Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-04-29
agricultural.
Bitter MIX.

asE i
Bitter milk has given rise to much
study and experiment There are un-
questionably several causes for the spe-
cial foreign flavor. One is the presence
of bitter plants in the feed, as ragVesd
(Ambrosia artemisi@ folia, } and doubt
less some others, and we may be sure
that the special function of the milk
organs of the COW favors the acquisition
by the milk of the peculiar havors Of
the food. Another cause is the condition
Of health Of the COW, as to the presence
of bile in the blood, due to disturbance
of the liver. We must always consider
the physiological character of milk,
which is a product Of the blood of an
animal and Of course most partake of
r che consequences of the state Of this i'm
portant organ. Professor Arnold was
right when he said the udder was one
of the drains of the system of COW, for
we find it so in many ways that are un-
questionable. This is the first thing to
be considered. The food may be the
cause, or the state of the COWS health.
Potatoes are not considered q good food
,Nr cows, especially after they have
been stored some time, when changes
occur in them which might undoubtedly
cause this, defect in the milk. It is not
generally known that the sprouts from
potatoes grown in the dark are poison
Gus, and as the growth is Of course at
Srst in the substance of the tuber, or at
selit this changes during the keeping,
fthe genus to which the potato be-
longs (solanum) has some especially
poisonous species, it may easily be that
the tubers are not desirable food for
COWS on account of the effect on the
milk and are to be avoided As steady
food for COWS milking in the winter and
rQne entirely free from all Objectionable
quality there is nothing better than
cgood clean clover hay or bright corn
fodder with cornmeal and bran, all in
good condition.
A daily ration of salt, one or two
ounces daily, is conducive to good d.
gestion and health The quantity Of the
grain food depends on the ability of the
COW to dispose Of it. Ten or IL pounds
day may be easily turned to good &C.
count by any good COW. As to the other
valuable foods, the various meals, it is
u quite possible their condition may not
always happen to be exactly right, and
their high content of protein may easily
have such an effect on the animal as to
produce this fault in the milk, through
!. disturbance of the overtaxed digestive
'A:..>ns, if they are fed in too large guam
o, NJ
O0.tNhen we have to consider one other
'allry effective cause Of this fault, which
so the presence in the food, or the litter
'paien. of special germs. Scientific stu
ievents of milk have determined that these
organisms produce bitter favor by their
action on the albuminous parts, causing
a certain decomposition by which bitter
favored products occur in milk. Some
of these authorities think that the pro-
duct of butyric acid in the milk gives
rise to the bitter flavor, and as we know
how this change may occur in milk in
several ways-that is the infection of it
by stale milk, or BY excess Of tempera-
ture, or exposure to impure air in which
the special germs are existing-we are
to lDok in this direction for the explana-
ton as well.
There is one other point calling for
note, which is the hot suds in which the
utensils are washed. As rule 10 soap
should be used in the work Of the dairy.
Soap is very questionable thing. We
know not what impurity may exist in
it, and it is quite unnecessary A solu-
stion of soda or other alkali alone is to
be used to remove the remains of the
,9n.nilk, some part of which will of course
consist Of butter, and stale butter fat is
quite sufficient to start butyric fermeu,
tation in the fresh ilk.-Country Cen
heman.