The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-09-07
Agricultural Department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN
MILK: ITS COMPOSITION AND
CHARACTERISTICS.
by F. d. DOUGLAS, OF WHITING.

by r. ID. DOUGLAS, OF WHITING.
The prospects for future success in the
dairy business is not encouraging, es-
recially to those who must sell their
products at high prices in order to real
lie profit The depressed condition
of nearly all other branches of agricul-
tural business, the comparatively high
prices paid for dairy supplies, and the
constant agitation of the subject of dairy
improvement, have led to greatly in
creased production while the compare
tive poverty of the great mass of con-
sumers has caused a marked decline in
the demand for consumption. The area
of production has also been greatly ex-
tended, and the west is now successful
competitor in this branch of husbandry.
When such influences affect both the
supply and demand the result must nee
essarily be greater or less depression
in the market. In my opinion, nothing
but q heavy foreign demand for the next
few years can save us from an oversup-
ply Of dairy products, which may result
in q ruinous decentralization of our mar
kets.
A DECLINE IN PRICE NOT NECESSARILY
INJURIOUS.
Even such result, with permanently
lowered prices, would not necessarily
ruin, nor even permanently injurc the
dairy interests of Vermont. Like the
influence of the English corn laws upon
the production of English cereals it
it might stimulate to improvements in
dairy husbandry among us which would
render the production of dairy supplies
even more profitable than ii has been in
connection with the past high prices.
HOW AVERT THE EVIL CONSEQUENCES OF
LOW PRICES.
have on former occasions shown
how the consumptive demand may be
increased. and the market extended and
improved, by improvement in the quail
ity of our wares, and | will not now
dwell upon that interesting branch of
the subject. but endeavor to point out
how the intelligent dairyman can best
avert the evil consequences of deprcss-
ed market, or secure the largest profits
with good markets.
PAST IMPROVEMENTS.
Our progress so far has been of
superficial nature. Public attention has
been directed to systems, modes and
appliances for the manufacture of dairy
products, while the quality of the stock
used as raw material the milk, has been
nearly lost sight of by the great mass of
orr dairyman.
FUTURE PROGRESS.
1t is time that we extend our investi-
a Il.
fundamental conditions of success, and
like the members of other callings, learn
to trace the relation between cause and
effect and the contrast between success
and failure in our business.
If the manufacturer of wooden goods
should conduct his business without
regard TO the quality of the stock used,
without any adaptation of material to
the fabric TO be manufactured, if he
were to use combing woods for broad
cloths, and Merino woods for carpeting
we should safely predict his failure.
Yet the dairyman who does not adapt
his milk to the purposes for which he
uses it acts nearly as unwisely. With
the woolens the waste would be mainly
in the quality Of the goods, while in the
dairy it would be both in the quality
ana waste OF material
BEST FIELD FOR IMPROVEMENT.
hold that there is now no field for
dairy improvement so practicable nor
one which promises better results than
that found in the study of milk and its
adaptation TO the different branches of
dairy practice.
The butter maker whose well selected
herd yield him two hundred pounds of
butter per head per annum can realize
the same profit, though he sell at a price
twenty-five per cent. less than the man
whose cows for want of adaptation
yield but one hundred and fifty with the
same keeping and care. The same is
true in cheese making.
Such supposition may seem absurd
to those who are not familiar with the
subject, yet l am confident that if we
select extreme cases, we shall find
much greater difference than this.
ADAPTATION.
1t is my opinion, based upon a some
what extensive experience and observa-
ton, that if dairy products should de-
cline twenty-five per cent. in price that
the depreciation might be fully counter
acted in Vermont by such exchanges of
stock as would secure proper adapta-
ton of that which we have to the pur-
poses for which it is used, without any
improvement in the stock itself or in
the food and care which it now receives.
Such an exchange is not practicable ON
an extensive scale, but individuals may
avail themselves of its advantages and
thus hasten the work of improvement.
To fully avail ourselves of the advant-
ages of adaptation and understand the
philosophy of successful manufacture
we must first learn the composition,
structure and characteristics of the milk
we would use, learn how to discrimin-
ate and detect the differences in various
samples, and select that best adapted to
our purpose. Let us, then, i'm pursuing
this subject, first inquire,
WHAT is DAIRY MILK?
In discussing this subject am aware
that l am liable TO be led into erroneous
conclusions, as it is, in some respects, a
new field yet unexplored by scientists.
True science reasons from facts up
ward, and theories not based upon facts
are of little value. | shall approach the
subject from a practical point of view,
draw my own conclusions, and base
them upon observations made in con-
nection with my own dairy practice. If
my conclusions are wrong, trust that
those having more leisure, better facili-
ties and more scientific knowledge than
myself will correct me.
Dairy milk is composed of caseine,
butter, sugar, and mineral salts, all in
solution in the other ingredient, water.
The difference observed in different
samples is caused by the different pro-
portions of those ingredients, and to the
presence of foreign substances, intro
duced through the organs of secretion,
or otherwise.
MICROSCOPIC APPEARANCE.
When viewed through the micro
scope, the butter globules appear like
bright, sparkling globes, floating in a
H.