Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-08-13


Good Cows ARE Kept. 7t
We have received the following from one
of party OF gentlemen who made recenlly
An investigation of the manner in which the
dairy farmers near Philadelphia manage
their very successful business. The report
Is made up from notes taken on the spot, for
the purpose of applying the process, $50 far
as they are applicable) to dairics in New
England:
"We were a party of three, all farmers,
whose tastes had been so far cultivated that
we held good butter TO be one Of the impOr-
tant good things of life, and we had long
chafed under the notion-or was it altogether
notion ?-that the world had better butter
than our own dairies produced We had
also the further good taste to have pinned
our faith to the skirts of the 'Alderneys,
and to believe with one accord that through
them we might best achieve perfection (and
profit in our butter making.
CATTLE CLUB.
"a trip to Pennsylvania had long been
talked over, and an invitation ts-attend
preliminary meeting of 1.-THE American Jer-
sey Cattle Club, decided us to go at this
time, in spite of the bothersome way in
which the cold season had crowded together
our seed time (for CORN and our harvest (for
hay), and had generally confused the spring
and summer work. More cautious men
would have staid ut home until less would
be lost by going away; but in the long look
ahead ahead, the Jerseys and the better
made butter seemed TO be worth more than
VIC could possibly lose by giving week 5
loose rein to the farm hands, and we set out
in our quest for knowledge.
tsArriyp1 in Phiiaflqlnhia Va kallpl tn luy
the cornerstone of the club by deciding
that, being the right name, Jersey is bet
ter name for our favorite cattle than Alder
ney, for which there Ia no authority beyond
that of a hap-hazard custom; that, while the
Guernsey cattle may be as desirable as the
Jerseys, they are distinct race, and cannot
be admitted to herd book fellowship with
out danger of deterioration of both that,
as there has hitherto been much loosencs So
in the recording of pedgrees, an opportu-
nifty has been offered to greedy dealers to
palm off grades Cor underlined cai,le) as
thoroughbreds that our only safety lay in n
herd-book in which only absolutely perfect
pedigrees should've admitted and that,
under the foregoing title, we would unite ior
the purpose of publishing such record OF
importations and pure breeding as should
secure the integrity OF this best race OF dairy
animals.
'.Tbis work done, we took an evening
train for the farm of a friend whose herd o
pure Jerseys feed on the rich pastures o
evening milking. 1t was pleasant ending
to our journey to see the tine-skinned anl
deer-like creatures marching in regular pro
cession through the long grass to the milk
ing house, imported 'Niobc staggering
along with her enormous orange-coloret
udder, at the head of the troop and We
were disposed to think that with such {
farm and with such herd, we too coult
make Philadelphia butter.
1.-The milking house is light woodeI
structure, with so many open doors anl
windows that it is hardly more than shed
In winter it is closed up and used as u sta
BILE for young stock. In size it is abou
twenty-five feet by thirty-six, with a row q
stanchions on each side, and with mayer
in which little bran is put at each milkln
time. Each COW has her own place, wit
her pame age and pedigree over her mar
ger, and she always goes to it as though sh
could read. Their names have been put II
in the order in which they come from ii
pasture, the master cow entering first an
the least plucky last.
"The milking is done by women, Il
same one always attending to each COW, an
it is done rapidly and quietly, no unnecess
ry talking and no skylarking being allowe
We measured 'Niobes yield and found
to be eleven quarts (she gave nine the ne
morning-making it twenty for the "
milkings) not bad for butter-making Je
sey COW. The Others gave less-the small,
not more than eight quarts at two milkin
but the whole herd ofeighteen cows cou
not have given less than two hundred qual
day, and this of milk that yields ov
twenty per cent of cream.
Near by the milking house is t
spring house, the institution of this regio
about twenty-tour feet long and eightc
feet wide, built OF stone with its foundati
set deeply in the hill side and its floor abo
four feet below the level of the ground
the down hill side. The site is that Of
plentiful spring, which is allowed to spre;
over the whole of the enclosed area to
depth of about three inches above the flo
of oak laid on sand or gravel. AT Il
height there is an overflow by which I
water passes to a tank in an open shed
the down hill end ofthe house. On the tlC
Of the spring house there are raised pl
forms or walks to be used in moving abe
the room, but probably thrce-quarters OF /
space is occupied by the sowly-ilowi
spring water. The walls are about ten i
high, and Mt the top, ON each side, are 10
low windows, closed only with wircclO
which gives circulation of air at the upl
part of the room The milk is strained il
deep pans of small diameter, that are k
well painted on the outside, and are prov
ell with balls by which they are handled
The depth of the milk in the pans is alb
three inches, and they are set directly vi
the oak floor, the water, which maintain
temperature of fifty-eight degrees Fair
heit surrounding them to about the hei
of the milk.
''The cream is taken off after twenty-f
hours, and is kept in deep vessels havir
capacity OF about twelve gallons. I'll
vessels are not covered, and as the ROOF
scarcely warmer than the water, the ere
is kept at about tifty-eight degrees or fl
nine degrees until it is put in the churn.
"IIaving inspected the dairy arral
ments we took our traveller appetitcs 10
supper table, where we were RECALLED ,
such butter and such cream as only Je
cows can give, and then we passed a
evening in a discussion of the merits Of
breed and of its individual members W
we had examined since our arrival an
devising the ways and means for MAXI
by the aid of windmlls and otherwise
substitutes for the spring house as our l
scantily watered farms might admit of.
oHURSING.
"The next morning we rose at half
four to see the churning and butter mai
The churn IS large barrel (DulglnB
enough to make the hoops drive WELD,
a journal or bearing in the centre Of
hand, so that ii may be revoved by i
power. This barrel mas stationary 5
arms attached to the inside of the stavc
arranged as to cause the greatest disturb
of the milk as it passes through them il
turning Of the churn At one side is a
opening secured by u cover that is scr,
firmly into its place--this is the cover q
of the churn. Near it is u hole less tia
inch in diameter, for testing the state o
churning and for drawing of the butter
This is closed with wooden plug.
"Thc cburning lasted about an ho
the end of which time it was necessa
add a little cold milk, to cause the butt
gather. This being secured, and the bl
milk drawn off, cold water was twice a.
a few turns being given each time t,
churn, and when the last water was d
off it came nearly free of mlkines
crank was then put on TO an arm Of
churn, the horse power thrown out of