The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-09-08
From the Semitic american.
Milk.

This liquid is secreted in special organs of
the female mammalia, for the nourishment
OF the young, and it necessarily contains all
the ingredients required for this object.
1t contains insoluble matter held in me-
chanical suspension. 1t is a solution of a
small quantity of different salts, with a
considerable proportion Of sugar Of milk,
and nitrogenous substance named cheese
or cdS'en. A number of small globules
OF fat ofdifferent sizes are suspended in il,
they can only be discerned by the mcros-
cope. The salts Of milk which amount to
about one per cent. of the whole, are the
phosphate of lime, phosphate of magnesia'
phosphate of of iron, chloride of potas-
sum-, chloride of sodium and Soda. The
soda holds the cacein in solution. Pure
casein is scercely soluble in water its
combinations with the alkalies. however,
are very soluble. The addition of small
quantity of acid separa tes the soda from
the cdsein, and this makes thickened
milk, the cord being no longer in solution
with the alkali. Casein is the most
abundant substance in the milk.
After the cdsein is precipitated there is
q sugar in the remaining liquid or whey
this is the reason why it has sweeter
saste than even the pure milk. This is
tlfeSonly sugar generated in the process
Of animal lie. 1t requires three parts of
boiling water and twice as much cold
water to dissolve it. The sugar Of milk
is easily converted into tactic acide; it is
owing to this quality that the acidity of
sour milk is due.
1t has been found by experiment that
COW fed npon grass yields greater
quantity ofmilk than flied upon any other
food. So far as a series of regular expert
ments afford any data for conclusions, that
kind of food which contains the greatest
quantity Of nitrogen, always yields the
greatest quantity of milk, and the best
kind Of it for it, also contains the greatest
quantity Of butter, and this is not little
singular, for butter contains no nitrogen.
1t is not good plan TO feed cows on a uni
form diet, for experiments have proven
that the yield Of milk, by such system
OF diet, gradually diminishes, it is therefore
a good rule to change the food ef mich
cows frequently.
The milk obtained from cows in the
morning is generally richer than that
obtained at evening. 1t has been found
that certain pasture grounds are much
better than others for the production Of
rich milk. We believe that this subject,
ofgood grazing grounds, has not received
that attention which it demands. There
is certainly as much difference in the
grass, herbs, &c,, in certain pasture lands,
as there is in different kinds of food
As acid is the cause Of souring milk,
and as the result Of it becoming acidulous
Is complete separation Of the casein
from the other parts, it has been suggea-
ted that the addition Of some alkaH, such
as soda or salaratus, might render sour
milk sweet The truth is that the addition
Of an extra quantity Of alkali is Just about
as great an evil as an excess of acide, It
is the perfect solution of the fatty parts Of
milk with the alkah in il, which imparts
that fine flavor to it when newly taken from
The animal. Rsone peanash be Dissolved
in warm water, and some pure sweet olive
oil be poured into it and well stirred, the
liquid viii become thick, white, and milk