to
enter into the contest.
Although we all know what good
COW is, yet, for forms sake, it will be
best to begin by describing the CHIEF
points to be attended to. She should
have horns wide apart and smooth, thin
head and neck, large dewlap, full breast,
broad back, deep belly, large but not
fleshy udder, long large teats, broad and
fleshy buttocks, tail long and pliablc.
Good mixers are not very apt to grow
fat, as the food runs to milk.
The size of the cows, and indeed OF
all horned cattle, should be proportion
ed to the fertility of the grounds large
for rich land, small for poor; for on
short PASTURE, a large beast will have no
time to rest and rulninate. 1t has been
said, that the longer any land has lain to
grass, the better, and the more is the
butter it will yield; while the curdy sub
stance of which cheese is formed,
abounds more in clover, and new or cold
and moist pastures.
must complain that the anxiety of
our housewives 10 make butter, Injuries
the calves, which are killed SO young
that their meat resembles fish rather
than flesh. This might very easily be
prevented, and the animals suffered to
live month longer without stopping
the churn. After the first week, let the
calf be fed with skinned milk. thicken-
ed with two or three handfuls of Indian
meal, daily, and give ii twice every day
two bali, as large as hens egg, made
OF InGian meal, one egg and little flax
seed oil. Ar experiment was made on
two calves. the one was permitted TO
suck thrice day, the other was treated
as above, and at the end of month, the
last was the largest and the best. At
ten,ion to this method would not only
improve our veal, but increase our
butter Calves fatlen best in the dark,
because Ii hit is an excitement which
renders them restless.
The practice Of milking thrice day,
especially when cows are IN good pas
ture, Is recommended each milking
will give almost as much as it only done
twice, for, when the udder is full, the
milk begins to be absorbed into the body
of the animal. This practice will be
found to increase not only the quantity
of manure, but OF milk.
Milk should be poured into the pans
as soon as possible, and If carried far, or
much shook, never gives abundant or
good cream.
In order to find the richness Of the
milk of your different cows, pour the
first of the milking of each into glass
tumblers, and when the cream has risen,
YOU can easily see which bears the thick
est coat Winters milk although less
abundant, will be found to be richer
than summers.
Milk gradually increases in richness,
from the first drop down to the very last.
Take tumber full of the first, and
another of the last; you will find that the
first Yields not one tenth part as much
cream as the last and the difference of
its quality is as great as that of its guam
tity. She who by careless milking,
leaves half pint in reality loses not only
as much cream as the first five pints af-
ford, but also all that part of the cream
which gives richness, and favor to the
butter, and dries up the COW into the
bargain.
A milk pan should not be above in
ehes deep. The thickness and quality
of cream is said to be much improved
by pouring the new milk into pan just
taken out of boiling water. and covering
it with another of the same.
1t is said that table spoon full ofpow-
dered saltpetre, stirred, few hours be-
fore churning, into as much cream as
makes l2lb of butter, will prevent the
flavor of wild onion, and probably any
other taste Of foul pasture.
The cream that rises FIRST makes the
choices butter, what comes afterwards
is of an inferior quality. We may thus
make two qualities Of butter.
Butter cannot be made till the cream
is somewhat sour; if you begin to churn
before that time, half your labor is lost
in souring it, which trouble, little vine-
gar, or one days keeping will prevent.
The following recipe makes sort Of
cream highly relished in every English