Chapter III: Preface (3)

A friendly correspondent, being a considerable dealer in Cheese, knowing of my intended publication, is so kind as to favour me with his sentiments on some particulars; which, as some of them coincide with my own already described, and one in particular, promises great utility to very small Dairys, and will be a considerable means to prevent sour Cheese, by pointing out a method to preserve the Curd without hazard, with his permission I lay it before my readers. “I have some years been trying to find out the reason why Cheese frequently looks of a grey dirty appearance, and which is always attended with a strong disagreeable taste, and from enquiries and observations I have made, I am clearly convinced it is owing to the Runnet being kept too long, and not being sweet when put into the Milk. It is often the case in small Dairys in order to make the Cheese of a tolerable full size, to make it but once a day, and in hot Weather it is almost impossible to prevent one meal being sour, which must inevitably spoil the Cheese. I beg leave to inform you of a method practised with good success. A friend of mine who was a Farmer’s Daughter, and had been used to a Dairy, marrying a person of a different profession, they kept one Cow to give Milk for the family, which being small she could not use all the Milk; she then tried to make Cheese of the surplus, and made tolerable sized Cheeses, perhaps seven or eight pounds each, in the following manner; when the weather was warm, she put Runnet to the Milk as oft as she found it necessary, once or twice a day, while it was sweet; having separated the Curd from the Whey, she put the Curd into a broad shallow Tub, just covering it with cold water, and shifting the water two or three times a day as she thought necessary, and thus kept the different parcels of Curd, till she had enough to fill her Vat, by which means, she made exceeding good Cheese. Some good Dairy-women, I think often err in the manner of breaking their Curd; tho’ they make good Cheese, they might make better and more of it, if they did not squeeze out so much of the fat in breaking; the Whey that first runs from the Curd is always the thinnest, and was that thin part first separated, before the Curd was much broke, it would certainly leave the Cream in the Cheese, which would but little of it squeeze out in putting in the Vat, but when it is broke so very small amongst the Whey the rich parts are squeezed amongst the thin Whey and carried away with it. I know an instance or two myself, of persons who I firmly believe made their Cheese of real New-Milk, yet broke their Curd so much that their Cheese was not so good as I have had two-meal Cheese. I think the method used in _Norfolk_ and _Suffolk_ to separate the Whey from the Curd, is much preferable to that used in _Warwickshire_, or _Leicestershire_; when they think the Milk is sufficiently curdled, they lay a strainer into a basket (made for the purpose,) which they put the Curd into and let it stand to drain for a time, before they break the Curd.” In regard to my friend’s opinion concerning what he calls grey, dirty looking Cheese, ’tis often caused by foul Runnet, but I am of opinion it more often happens when Cows have been drenched, either for the yellows or other complaints; and it will look of that countenance and get insipid, or ill tasted when much frozen, as I have more than once had Cheese in my own possession turn of that dark putrid colour after being much froze, that I knew was not so before it was affected by frost.

Being lately in company with a Dairy-man at a distance, talking about Cheese-making, he said he never used a Cheese press, and said that his Cheese got hard as soon, and kept as well as those that used a Press, the method he used is, to make the Cheese in a hoop (being chiefly thickish skim Cheese, tho’ he said he often made New-Milk Cheese in the same way) that was open at top and bottom, which being filled with Curd, and well squeezed into it, was then set upon a board that had holes bored in it, the hoop also being bored and cover’d with a board which was bored also, putting a moderate weight upon the board to settle the Cheese; turning it upside down, twice a day till it got stiff, and it answered very well. When Curd is firm, it will settle and get hard with very little crushing, it is the slip-Curd that is in it, that makes it require so much pressing to settle it, this method will be very useful in very small Dairys that have no Press.

