Channel Islands Cattle (Continued.)

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2572, 5 January 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

Channel Islands Cattle (Continued.)

ciiAri.it VI. The dairy-hou.-e should bo built on slightly elevated ground, and on n dry spot, sheltered as much as possible from the south, north, and oust ; il. should be sunk at least a foot in the earth for the sake of coolness

The floor .shonid bo of bricks and tiles, on a descent towards the drain, which should have a plug, so that spring: water loiiy be retained on the floor for three or four hours during the day in the heat of summer. The pluirpfiug the ;lriiiu, when its use is not required, will also have the effect of preventing any diluvium rising through ir,, which might originate at its outlet from decayed vegetable or other in.-if.fccr.

The benches, which should bo kept a few inches from the wall, to allow of free ventilation, unci to prevent insects from frilling into tho pnris, miiy b'o of stone or slate; the latter material being preferable.

The windows, which should bo so placed as to allow of a free current of air passing through tho building should be of perforated zinc, with shutters to close in tho winter; and exteriorly to every window, where tho sun can fall at any time of the day, there should bo placed a kind of Venetian blind, to keep the rays from falling through tho zinc.

Never allow tho dairy to be u«ed for any other purpose ihuu that for which it was originally iutonddd; nothing but milk, cream, and butter should ;ifc any time be permitted to be placed there To use it ae a pantry, or to keep beer in, is to ensure tainted butter. The rays of the sun should bo carefully kept from fulling on any part of the cream, cither in process of formation, or skimmed oil' ready for churning. The dairy utensils consist of tho churn, sized according , to the number of cattle and frequency of churning ; pans for containing tho milk, containing from eight to ten quarts, and as shallow us possible ; a deep pan to hold tho cream during accumulation ; neat butter-piints, of white wood; ivory biitter-siico; iitift linen cloths, to cover tho butter ; a maible slab, to deposit tho butter ou ; a small ladder, to lie across tho milking-paus to support the strainer ; the strainer itself consisting of a sievo-hoop, about seven inches deep, with a band to fit over it to keep the straining-cloth closely ou ; milkiug-cans, of strong block tin, as being more easily kept sweet than wooden buckets; and good flat wicker baskets to carry tho I'.iiHer.

Ai ragiu'ils the churn, tUuie i: , . ;' ■ b ■■:■ that 1 know of than Baker'a patent box chum,

TJio milk-pans I recommend to bo made of glass, which i s a non-conductor of lightning, and c<l n be kept sweet and clean !)y merely wiping with wash-leather, while scalding- will scarcely he .-uffioieut for it porous muti-rial. The cream-pan nhimld al.-o be of •tins'*.

The most scrupulous cleanliness, in every particular, i.s absolutely indispensable.

As soon as ever the milk U taken from the cow, have it iu, and .strain it cmrefuliy t,hnm:'h tho sieve into the pans before it,' yets cool ; after wliioli it should not bo disturbed till skimmed, and care; should, bo taken not i.u agitate Iho milk before it is deposited io th* p-ms to set; all milk required for use must therefore be takcu btifore putting in to pan*. As ao equable tompcratnro is advantageous to the speedy prodnctioL A the cream, in hot weather the floor of the dairy should bo kept moist, to produce coolness by evaporation ; and in winter a small stove will be of benefit, if smoke aurl smell be avoided in its use.

To produce the most delicate butter, where economy is not an object, the first rising- of the cream (about twelve hours after the milk has been panned) should be taken ; but, for ordinary purposes, the milk should stand twenty-four hours in summer and forty-eight in winter. Tho cream whilo accumulating, should be stirred night and morning, which wi'l air it, and keep it sweet to churn ouce "i----twice a week ; that is, once a week in t!io cold arjd cool month*, and twice during the fine warm months, June, July, August, and September.

(N.B. —Bo careful to keep all tin vessels well-tinned, bo that no rust of iron shall come in contact with the milk, and look well to the earrings of tho pail-handlea, that grease and dirt may not accumulate there. Be mire also that your strainer, and all other cloths, are kept well scalded and cleansed; in fact, too much stress cannot bo laid on the word " CLEANLIXKSS.]

Tlio process of churning will be much promoted in winter by warming the cliura with hot water previously to putting tho f.reatn in ; and in summer. cold spring' water put in the churn with the crenm will tnako your batter firmer; t.lio ohurn should not be above two-thirds rilled for churning. (To be continued.)