Sharp County record., 1879-11-06
FARM TOPICS.
Milk and Butter.

Milk and Butter.
Complaints of poor butter and thin
milk are very common, and with very
, good reason. The most earnest remOn-
/ StranceS come chiefly from our cities.
| People in the country are generally sup
/ posed to be exempt from this trouble.
That is mistaken idea. The country
is the source from which all these sup
plies are brought, and there the cause Of
/ the evil must be searched after. Honesty
and perfect cleanliness are two of the
most important elements to be looked
for if one would secure a good quality of
milk or butter. The characteristics Of
the animal and the quality of the food
she erecieveS for her services are doubtless
of great Importance, but the best stock
and the most nutritious food will by no
means secure the most satisfactory re-
suits if these other important auxiliaries
are lacking.
OF late years the milk and butter from
the Alderney or Jersey cows have at
tracted much attention. The interest in
these animals has 50 rapidly increased
that none Of our most intelligent farm
erS feel satisfied unless they can secure
one or more pure -blOoded, or at least a
half-blOOded, jersey cow. 1t is, hOwev-
er, well known that this breed of milk
erS does not yield large quantity Of
milk but its great richness, as COM
pared with other grades, is thought to
more than compensate for what is lack
ing in measure. A Jersey COW also at
tracts attention and bespeaks our affec-
tiOnate interest Independent of her in
trinsic value, She is generally smaller
than the common class of COWS. The
head is small, the horns graceful and
clean in color, the eyes tender, beautiful,
and intelligent. The whole bearing of
the animal is gentle and winning. The
soft, shy eyes have almost a human, an
appealing expression, that should pro-
tect her from rough handling or cruel
But farmers must not tlatter them
selves, having procured herd Of Alder
ney cattle, that they may now rest from
their labOrs, and henceforth can furnish
satisfactory milk and butter, and hear
no longer any complaints from their
customers. Something more is neces-
sary. Good milk and butter can be
supplied from the common grade of
cows, on certain conditions, and when
the demand for the best or none be-
comes too loud to be longer sighted,
the butter-makerS will find that they
must comply with these conditions, or
their occupation will pass into more en-
terprising hands.
Wake up the farmers with an appeal
that touches their pecuniary interest,
and soon a motive higher than mere
seifshness will be aroused They will
take true pleasure in making their work
as nearly perfect as skill and ingenuity
can achieve. If they find that the Jer-
sey animals are the most profitable, and
in every way the most desirable, they
will take a laudable pride in bringing
them, by increased care and attention,
into the most desirable condition for
supplying the highest quality Of milk
and butter.
But whatever grade of COWS furnishes
the supplies, however well they are
housed and fed, there is something more
needed to secure satisfactory results
more scrupulOus neatness in the mixers,
and the vessels into which the milk is
put, more watchfulnesS in the milk
room, more personal superintendent
bo
oversight and authority delegated to un-
trained men and maidens. This is ab-
SOlutely necessary to secure the best
quality of milk and butter, even from
the finest Alderney COWS. The lack of
scrupulous, fastidiOus neatness, and un-
skillfulness in the manufacture of the
article, will continue to fill our markets
with poor unhealthy trash, sold under
the name of butter, unless the spirit of
competition becomes 50 earnest as to
stay the evil.
We have been repeatedly asked, What
is the secret about the celebrated Echo
Farm butter that has won it its high
reputation? We have never visited Echo
Farm, though greatly desiring to do so,
but have read and heard enough, added
to our own experience in the care of
milk and in butter-making, to believe
that the only secret is this: the cows
themselves are the first consideration,
and are made as comfortable and kept
as cleanly as possible; large, airy sta
bles, each stall separate, and made large
enough for the animal to have plenty of
room to move about quietly, and high
enough to give free circulation of air;
bountiful supply of the purest spring
water, and a spacious, well ordered yard,
into which the COWS are turned each
day, by sections, for an hours regular
exercise They are always treated kind
ly; no scolding or loud harsh word is
ever allowed; and therefore, havino