Clover, or other artificial Grass, which generally contains more Air than common Grass, requires full time in bringing the Cheese; in its first operation, it should not be exposed to too much heat, immediately after it is made, as the greater the quantity of Air that remains in the Cheese, the more effect heat will have upon it, by causing it to heave, or split when the Air becomes rarified. Cheese made from Clover is rather more difficult to make, to even the best of Dairy-women, but I have seen very good sound Dairys of stout, full flavour’d Cheese made from Clover, especially when a good deal of time is allowed to bring the Cheese, and care is taken not to let it lye too hot, after it begins to get dry. It is always hurtful to Cheese to lye too near tiles in hot weather. Dairys are subject to damage by noxious, or poisonous plants, roots, or trees: Where Cows are fed in pastures much addicted to wild-garlick, or cow-garlick, ramsons, or wild chives, I have often perceived the rank taste of the Herb in the Cheese. Many people are at a fault to know the cause of bitter Cheese; which I have often observed is most prevalent from poor, or moderate light Land, and have frequently taken notice that where Cheese is bitter, their pasture is much addicted to black plantain, ribbed Grass, or cock plant, may weed, dandelion, especially the rough leaved sort; centaury--arsmart or lakeweed, tansey, wormwood, meadow sweet, &c.--I take yarrow to be an ill favoured Plant for Cheese, where it prevails much in Land, being of a very faint nature, tho’ Sheep are said to be very fond of it,--Hemlock--hen-bane--nightshade, cow-bane, cow-weed, water-wort, kex, drop-wort, yew-tree, box, and most other ever-greens certainly are noxious and very hurtful.[5] I have often observed in riding thro’ Dairy-farms, how little attention is paid to pasturage, Farmers frequently suffering many sorts of known noxious Plants or Weeds to flourish in them, without any concern to extirpate or cast them out, or of having the least thought of encouraging, or propogating such as are salutary or cheering to Cattle; I have often heard the remark made by Farmers that there is an instinct in Cattle that directs them to avoid noxious Plants, and even directs nature to apply many as remedies in various complaints; we often read of wild Beasts, Serpents, _&c._ that are governed by such instinct.--But it often happens that in very dry seasons, pastures are so very short that Cattle are obliged to eat any thing that is green to keep them alive, and ’tis well known they often do clear up every thing before them, and many sorts of Plants that they will not touch at other times; I have often observed that in such seasons, Cattle are very much subject to violent disorders; I have known many die, without the owners, or cow-leech being at all able to account for the cause; and frequently taken notice that Cattle dying so suddenly are much subject to swell greatly, and often in the same Dairy that many have died apparently from the same cause, and that such complaints are most prevalent in the Months of _July_ and _August_, when poisonous Plants are in full vigour; I remember one Person who had lost several Cows, who was a judicious person in Farming affairs, observe, that undigested Plants were found in their Stomachs, or Maws when opened, although they had not eat any vegetable food for two or three days, which made him suspect they were poisonous, and ’tis very natural to form such an Idea.

