The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-01-26
Communicated.
AMBoY, Jan. IS, 1883.

During the winter months the farmer
has more time for reading and reflection
than during the more busy months, and
while dairying has become one of the
leading topics for discussion, perhaps a
few ideas concerning the care and man.
agemrnt Of milk would not come amiss
to the readers of The FREE PRESS.
| will treat upon the subject OF
"taint" and "odors," and their proven.
ton.
In order to produce cheese or butter
of fine flavor, it is first necessary to
have milk OF fine flavor. All rank veg.
etable growths lend similar influence
to injure flavor; even the atmosphere
which the cows breathe affect the flavor
of the milk. Carbon in the pasture
where the cows feed has been known
to Ilnpart its odor to the milk of tho
dairy; the odors arising from filthy
stables and barn yards are easily de-
tected in the flavor they produce in
milk. 1t becomes of the greatest i'm
portance that cows should have clean,
sweet pastures to feed in, and clean clear
water to drink, also that they should
have clean, we'll ventilated stables to
stand in, and be MIXED i'm clean yards
or stables as free from all taints and bad
odors as possible. The cows should
not be heated from hurried driving with
dog or man or boy on horseback, rs
tins fcvers the milk, giving it an TN
wholesome quality leading to rapid de-
cay, as well rs producing bad flavor.
A little reflection must make these
things apparent to every reasoning
mind. Cows must have plenty OF whole
some food and pure water and must be
every day made comfortable, if the
largest flow and best quality of milk is
expected. The COW is sure to show not
o ly her good and bad qualities but her
keeping and care in the milk pail.
Cows, above all, should be treated kind
ly, and they will give kindness and
plenty of milk in return. Uncleanli.
ness in milking not only gets filth INTO
the milk pail but taints and Injuries the
flavor Of the milk, therefore the yards
should be clean, and little brushing
with the hands will obviate all the evils
of uncleanliness while milking. If cows
are allowed to wallsw through filthy
barn yards, no amount of washing the
cows bag will get rid of the bad effect
arising from the odors produced by
such filth. Clean quarters are mdis-
peusible to the furnishing Of sweet, nice
favored milk. Cleanliness in all the
pals, cans and strainers and whatever
comes in contact with the milk is
equally necessary; thorough washing,
not emitting the use OF soap, scalding
and rinsing, are the only things that
will keep them sweet and clean and free
from taints. All pals and utensils must
be made OF tin and rs tree from sharp
corners in tue bottom as possible, as
they are difficult to clean and talnts are
apt to be left in them to come in con
tact with the milk and infect it as 4
small quantity of yeast leavens "A batch
of bread, the milk will therefore soon
begin to ferment,-producing one of the
worst features the cheese maker has to
contend with, and rendering it impos-
sible to make first quality cheese of it.
To be sure cheese makers of the pres
ent day have found out how to work up
milk tn has been damaged by lack OF
proper care, and make a pretty fair arti-
Gle of cheese out Of it. but it is not
strictly first class and what is still
worse, it takes more pounds Of milk TO
make a pound OF cheese, from the fact
that such milk makes floating curd,
the curd IL porous, full of small holes
which cause small PARTICLES of the curd
to run off in the whey, thus reducing
the yield of the cheese. 1t is very
necessary that farmers should under
stand these things so that they may be
able to obtain the best results from their
dairy. 1t is just as easy to do work
right as wrong if the facts arc well I'M
derstood on the start. We often hear of
factories breaking up, and it is purely Il
lack of knowledge of the necessary facts,
and it is quite rs necessary the milk
producers should be made acquainted
with the facts, as it is that the manu-
facturer should know the facts. All
things should be strictly clean, not only
those things that come In contact with
the milk, but everything surrounding
it. The mixers should be as clean,
careful and expeditions as possible. avoid
ing all unnecessary motions and every.
thing calculated to alarm or excite the
cows; then, if the cows have had prop.
er food, drink, care and treatment, there
is little reason to apprehend anything
Objectionable either in quantity or
quality Of the milk. Of course the
health of the cow should always DO
taken into consideration. If there are
any indications of illness, the milk ofthe
COW should not be used for dairy pur-
poses. In no way does disease sooner
show itself than in the milk secretions,
and diseased milk is fruitful source OF
human ills.
COOLING MILK.
The management OF milk when once
obtained is the great practical consider
alton with the farmer and cheesemaker.
The just handling and care devolvc
upon the farmer. The cheesemaker's
duties begin with the delivery OF the
milk at the factory. Much, very much,