Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-03-30
&gricult ural.
Reported for the Waterman.
Bntter Milking.

ABSTRACT Of an Essay read by o. S. Bliss,
Esq, Secretary Of The Vermont Dairy
mems Association, before a meeting Of The
Washington County Agricultural Society,
Montpelier, March 5, 1870.
Mr.. Bliss introduced his subject by stating
that butter-making is and must continue to
be, one Of the most profitable departments Of
farm products; that fresh butter is always in
demand and that the supply Of irst-cass
article never approximated the requirements
Of the market. Whilst it. production was
confined almost entirely to the climate en-
braced within the belt Of the temperate zone,
all the world consume more or less, and are
continually educating themselves to an in
creased consumption. 1t was asserted that
while there is never half supply Of FIRST
quality for home consumption Of course there
was no shipping supply Of that quality, and
that competent judges who had paid much
attention to the subject stated that not over
one per cent. of the butter thrown on the
market in this country is adapted to shipping
to ports in warmer ATTITUDES Want Of skill
and care in its production is the reason
Butter-making has been regarded as a very
simple art, and practices handed down from
generation to generation have been adhered
to, although failing to produce a perfect arti'
oIc The pertinacity with which some re-
oct the teachings Of science, and adhere to
1ng established prejudices, in the face and
yes Of well authenticated facts is wholly I'M
accountable
Mr. Willards report to the New York
State Agricultural So iety, entitled Among
the Butter-Makers Of Orange County was
alluded to. ave have been among the but
ter-makers," says Mr. W., "aud have seen
the nice, yellow cream turned into golden
butter. Every one that has lived on farm
has seen similar thing done thousand
ines, but yet only one in--well, perhaps a
thousand, though butter-makers all their life,
can manufacture that which is strictly prime"
Orange County, as is vel known, has long
been noted for producing a superior quality
Of milk, aud the butter manufactured there
has for years brought the highest prices Ex-
tended tours throughout the dairy regions Of
New York the past two years induced Mr.
Willard to discover, il possible, why it was
that the best butter Of Oneida, Lewis, JeiIcr.
son, aud Herkimer Counties was selling for
not more than forty to forty-fve cents, while
that of Orange County was eagerly caught
up at seventy cents per pound" The miser
able vanity that there is nothing to be learn
ed IS regards buttcr-making, among our far
mers, was a great hindrance to improvement,
in the opinion Of Mr.. W, quoted by Mr..
Bliss. $50 long as they insist that they
know the whole art and continue to throw
upon the market yellow grease, unequal in
color, salvy, destitute Of flavor, except of a
negative character, or positively bad, then we
can hope for no material change either in
quality or price, compared with an article
that is really good The hulniliatng fact
that the great mass of the butter made in
Oneida, Herkimer, and adjoining counties, is
poor, was the discovery made by Mr. VIII
lard's examination, and the conclusion that he
arrived at was, that GO the cause lies for the
most part in want of knowledge as to the
treatment of the milk and cream, together
with careless and slovenly manner of manu-
featuring and putting up butter"
PASTURES.
Mr.. Bliss next spoke of the generally held
opinion that good pastures are an absolute
prerequisite to the production Of good but
ter; old, free from weeds, and supplied with
soft water Such perfect pastures are seldom
found anywhere. These features are desir-
able, but good butter can be made from pas
lures possessed of none of these peculiar ex-
cellencies. On all fertile soils tho longer pas.
lures have been in gress the greater the va
gcty of grasses, the closer, richer and more
compact the turf, and as consequence the
more uniform the succession of feed through
out the season. Twenty or more varieties
have frequently been found growing upon a
single square foot of old pasture land. But
some Of the best butter makers of the whole
country discard the theory Of old pastures, and
cultivate only three or four of the grasses
some good dairymen hold that elOcer, greer
nd dry, is the only food necessary for tn,
hi hest Development of which the dairy AMI
NAL is susceptible. Green corn, millet, &c.
to supplement the pasture, have their advo
Gates and opponents. Succulent grasses grown
Oh lands of moderate fertility, are the most
acceptable and most assmilable food for dairy
stock, and any food not actually injurious con
tributes its part to the production of butte,
aud cheese, according TO the peculiar charac
teristics Of the individual COW. The COW wa
regarded Us machine for converting the raw
material into butter and cheese, and the guam
ty aud quality produced depended much upor
how this was supplied. Every dairymar
must be governed by the circumstances that
surrounded him, aud he must be an uuskillfu
farmer who cannot produce, on any soil OIL
moderate fertility, food adapted to the pro
duction Of butter at economical rates. Their,
are grasses, as well as other plants, peculiarly
adapted to each variety of soil, and sowing tot
few varieties is an error.
Mr.. Flint good authority. says 81 hold
this proposition indisputable, that any soil viii
yield larger aud more nutritious crop i
sown with several kinds of nutritious grasses
than when sown with only one or two species.
The argument on this point, either for pro
ducing grasses for pasturage or hay, is toe
self-eyident to require following through
MIR. Fint's opinion is that for good soils, 81,
or eight species Of the grasses proper, anC
one or more of other heritage plants, woulc
be found profitable.
Weedy pastures are not ornamental; never.
theless, heaithfM cows will never resort Il
eating these weeds, unless starved to it, Ere.
quently such pastures afford fully as much
feed as they would were there no weeds. Il