There is no branch in Husbandry seems of more importance, or gives a larger field for improvement than the conducting and managing of Dairy-Farms; as a great share of the health, as well as the lives of the human species, are in a considerable degree dependent, on the health and good condition of Milch Cows. Milk being a vegetable juice, or that yields a nourishment partly vegetable and partly animalized, partaking more or less, of the good or bad qualities of Plants on which the Cow feeds--Milk, in its produce of Cream, Butter, Cheese and many of our luxuries, is a constituent part of our daily food, through every stage of Life, consequently great care ought to be taken, with respect to the food of Animals, who furnish us with so great, and necessary a part of our sustenance; I have always thought some knowledge in the use of Plants, a very agreeable amusement, and it would certainly have been much more my study, had I thought of ever having such an opportunity of making it useful. Such as have fallen under my knowledge I have here endeavoured to describe, in which I acknowledge to have received much help from a late ingenious publication of DR. WITHERING on _Botany_, (being the first I ever met with in English after the Linnæan System,) which I think a work of great merit. As the Dairy-man, or Farmer, becomes more informed of the nature of noxious Plants, he will surely think it worth his while to try to get rid of them, by rooting them out; and as it is well known that Cows are very much subject to scowring, and flatulent or windy disorders, it may be very well worth his while to sow or plant in his pastures and hedges, such herbs in proper quantities as are found to be the best remedies for these and such other complaints which Cattle are most incident to. Among many that might be mentioned the following herbs are very salutary, (and if there is such an instinct in Cattle as some suppose, they will know how to cull the best,) lovage, agrimony, chervil, carraway, cummin, mint, bazil, hyssop, rue, angelica, pepper-mint, penny-royal, thyme, marjoram, _&c._ I should think a very proper time to sow, or plant them, would be when you set, or plant hedges, or when plashed, or the banks fresh made up, or in pastures where Ant-hills are dug up and carried away, to sow them in the places they are dug from; It must certainly be an improvement of the first kind, to clear a Farm of all sorts of noxious and poisonous Plants and Weeds, and stocking them with such as are healthful salutary and medicinal.--Trefoil & white Clover are esteemed exceeding good Grasses for producing Milk. But the highest encomium is given to Saintfoin Grass, as being superior to any other.--An _Essex_ Farmer who is a correspondent in the _Bath_ Society for promoting Agriculture, thus describes it; “As the roots strike deep in our chalky soil, this plant is not liable to be so much injured by drought as other Grasses whose fibres shoot horizontally and lie near the surface, the quantity of Hay produced is greater, and better in quality than any other, but there is one advantage attends this Grass, which renders it superior to any, and that arises from feeding it with Milch Cows, the prodigious increase of Milk which it makes is astonishing, being near double that produced by any other food. The Milk is also better and yields more Cream than any other; I give you this information from my own observation, confirmed by long experience, and if Farmers would make trial they would find their account in it far more than they expect.”

It is a pretty general opinion, that Saintfoin thrives only on up-lands, that lie near a rock, lime-stone, chalk or strong gravel; the reason given is, the roots strike so deep in the Earth, that unless it meets a check it seldom flourishes. That such Land, being rocky, or very shallow hungry soil that will scarce bear any other sorts of Grass does produce great crops of Saintfoin, I have many times observed in different Counties; but as I meet with various Authors who say, that notwithstanding that advantage there is in it, preferable to any other Grass, yet it always thrives best in a rich good soil, which makes me imagine it has seldom had a fair trial, and if the advantage as a Dairy Grass is so great, it is highly worth the Dairy-man’s notice.

