The Portland daily press., 1878-05-27
Concerning Milk

Notwithstanding milk is one of the most
important foods which nature has supplied
for the use of man, and that the majority of
farmers may secure it in its pure and unadul-
terated state, it is safe to say that the inhabi-
tants of cities and villages consume more
milk as food to the average individual than
do the population of the rural districts. The
farmer looks upon the yield of milk simply
from the standpoint OF butter and cheese,
rarely, if ever, esteeming it as an article of
regular diet. By many prudent housewives,
1t is considered almost sacrilege to devote
any portion of the nights or mornings milk
ing 10 table purposes, and at the sacrifice of
so much coveted cream. However, with the
present low prices of butter and cheese, and
the moderate amount of net cash to be de-
rived from their production, it will stand
those In hand who are economically inclined
to dispense with part OF the usual supply of
butchers meat, saving its cost and using a
proportion of good, pure milk in its stead, Sc
curing diet at once nutritious and inexpen-
sive.
Although the quantity of milk consumed
in the country is considerable as whole, and
constantly increasing yet it is small when
computed on the basis of population, and
even those who esteem milk as healthful and
desirable food take but little as compared
with the inhabitants of other countries. The
peasantry of Sweden and Norway, of Swift
zerland and the Tyrol, the Bedouin of Ara
bia, the people of Kurdstan, and other noun
famous countries in the East, live in great
part on milk, and are said to take from four
TO seven pints day per man, whilst the same
is true of the wandering people found on pas
turelands bordering on the Great Sahara
seventy six per cent. of the laboring classes
of England make use of it; elghty-three per
cent. take it as buttermilk, and fifty-three
per cent as skinned milk. In Sweden and
Denmark sleeps milk is used in Switzer-
land, goats milk; in Lapland, RENDERS
milk; in Arabia, camels' milk; and in Tar
tary, mares milk. In some countries milk is
allowed to curdle before it is drunk. This is
the practice in Central Africa, the natives of
which never make use of new milk without
causing it to become sour by putting it into
vessels charged with the remains of former
lots.
The value of skinned milk as compared
with new milk, is better understood and
appreciated now IMAM formerly, and its use
as food is gradually increasing, especially in
our large cities. When it is Considered that
the addition OF One-quarter or one half an
ounce of fat, as suet, to pint of skinned
milk renders it equal in nutritive value to
new milk, it is evident that the usually re-
ceived opinion as to the value of skinned
milk among those who have investigated its
merits is practical error. 1t is mistake
on the part OF the housewife to decline to use
it with such an addition in her puddngs.
whilst, for the poor, to whom economy is
most important, every encouragement to the
use of skinned milk should be offered. It is
to be hoped that both economy and a proper
regard for nutritious diet will lead to far
more general consumption of milk as an arti-
Gle OF daily food.-American CuItioator.