The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-03-06
Farmers Institute--.NO. 3.

The topic for discussion Thursday
forenoon, February n, at South Rye
gate, was "The Best Method for Set
ting Milk" Mr.. Vail was to have led
in the discussion, but was obliged to
return home on account of sickness in
his family. Professor Charles Dole be-
ing present, was persuaded to take his
place, although protesting that he was
not qualified. He first invited the at
tention OF the people to the new school
law. lie asked that it be given a fair
trial and insisted that the best men
should be elected to fill the new offices
created by the law. Its success de-
pended upon its reception by the peo-
pie. The common school is the farm
er's college, and his future success de-
ponds much upon the education he re-
ceives in the common school. In
regard to setting milk there are many
ways, and it is dangerous to favor any
one system, as patrons of the others
will object, each claiming that his own
is the best. Small pans, under favor
able conditions, will produce as much
and as good butter as any other system,
but the labor is much greater. The
large open pans are good and are used
by many with great success. Mr.. Law
son of Barre, Mr.. Powers of Brook
field and others were named as obtain
ing good results from these pans.
These men are very particular, allow
ing no smoking about the premises or
the cooking of onions or cabbages.
There are several kinds of deep cold
setting. Mr.. Douglas uses the shot
gun cans and skins from the top. He
gets good results, but there is an OBJ
lection to lifting the cans, and the same
objection applies to the old style of the
Cooley. Mr.. Dole objected to sub
merging, as he preferred to have milk
come to the air. He liked the cabinet
creamery and had good results Make
the work pleasant and light for the
women; make the homes pleasant, and
so induce more of the girls to marry
farmers. The Billings dairy recen .ly
took the premium at the Dairymen's
Association, but the milk was not set
in submerged cans. The Cooley cans
were used, but the covers were off.
n. H. Kicker, from Ryegate, uses in
winter large open pans set in case.
lie leaves the cover up twelve hours
and then puts it down. This keeps the
cream soft. 1t does not become dry
and crusty, and keeps the temperature
more even. In summer he has re-
frigerator room and keeps the milk in
that twenty-four hours. He has track
on which to move these large pans
back and forth. He lets the milk stand
thirty-six hours. L. T. Hazen from
Whitefield, n. H., then took up the
discussion. He said that the question
as to what is the best system had not
been answered and our grandchildren
will not know. All the scientific men
may assist and some will not be salts
fled. The good name the dairymen of
Ryegate have obtained was no doubt
originally the result of making butter
in small pans, and no better butter can
be made than by that method. The
only objection is that the temperature
can not be controlled. Jacob Rogers
of Boston sells butter for 1925 per
pound and sets milk in small pans.
The temperature of the milk-room is
kept at siXty-five degrees. Large open
pans will make good butter, and so will
shotgun cans. | now use a separator.
Question: Will separator butter
keep as well as open setting? Answer:
Cannot answer in full. l supply one
family who have kept it for year with
satisfaction.
The more grain fed the better the
butter will keep. Would feed grain
when grass is flush. Cotton-seed and
bran make good feed with grass. His
winter feed of grain is two quarts of
bran, two of oats and two of cotton-seed.
Answering to question in regard to
steaming feed, Mr.. Hazen said he
doesn't know of man who works for a
living who does it. 1t is not practicable.
Cleanliness is important all the time.
Milk staying in the stable one-half hour
will take the odor. All kinds of cans
need scalding. The separator needs
care, and milk must be carefully
strained. A two-horse power will run
a separator in good shape. He knows
OF man who separates nearly one thou
sand pounds per hour with one-horse
power. Let cream stand twenty-four
hours to ripen. He believes that milk
and cream need the purifying influence
of light and air. The expense of a
small separator is $50.
In the afternoon, Major Henders on
| OHOiCu iOooiutiOuo III ItSdIu W w w
Wright, who, from the first, was a
member and director of the association
A general review of the previous topics
claimed the attention of the associ-
alton, and L. T. Hazen led. He claimed
that the Jersey cow was the best for
butter. The island of Jersey was
smaller than the town of Ryegate and
few farms were larger than six acres,
yet five or six cows and horse would
be kept on the farm besides raising
many vegetables, etc. The English
wanted animals of solid color to run on
their grounds and for time the island
bred for that purpose, but the best cows
for butter were often found to be of
broken color. In regard to feed there
is much difference of opinion. Some
object to ensilage, but he knows of nc
other feed that will go so far as this, OF
so easily obtained. Numerous instances
are on record where a cow to an acre
has been kept Some object to the
butter made from ensilage, but this has
repeatedly been shown to be the result
of prejudice. For example; A man in
Boston sent word to his son. who was