We find many Farmers very industrious to improve their breed of Cattle, and set much store on blood and fashion. The Dairy-man’s chief concern should be to have Cows with good Bags, or Udders; that yield a quantity of Milk; and it is well known, by persons who keep but one or two Cows, that there is a material difference in the richness of Milk in Cows, and that when they set up the Milk of different Cows, they find, one shall yield a much larger quantity of Cream than another; and many are known not only to yield more Milk, but even much better than the Cow which gives less; this is an useful remark to a Dairy-man as the quantity of rich Milk is the support of his undertaking, and must in the end pay more than the fine form of Cattle, which may be of more consequence to the feeding Grazier; and great care should be taken that the Cows are Milked clean, as many good Cows are spoiled by suffering Milk to remain in the Udder; which will cause the Cow daily to give less and less, till at length she will become dry before the proper time, and will be very apt to give but little Milk the next season. It is observed in Fairs, that the people from _Wiltshire_ and other Dairy Counties, who buy Cows, always make a large bag in a Milking Cow, their first object, and those that buy Cattle for feeding pay very little regard to it, prefering a good carcase; as Dairy-men are generally the breeders of Calves, it should be their first object, to breed from Cows, which produce the best and largest quantity of Milk, and supply their own Dairy with that breed. I have often heard Dairy-men remark, that Cows are apt to give more Milk on the land they are bred upon, than others who come from a distant soil. I would always recommend to every Dairy-man, wherever it is in his power, to convey running streams into his Dairy-ground,--to encourage his Cows to frequent scowers in Brooks, or running Streams; Cows certainly like clear Water best, and it always produces most Milk; and keeping them cool, the Milk is much easier made into Cheese, or Butter. When Cheese goes from the Press, let it be kept in as warm a state as you can, till it has had a sweat, or is got pretty regularly dry, and stiffish: It is warmth that makes Cheese ripe, improves the colour, and causes Cheese to cut flakey, the surest sign of excellent quality; which is very clear to those who know the great difference there is in Cheese that has gone by Sea in the Summer-time to _London_, or any distant Port on our Coast, having been thoroughly heated on Ship-board, by the heat of the Season, and such large quantities being in the same apartment. I dare say any Person who has eat Cheese in the finest Dairys in _Cheshire_, and also in a Tavern in _London_, when the same sort of Cheese has undergone the heat of a Ship, and afterwards been laid in a Wine-cellar to cool gradually, and make it Mellow, (which is allowed to be the best situation for finishing Cheese, it not being exposed to harsh Winds, or chilling Air,) such Person must allow the Warmth it has received, improves the flavor and richness of the Cheese to a superlative degree. I would recommend, where it can be avoided, that hard Cheese is not kept in the same Room with the soft, as a dampness that arises from the new moist Cheese, is a detriment to the improving state the hard Cheese is getting into, making it very apt to chill, and get thick-coated, and often spotted; in some measure there is an analogy with the fine flavoured Fruit, this being the Season that Cheese may be supposed to come to its flavor, and the foul damp that falls from the exhalation of the soft Cheese greatly retards it, and being deprived of a chearing Warmth, will never become excellent. Cheese never tastes agreeably till it has had a sweat, such as is always kept in a cold state eats chill, flat-tasted and insipid; a south aspect, or a Room over a Kitchen-fire is much best, till Cheese is got tollerably hard and had a sweat; a cool shady Room, or even a Plaster-floor is best after it has had a sweat, till such Time as the Weather gets too cool. Cheese very seldom heaves or gets puffy after it has had a sweat and got cool again; the fat that melts with heat, closes the pores of Cheese made open by harsh Air, and keeps it mellow afterwards. The sweat of Cheese should not be rubbed off, or scraped off, unless it has sweat to a violent degree, as it keeps the Cheese mellow and always improves the flavour. To have every excellence it must have every advantage.--In _Wilts_, _Gloucestershire_, and some part of _Warwickshire_, most people wash their Cheese, putting it in a little warm Water or Whey to soften the swarthy-coat occasioned by the Cheese-cloth, or not being rubbed when it begins to get coated; then they rub it off with a Brush, and afterward lay it to dry, or sweat before it is laid in the cooler apartment; many prefer rubbing it with a hair-cloth, beginning with it when Cheese is fit to handle, and not wash it. If Cheese is designed for going by Sea, or for speedy consumption, I think washing is preferable, care being taken not to send it off too soft, as that exposes it to crack, then the Fly takes it, and Maggots breeding in it damages your Cheese. When Cheese is designed to be kept long in the Dairy, if kept well cleaned, I prefer the other method, as the coat preserves it, keeps it mellow and improves the Flavor. Frost is very detrimental to Cheese if permitted to get into it, especially, soft young Cheese; care should be taken to keep the Windows close in hard frosty Weather; many will cover it with (and even lay it in) Peas-straw in severe Seasons. I have known all the good qualities of Cheese annihilated or taken away, by being Frost-bitten when Young; it is apt to turn black as if made with sooty Milk, and not have the least taste of Salt, or any relish remain. It is a very common method to scald Cheese, either in the Curd, or in the Cheese; the former I quite disapprove, the design being only to settle the Curd which has not had Time given it to sink solid in the Tub, which if done, will want no scalding; boiling Water, or boiling Whey poured upon it will set the Curd in some degree, and fix it hard, but then it always leaves it Tough and Horny-coated, if it is scalded to any great degree; more time taken in bringing the Curd, and having the Milk of a proper warmth, will render this whole proceeding quite needless. People are only seeking a remedy for a fault which they had no sort of occasion to have been troubled with. Scalding Cheese after it has been in the Press is of some advantage to Cheese that is to go by Sea, that, only being to set the coat and toughen it, is not so much exposed to bruising, and the heat of the Ship recovers it again to its proper state by removing that toughness which scalding gave it; but Cheese for Country Trade, is hurt by scalding, making it Tough and Horny-coated. If Cheese gets too hard that has been scalded, the best way to recover it, is to lay it in a heap, four, five, or six Cheeses high, in a cool room, stirring and removing every Cheese once in two or three Days, till it is got mellow. In many Counties, as _Lincoln_, _Huntington_, _Bedford_, _&c._ People take very great pains to make bad Cheese, if a good Dairy-woman happens to come amongst them that sells Cheese for a much greater Price than they can, yet they will follow their own method; perhaps, some few of them at least, when they come to see Dairying plainly delineated, may have some inclination to alter their Plan, unless they prefer bad Cheese to good.

