Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-08-26

KEEPING MILK FROM SoURING. Milk is a compound
substance made up of mixture of OIL butter, sugar
caseine, curd and water If allowed to stand still
the oily, matter will rise to the top in the form Of
cream. There is little free alkali-soda-in the
water Of all sweet milk, and without this soda the
water will not have the power to keep the caseine,
or curd, dissolved. The sugar of milk is also dis
solved in the water If the sugar get access to
the air, it is constantly inclined to change to an
acid-lactic acid-just sweetened water changes
to vinegar, when exposed to air, and see just
why milk curdies, and how it may be kept sweet.
We all know that acids destroy or neutralize the
effects of akaliGs-such soda, potash, lime, etc.
AS before stated, when the milk is new, there is
some free soda in it, but when some acid is formed
from the milk sugar, this acid neutralizes the soda,
and the water without the soda cannot dissolve the
caseine, but it separates into mass of curd. More
sugar turns to more acid and in time the whole be-
comes quite sour. Now there are two ways of pre-.
venting this souring The first is, keep the air away
from the milk as much as you possibly cam We
cannot very well keep the milk covered alright,
but the oil cream which rises to the top forms
very good cover if it is kept unkroken If them, it
is desired to keep the milk some length of time
great should be taken to keep it STILL and preserve
the cream undiSturbed.
Those who get milk but once day should divide
it into several portions, each portion to be kept
disturbed till it is wanted for The second meth
cd is, put into milk little extra soda to .neu
traze the acid fast it is formed. bit of soda,
say of the bulk of marrowfat pea, to quart of
milk, will not nure its taste quality, while it will
often keep it sweet for day or more longer than
without it. We have often taken milk already be-
ginning to sour, and by stirring in well little soda,
and boiling it. have redissolved the curd, and rem
dered the milk as sweet and good as when first
drawn FROM the cow. We know that sweetened wa
ter will turn more rapidly to vinegar-acetic acid
if it is kept warm. Just the sugar milk turns to
-actic-sooner if kept warm, and on this
count, the colder milk is kept the longer it willre
main sweet
1t is we'll known that heavy thunderstorm will
often render the milk speedily sour. This may be
effected in two ways; the agitation of thunderclap
may introduce more air into the milk, and the great
amount of electricity passing through the milk may
hasten the change of sugar to acid. We have heard
it suggested, with how much truth cannot say,
though there is plausibility in the statement
the milk is less likely to be affected by thunder, if
it is kept in glazed earthen ware instead of metal
vessels like tin pans; and also that it will, at such
time, keep better if the vessels placed upon dry
wooden benches. shelves, away from the walls,
than if set upon the bottom of the cellar or the milk
room. The reason assigned is, that the dry benches
or shelves act non-conductors and prevent cleo
tricty from going through the milk in its passage
from the clouds to the earth. -Ezs=- y
The most important thing in the care of milk,
however, is TO leave it undisturbod-not even NOV
ing the vessel, agtatng the surface, from the
time the milk is strained till it is required for
The shallower milk vessels made, the greater
will be the yield of cream, it will the readily
rise to the top. Agricultural 4nerican