MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 35, 7 June 1845, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS.

Manufacture of Butter. — From the account of the experiments of Professor Trail, contained in the transactions of the Highland Agricultural Society, are derived the following results :—": — " 1. That the addition of some cold

water facilitates the process, or the separationof,butter, especially "when the cream is thick and 4ne weather hot. 1 . "That fcream alone is more 1 easily churned than a mixture of cream and milk. 3. That- batter produced from sweet cream has i the finest flavour when fresh, and appears to keep longest without rancidity ; but the butter1 milk so obtained is poor, and small in .quantity. 4. That the scalding of the cream, according to the Devonshire method, yields the largest quan- : tity of butter, which, if intended for immediate use, is agreeable to the palate, and readily saleable : but if intended to be salted, is most liable to acquire, by keeping, a rancid flavour. The process of scalding is troublesome, and the milk after the removal of the cream poor, and often would be unsaleable, from the taste it has acquired from heating. 5. That churning the milk and cream together, after they have become slightly acid, seems to be the most economical process, on the whole, because it yields a large quantity of excellent butter, and the buttermilk of good quality. 6. That the keeping of butter in a sound state appears to depend on its being obtained as free from uncombined albumen or cacin and water as it can be, by means of washing and working the butter when taken from the churn." — Reports of Commissioners of Patents.

Yeast. — The yeast prepared by the Hungarians will keep for a twelvemonth. During the summer season they boil a certain quantity of wheaten bran and hops in water. The decoction is not long in fermenting ; and when this has taken place, they throw in a sufficient quantity of bran to form the whole into a thick paste, which they work into balls, which are afterwards dried in a slow heat, When wanted for use, they are broken, and boiling water is poured upon them. Having stood a proper time, it is decanted, and is in a fit state for leavening the bread. The Romans prepared their yeast much in the same way, taking wine#n a state of fermentation, and working up a given quantum of the flour of millet with it ; the paste thus procured was made into balls and dried. Sometimes the yeast, the leavened dough, or even the dough itself, will become acid in the summer, and acidulate the bread. This may be remedied by throwing a few fingerfuls of the carbonate of magnesia into the yeast or paste. We are told by some chemists, that flour kneaded with water, which has been saturated wUh carbonic acid, may be used in making bread, without applying fermentatious matter.

Hints to the newly Married. — In commencing your matrimonial career, start with the determination that no ordinary circumstances shall induce you to spend more than two-thirds of your available income. Having resolved upon this, most rigidly adhere thereto. This is the element of success, if accompanied with industry and perseverence. Pay all your household expenses, at any rate, at the time they arise. Take no credit upon such items of expenditure; if you can adopt the same plan in your business, you are on the high road to fortune. Let no foolish pride, no ridiculous example, no superficial advice, make you incur expenses in furnishing your house which your present mean*'"' will not warrant. Your attention must also "be specially directed to the propriety of limiting your circle of friends to such a compass and to such a class as will not interrupt youy business, or tempt you into expenses ; these are c the rocks upon which the happiness of hundred® have been wrecked. Are you to have a servant or servants ? is another question of no mean impdrf* ance. Each servant, upon an average, will cosi from thirty to forty pounds per annum ; besides the waste, the breakage, and the destruction through unnecessaiy roughness. Spend your evenings at home.

Larboard and Starboard. — The following circular has recently been issued by the Admiralty to all commanders-in-chief, captains, and commanding officers of her Majesty's ships and vessels: — " It having been represented to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that the word ' port* is frequently, though not universally, substituted on board Her Majesty's ships for the word ' larboard/ and as the want of a uniform practice in this respect may lead to important and serious mistakes, and the distinction between ' starboard' and ' port' is so much more marked than that between ' starboard' and ' larboard/ it is their lordships' direction that the word ' larboard? shall no longer be used to signify left, on board any of Her Majesty's ships or vessels."