Year: 1873

okAiNhANuAo 10 y nSAoheSt oNN VIZ HASNNSNNS-
ness Of the soil in this beautiful valley, are
facts which are we'll known.


Since we last met the State Board Of Ag-
riculture at Montpelier, about one year ago,
the earth has yielded her increase, blessed
by the bountiful hand Of wise Creator, our
barns have been we'll filled for the wintering
of our stocks of cattle. horses and sheep, our
herds and focks have brought forth abund-
autly, and all around speaks of labor reward
ed, Of hopes fulfilled, of peace, plenty and
content. Following, then, the instincts and
feelings of our better natures, and in accOrd-
ance with custom recently established By
the State Board Of Agriculture, we have met
to discuss different questions pertaining to
agriculture, and for the information and mu-
tual benefit Of all concerned as to the best
modes Of practical farming


have chosen for my theme one Of vast
importance to the farmer" The Manufac-
ture Of Choice Table Butter" l am we'll
aware of my inability to do justice to sub
ject SO important to the future of the Ver-
mont agriculturist, yet l earnestly desire to
offer few practical suggestions.


To make choice table butter which will
command the highest market price, is no
doubt the earnest desire Of every good dairy
man; and this is an art which calls for much
attention and labor. Indeed, grcat care
must be given to this branch of our indus
try in order to make it success. There is
no reason why Vermont cannot increase her
wealth more to-day in the perfection of the
manufacture Of choice butter than in any
other branch of farming, if her dairymen will
give tho attention to it which they should.


In order to make choice tub Of butter at
all times see that your cows are provided
with the best kind of food for that purpose.
In summer when your cows are at the pas
ture, let them have the best pasture you can
provide. As rule, dry pasture which
lies high aud rolling produces the best grass
es for butter making; it makes a yellow, fine
grained, sweet tub of butter, while low,
swampy pasture, full of foul grass and bush
es makes much poorer grade. Such pas
lures are not ct for the dairy. A moist pas
ture, If not too wet, may produce good
quality of grass, and in such pastures good
butter can he made; but my experience, at.
ter dealing in butter some ten years aud
manufacturing butter during this time, has
taught me that dry pasture, producing sweet
qualities of grass, is the kind for dairying.
At this season of the year, when the cows
are stabbed, and during the spring, when the
COWS are giving milk, give them the very
best quality of early cut hay, and fair
amount of meal, each day. Corn meal is the
best, and any green fodder or roots which
are Of good favor will also be good to feed
them when giving milk.


Give your cows warm stables, milk as reg
ularly as possible, and milk clean. After
the milk is drawn set it away, after it is
thoroughly strained, in a good milkroom
which must be kept sweet and clean. All
odors. from whatever source, must be avoid
ed, as cream on the milk is tainted very east
ly by smoke, cooking of various foods, odors
from the sink and other places. The milk
room should be kept at right temperature
for the cream to rise well in the cold wealth
er, aud in warm weather kept as cool as pos
sible. Many times the cream will not hall
rise on account of the extreme heat and a
good share of it is thrown to the pigs.


There is no doubt but that the large, pat.
ent pans now coming into use, with pipes car
rying cold water around them so as to COO
the milk and take out the animal heat as soor
as set for the cream to rise, will prove to bt
a great improvement. Those who have used
them consider them an improvement, and say
that they paid for first cost in one season
They made good butter during the hottest
weather last summer, and good cream rose
all through the extremely not, damp weather
had several dairies Of butter made from
those pans and the cooling apparatus the pas
season, which proved to be excellent. Doubt
less these pans for setting milk will soor
come into general use by good dairymen, al
thereby great amount Of labor is saved al
well as good butter made.


Always skim your milk before the cream
is tainted. AS a rule, skim it just before j
sours, or as soon as it begins to sour on thu
bottom of the pan. No time can be given Il
skim milk after it is set which will always b,
reliable, as milk rooms vary somewhat il
temperature but never fail TO skim it Will,
it is sweet and before it becomes tainted il
the least. Here is where dairymen must no
neglect the care necessary for producing
choice butter. Here is where many dairy
men make mistake, in letting the cream
stand on the milk too long and the resul
is a common tub of butter-or even worse
i. E., poor tub of butter which nobody wants


After your cream is taken from the milk
churn 1t in good season, taking care Away
not to let it stand too long before ChurninR
Use churn with as little machinery as pos
sible. The plain ohurn, with the least mum
Der of floats, is the best for manufacturing
solid butter


Never salt your butter too much. On
ounce Of salt to one pound Of butter is snOug
for butter made to keep through the season
while from and 4 to an ounce is euOug


for the market, when the butter is soon to b
used. In fact, light saltsd butter command
the highest price where it is sweet and new
and thisisa fact for good dAirymSn to be sur
to remember.