Many may wish to know what is a proper Size for Cheese Vats for Trade. For Cheese of the _Gloucester_ make, we reckon that Vats--15 Inches Wide by 2¼ Inches Deep to make Cheese, Eleven to the Hundred Weight.

15½ Inches by 2½ to make Tens.
16 Inches by 2½ to make Nines.
16½ Inches by 2½ to make Eights.
16½ Inches by 2¾ to make Sevens, &c.

Since writing the account of the Maw-skin, I have heard of a Plant called the Runnet-Plant; it is the first Time I ever heard the Name of it or the least hint concerning it. I am informed the _Jews_ make all their Cheese with it; their Law not permitting them to mingle Meat with Milk, which term they apply to making Cheese with Maw-skin, I have frequently seen _Jew_ Cheese, but never saw any that I thought good or tollerably so, makes me imagine it is the necessity of principle only, that promotes its Use, but as I am an entire Stranger to the process, shall be greatly obliged to any one who will favour me with any particulars concerning it, with its qualities and manner of Use.[6]

I am favour’d with a Letter from a Friend whose veracity I can depend on, acquainting me of another species of Runnet-plant, imagining my former information was not right, and that the Dairy-plant was of a different kind to that I had described--sending at the same time some plants, for my inspection--called spear-grass, and also the method of using it, as practised by a very good Dairy-woman in the County of _Derby_ for many Years, whose Dairy was in the highest credit in the neighbourhood, where she lived, hoping the Public might receive benefit by the publication of it, the receipt is as follows.--Take Spear-grass, and as much cold water as will cover the Grass, boil it over a slow Fire for an hour, put to it salt in proportion, of half a peck to six gallons of Liquor, then cover it up till cold, then strain it and add three Maw-skins to each gallon, let it stand nine or ten days, then bottle it, use a table spoonful for a Cheese of fifteen or sixteen pounds; but more or less may be used at discretion. From this receipt a very useful remark may be made: I have frequently enquired of Dairy-women who made their Runnet for keeping, what quantity of Skin they us’d, and have generally understood it to be about two Skins to a gallon of Water, but I have always thought that must be too little, here we find three Skins is recommended, even added to the decoction of Spear-grass, which must certainly be a powerful help to the Runnet; ’tis observ’d also in the receipt, that a table spoon-full may be used for a Cheese of fifteen or sixteen pounds, which I imagine must be as much as twelve or fourteen Cows Milk; if even two or three spoon-fulls will do for that quantity of Milk it must be of a very powerful fermenting quality, and leads me to imagine that Runnet in general, is certainly made too weak; and that if by the above method, or by the addition of spices as recommended by _Mr. Hazard_, a much stronger Runnet is made; it must greatly quicken the coagulation and be a means of bringing the Cheese properly, in shorter time than that in present use, and might probably be sufficient if the Milk stand an hour, or at most an hour and half, which would fully reconcile my plan of sinking Cheese to those who may think the only difficulty attending it, is requiring too much time.

