Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-02-12
The Butter Dairy.


The following was read at the Springfield
meeting Of the board of agriculture by Gard
ner s. Fassett, of Enesburgh
Too much time would be consumed If we
should consider this subject in an exhaus-
tive manner; only some Of the more promi-
nent points will bo touched. Such sugges-
tons as are practical in all parts Of the state
will be put forward, no fairy picture will be
presented. A great majority Of the dairy
men Of Vermont have not advanced near
enough to perfection in the quantity or quail
ity Of the products as to be at all satisfied
with the results. What stands in the way
of success2 How may we improve the
means now at hand aud add to our facilities?
are questions l will ask you to consider with
me at this time, and the general discussion
Of these questions will, it is hoped, throw
light upon this subject, in which so many of
US are practically interested. If one can on
ly get the brain power enlisted, the work is
half accomplished. The greatest obstacle in
the way Of advancement is prejudice against
improvements The careful, scientific farm
er presses science into his service; the mass
are preiudiced against it as impractical.
cal. The time is coming when the dairyman
will conduct his work as the chemist does
work in the laboratory, instead ofin the pres
ent haphazard way to ensure this there is
no need Of every ones becoming practical
chemist, but the work will be conducted with
more careful reference to the end to be ac-
complshed.
1t is no wonder that there is prejudice
against patent rights but, We must remem-
ber that we are indebted to the thought aud
labor of inventors, for some Of the most use
full utensils we use. There is much clamor
against the dealers, it is not our fault that
they do not always give us the maximum
price for our butter? Are we as gc0i juig.
es as they, whether they are to lose money
on what they buy?
There is, also, prejudice against special
breeds of cows for the dairy. That there has
been no cause for prejudice is more than is
claimed, but we should investigate and reject
the worthless and hold fast to that which is
good. All are aware the dairy does not pay
too well. Large ones pay better than small,
but this has crowded out too many OF our
sons to leave the state. Some dlstricts are
nearly depopulated of what were, formerly,
excellent neighbors, and class Of less desi-
rable foreigners have taken their places, who
are only desirous to get rich at the expense
of every interest, social, moral and religious.
To make the dairy pay, our lands have heen
too much run over aud impoverished. Oc-
casionaly q dairyman is finding out that
three acres, carefully husbanded, is more
profitable than eight or ten left to itself. Mr..
0bed Whipple, Of Pomtret, on sixty-two
acres of land, of average Vermont fertility,
is keeping twenty cows, high grades and
pure Jerseys, a pair Of horses, and in winter
some young stock, and yearly sells more
than 5000 pounds of butter at 60 cents per
pound, amounting in the aggregate to over
$4,000 annually. This fact should make us
dissatisfied with the results we generally OBJ
tain, and cause US to investigate and learn
how it is done. While, perhaps, all cannot
accomplish quite as much, nearly all can
not accomplish quite as much, nearly all can
approximate to nearly as good results But
before this can be done we must have more
intelligent appreciation of the principles in-
volved, and their application.
This Is one of the works the board of ag-
riculture is laboring to do. Now if the
present meeting will tell US what they know
in exchange for what information we bring
them good work will be accomplished and
we can carry so much more information to
the next meeting. The first thing that must
be done is to be more careful to breed aud
select better cows than we have done. None
of our past work has been done with so little
care as this. Good cows are as essential for
a good dairy as a good foundation Tor a
heavy tower or a suspension bridge. This
fault has not been so much the want Of
knowledge of the fact, as the want Of care
ful, comparative trial Of the COWS we have
kept Some COWS that may be worth an
hundred dollars for the cheese dairy, are
worth little for the butter dairy. Some COWS
that have been considered best, when tried
by themselves, have proved worthless. In
contrast to one Of these, a COW Of Mr.. Whip
pies gave 262 pounds of butter in SIX
months, and over 400 pounds in the year.
This COW would yield a net profit Of over an
hundred dollars, while some poor ones would
make a loss Of the amount OF their keeping
When we calculate the immense difference in
the value Of tho progeny bred from these
COWS, the result in the future will be an im-
mense difference. All these things show
that we may labor early and late, but with
poor COWS we can accomplish little.
Do the best we can to secure good COWS
at reasonable cost, for good ones may cost
too much, but poor ones always do, at aoy
price. We cannot all have full bloods, but
by crossing with thoroughbred stock our ma
tive cows, believe blood will tell and We
can secure good results.
To select the best out of our present herds
glass tubes, that cost but little, should be
} used To make these tests correct we should
} supply the COW with a suficiency of good
rich, butter making food, and they should bc
kept in place Of comfort ease and quiet
: Modes OF Manufacture.
While one would use ouly deep pan
another thinks shallow ones the best. Ont
uses water around the pans, another thinks il
not essential. Good results may be reached
with either practice, if all other conditions
are favorable, but without an observance O
these conditions with any poor produc
! would result, Cream will rise from any
/ depth, if the milk can be kept in proper con
dition long enough, but most will succeed
: best with shallow settings Large deep pam
| lessen the labor greatly. The milk should
be cooled but not too rapidly.
} Some conditions must be observed, thu
a milk must be perfect when taken to the mill
/ room, aud kept SO, perfectly free from uu
8 pleasant odors all the time, and the tenn
I perature as near 65 degrees as possible
!, this will ensure the perfect Dreaming Of tn
Q milk in from 36 to AZ hours the danger j
g in letting the cream remain too long on tn,
a milk as soon as the milk begins to thicker
ON the bottom it should be skinned. Tn
# cream should be churned as soon as possible
:. after it is taken from the milk if il stand
> until the bottom is wheyed it will neve
Il make gilt edged butter; it will lack tn
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