The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-04-08
AGRICULTURE.

CHALK AND WATER IN MiLK.-The
daily city papers often call attention to
the quality of milk furnished to city
customers. There is abundant reason
for doing this, and they cannot too
frequently Insist, that milk must be
furnished just as 1t comes from the
COW. But these articles lose much of
their force by implying, indeed some
! of them directly asserting, that a mix
ture of chalk and water is served in
place of milk. This is absurd. The
most skilled manipulation can make no
mixture OF any form of chalk, that will
be no more donse than ordinary milk,
from which the chalk, will not COM
pletely settle, upon standing for q few
hours. We doubt If there was ever 4
pint OF milk sold In New Yosk city In
which chalk was used as an adultera-
tion. In London milk and other adul-
atlons were carried to such an extent.
that Parliament had the matter investi-
gated some years ago. Doctor uassal,
who was officially contested with these
examinations, aud has probably ex-
amincd moro samples Of milk than any
other person, says of chalk and starch
In milk, while he admits that they may
be rarely used, that eft has not hap
pened to ourselves to meet these sub
stances In milk" Wanklyn, also Of
London, In tho most recent work on tho
Analysis of MILK" says nothing
about the occurrence of chalk. The
fact is, the most serious adulteration of
milk Is with water. Besides tho addt-
ton of water, milk il impoverished by
the abstraction OF cream. These two.
the taking oil OF cream, and putting In
water, are the worst that happen to
city milk, ana these are bad enough.
1t dlverts attention from these real
troubles, to talk improbable, If not inn
possible "chalk ana wnter.'
MILK VS.. MEAr.-For years past the
milk-producihg power Of cows has di-
minishcd greatly. There appears to be
a sort OF natural opposition between
those improvements in our breeds
which favor the production Of meat,
and that condition of body which is
most favorable for tho yield Of milk.
The reason Is not difficult to discover.
Ihe improvements we establish iu'cat.
tie, although they accomplish the spec
tal object we desire and render those
animals most economical producers of
meat, are, after, all, departures from
the natural character, and they make
these cattle more tender and delicate
In constitution. They do not obtain
that vlgor which distinguished the un-
improved breeds from which they have
been obtained consequently the laws of
animal life make themselves felt, and
difficulties arise from these improved
cattle. 1t Is also observed in practice
that any course Of procedure which
weakens the breeding powers equally
affects tho production OF milk. There
Is II natural connection between these
two functions, and, as a rule. our best
mixers are not our best tntten-
ing ANNALS. The alterations pro-
uuced III our improved breeds have
given II strong tendency for the forma-
tion Of fat and flesh, and in these animals
we have vigorous influence seeking to
use tho nutriment III the blood for that
purpose. At the same time the ten
dency to torn milk is very weak.
STABLE FLooRs.-The floor Is made
lcvoi, tore and aft, but leaving Il gem
tic Sslopo from each Of the two sides
to the centre, or half the width of the
stall. The planks are laid crosswisc,
inclining to the centre leaving an OPEN
ing between tho ends in the centre,
just wide enough for the urine to d"ain
through metal gutter under the floor,
which conducts it outside the building
u L.
This prevents 1t from being absorbed
in the bedding, which, Is wet, fctid,
and uncomfortable to the horse. The
cleanliness Of this arrangement Of floor
is another advantage, rs it admits
the animal lying rs he always does,
where he can, in pasture fields, i. g.,
with his back up the grade. Then the
floor, being always kept dry, makes 3
good bed for the horse without litter,
during tho summer months, besides
being cooler and trcer from tic ammo
MIA which the latter eXhales.
The changes that occur from the egg,
to the perfect bee are-the worker
passes about three and q half days in
tho egg. 1t Is then hatchcd--a small
white worm, grub or maggot, and is
called larva, a Latin word that means
mask, because the perfect Insect Is
concealed or masked in that state 1t
remains thus for about FIVE days when
the cell Is ,aled over by the bees and
the larva spins around itself n silkcn
covering called cocoon. This is the
third stage, and Is now called a nyrnph,
pupa or chrysalis. 1t remains in this
state till the 2lst day from the time the
egg was laid, when 1T becomes per-
feet bee or image. She drono passes
days In tho egg, six or seven In the
larva, and comes out a bee on the 24th
day. Tho queen passes three days in
the egg, five In the larva state, and
comes out perfect queen on tho 10th
day.
GEESE AND DUcKs.-These are profit
able birds In some cases, and may be
kept where there Is cheap grazing.
Halt dozen geese will soon fiji good
sized feather bed or pair Of pillows.
The white ducks are perhaps equally
useful in this way. Both of these will
soon begin to lay, but must be closely
watched and kept up at nights or they
Will drop their eggs abroad. The eggs
should be gathered aud kept In a cool
but not cold place until they are want.
cd for setting.
THE CALF.-The time to make gain IN
feeding an animal for beef is wien he
Is young. A calf that has been vel
fed until tits four months old, and then
made for three or four months to de.
pend solely on good pasture. will be
more likely to do we'll thereafter than