Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-09-05
Especial European Correspondence OF the
HERALD,
"Waifs from Abroad-N0. 6.''
Ran Hoxxpupc Aup lIth 1897

IEdlt0fS hN|dnN H1hN '-onc ululCulty
of a connected account of foreign travel
and associations, is the constantly chang.
ing OF your surroundings. My anxiety
to relieve your columns from any repeti-
ton of facts or impressions, may not al.
ways, fear, be successful in preventing
1t. Should q circumstance Of that ma
ture occur, It will be the result Of an I'M
avoidable torgetfulness. Strange as 1t
may seem, Notwithstanding the limited
waterways of Holland, the first thought
Tor any rural residence, is a 'fsh-pond"
connected with it. And where the ex-
listing arrangements do not furnish the
facilities for one, it is excavated general
ly in the garden, front or rear of the
mansion, as the case may be. One
would suppose the inhabitants were
amphibious. What to us would be re.
garded as the most prolific source Of
disease and discomfort is to the Hol-
g lander matter of necessity. Chills and
fever suggest themselves the most prom
inently to the mind OF any traveller. AS
TO the children, Vhere do they play
How often get drowned? And yet the
statistics OF health do not confirm by
any means these unavoidable sugges-
tions,
Did / mention the peculiar farm
wagons? The roads are many times
upon the top of the dykes, or canal
paths, and consequently too narrow for
the use OF shafts or pole to the wagons
in turning around. This difficulty is
obviated by large horn of wood, the
same as If the wagon pole had been bent
in circular form, perhaps one half of the
ordinary length. The driver sits upon
q seat on the front part Of the wagon,
and placing one foot against the horn, the
other against the horses hip, turns the
forward wheels to the right or left, using
either hip and foot, as the fulcrum of the
leverage. The experiences OF the drivers
action is fair Offset to its oddly.
Perhaps the present connection is as ap-
propriate for description of Dutch
farm house as any.
A visit to Brock, six miles from Am
sterdam, is one of the necessary sights
and excursions from the latter city. Our
commissionarie from the "Hotel des
Pays-Bas," gave US the opportunity of
going through one of the largest farming
establishments, between Amsterdam and
Brock. The house was large, Of brick,
one story and half, standing ION the
front gable end) upon level Of the road.
Entering by side door, midway between
the front and rear of the house, half way
down the descent to the barn yard, we
found, apparently, long hall, upon one
side of which were succession Of halls
i've feet square, or nearly, and the floors
covered with small sea shells. A tenn
porary flooring was laid over the long
trench, at the outer end of the stalls,
and about twelve inches in depth and
width. The sides of the stalls were
decorated with simple engravings, pic.
lures, &C., and china plates, dishes and
ornaments, in fact being magnified
"baby- In winter these are the
COW stalls. The tails of the cows are
Kept up perpendicular by weights and
cord. At the end of the stables stood
the milk tubs, churn, cheese press, and
all the utensils of the dairy. Passing
through the kitchen, the simplicity Of
whose arrangements, with its stone floor
and underground light and gloomliness,
hardly comparing with the kitchen and
living. Of our New England farm
ers, we came to the cheese room. Here
the entire process Of making those far
famed cannon ball.shaped Dutch cheeses
was shown. The first details were SINH
lar to our own. After the cheeses are
pressed they are covered with salt, then
placed in square tank of brine and
from thence to similar soaking in fresh
water. The rind is formed by repeated
applications Of salt water and rubbing.
They are placed upon shelves, and when
properly dried are sent to market. The
floor of the dairy room is generally of
loose fiat stones, and this, with the half
underground locality, keeps the room
always cool and damp. Butter is made
SO similar to our own, as requiring no
description. 1t is peculiar in Its rich
color and flavor, when the cows are upon
grass, and differing from all other butter
made upon the continent, it is sailed and
very palatable. There are OF course diff
terent qualities of cheese, where butter
is made. The best is known as the
"Gouda cheese" the place being town
and railway station between Amsterdam
and Utrecht. The cream is not taken
from the milk in these, but when it is,
the cheese is as the half-meal cheese of
England or the skim-milk cheese Of
home. One would naturally suppose
that the close proximity of the COW
stalls to the kitchen, dairy room and
upper apartments of the dwelling would
ha ovoaad;p clu nfran c;ra cd ,,arn;o;o,.