The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-05-24

From remotest ages milk has been
considered a symbol of health and
wealth. Many times milk is alluded to
in the Scriptures as an illustration of
purity and luxury, says Farmers
Guide. II the sacred writers were to
analyze some of the milk Of to day
they doubtless would change their
opinion as TO purity. It is the natural
food Of the young OF all animals haV-
ing q backbone and glands for the
~secreting 1actiferous fluid and is the
best food for preserving the strength
and life Of the old. The formation of
milk is of the unsolved natural
phenomena Of physiological science.
Chemistry can tell US all about what it
is composed Of after iE is extracted
from the glands, but cannot tell US
how it was formed there. It contains
some substances nOtfound i'm the blood
from, which il ia extracted. Water,
fat and some saline substances con
tanned in milk are found in blood, but
it contains caseine, albumen and sugar
which are not contained in the blood
or glands.
Milk is susceptible to external infu-
ences and conditions. No food or sub
stance go quickly absorbs doors or i'm
purities as milk and no substance or
liquid affords q better medium for bacl
terial and germ life than milk in all
conditions. Milk cannot be pure and
wholesome unless derived from q
healthy animal and from one fed on
pure clean wholesome food and clean,
pure water. Thisis considered so vital
that all cities have inspectors who not
only inspect the milk, but the animals.
feed, pastures, stables and water sup
ply.
Milk TO be pure must not only be
produced from healthy animals, pure
food and water, but must also have
the best care from the time it liz drawn
from the udder until it is consumed or
manufactured into butter or cheese.
Cows that are kept in filthy, poorly.
ventilated stables cannot make good
milk ven if they have good feed and
water. Milk may be reasonably pure
and free from germs when it is drawn
from the udder, but If the milking is
done in a slovenly manner by a person
with dirty hands, and if the milk pals
are not scrupulously clean, it will in q
very short time become unfit for hui
man food. ALI milk utensils should be
rinsed in warm water before they are
washed and should then be washed in
hot water in which q small amount of
sal soda has been dissolved, after
which they should be scalded and
steamed, then put in the sun to air and
dry. ALI milk should be aired and
cooled as quickly "a possible after it ia
drawn anu should be kept i'm q cool
room or we'll ventilated refrigerator
until ua,d Milk for butter. making
should be treated in this same manner
and should be set in deep, narrow cans
and be kept in as cool or cold water as
possible. Much better and more salts
factory results will be obtained If ice
is used in the hot water and the tenn
perature be kept as low as possible.
Our own practice is to keep our milk
in a four a creamery and keep ice in
the tank every hour during the year.
In this way we keep the temperR-
ture below so degrees all the time and
thus get all the cream. Thousands of
tons of butter are lost annually by set
ting milk in pans and crooks and keep
ing it warm rooms. This is q needless
waste and should not be allowed on
any farm. Another urc Of serious
loss to the farmer is the quality Of but
ter that is made. The poorest butter
fixes the price Of all of it many times,
We have been buying DUR butter since
January, and have great reason to
feel that the quality should be greatly
improved.
Notified butter Will De caused by an
49, - --ls