Spear-grass is a very common plant, grows chiefly on moist land, or by pit sides, often in lanes, it is an upright stem, inclin’d to a redish brown, mixt with green, the leaves are spear-shaped growing up the stalk, a bright yellow flower with five petals, of the crow foot form, blossoms in _May_ and _June_; this is doubtless a good plant for improving the Runnet, it being of a hot nature, and having been used so many Years with good success is a great recommendation--but this cannot be the plant before described to me, and which I have found in different Authors, called yellow ladies bed-straw, goose-grass or Cheese Renning, nor does the Runnet made with it answer to the ends proposed in making _Jew_ Cheese.

I should imagine the best time to collect the Spear-grass for making Runnet, must be when it is in full Flower, which may be very apt to help the colour as well as give firmness to the Cheese. I have not a doubt but Runnet made with this plant, in the manner above described, will be a considerable improvement in Cheese-making, and should be glad to hear of its having a fair trial, it appears to me to be the most likely thing to correct the mischief caused by Slip-curd.

Having now gone through the design of the work, and laid down such observations on the principal concerns of Dairying, so far as relates to Cheese-making, as occur to my remembrance, I take my leave of it, hoping in general it will be found useful and expedient, and before I conclude, earnestly recommend it to such Dairy-women who find any difficulty in their proceedings in the business of Cheese-making, or wish to improve their make of Cheese, that they will, well weigh every part of the subject, and make trial of the whole process, as stated in its different parts. As I am well convinced, by repeated trials that if the plan I have laid down is observed with care, it will not fail to make good Cheese. And though it may be objected by many, the length of time of the Milk standing for Curd, yet so complete will the state of the Curd be, that you will often times more than save that time in crushing, as it will be finished in half the time, that bad Curd will take, and by the extra weight of Cheese, that time will give, will at length repay all your trouble; I well know, many Dairy-women are partial to some particular method, or nostrum of their own, or their mothers, or neighbour such a one who was a famous Dairy-woman, as being preferable to all others, in which they often fail of success, in some respect by having omitted to observe the exact minutia of their practice. As a very small omission, in time, or method, sometimes leads them into a labyrinth, which they very rarely ever get out of, and causes them more vexation and perplexity, than if they had never known any thing about it. Or, if their’s be a good method and very practicable, perhaps it is possible there may be a better, or easier means of proceeding, that will render their Plan quite needless.

I hope that those who wish to improve from my instructions, will give it a fair Trial, if any at all; they need not say they are left in the Dark in any part of it, as every particular is made plain and most of them repeated, as precept upon precept, and line upon line. Let them be particular however in the main concerns, such as the proper warmth of the Milk, the goodness, and use of the Maw-skin, to give it Time enough in the Tub, or Cheese-pan, to keep the Cheese warm when young, and cool afterwards; then I think they will scarce fail of making good Cheese. If they mean to excel, and make fine Cheese--and why not?--Then I refer them to the more minute Observations of the Work, and I wish and hope, that they will find their Pains well bestowed, and afford them both Comfort and Profit. I doubt not but methods used in different Counties vary a good deal. Some perhaps may be pointed out that are preferable to some of mine, and if any Person will be kind enough to point them out to me, or shew me where any thing has been omitted, or Error committed, if another Edition should be called for, I shall very willingly communicate them to the Public.

ON BUTTER.

Butter is an Article in very general use, and numerous are the people employed in making it; and is in great esteem; from observations I have made, it admits of very little variation in the method of preparing, which methods are so generally known, require very little commentary upon them; I profess not to understand them, and therefore shall say very little about it. What little I have remarked in conversing with Dairy-women, is, that care should be taken to set up your Milk when it is of a proper warmth--Milk-warm is the best, regulated the same as for rendling Cheese, applying a little cold Water if too hot, and either warm Water or Milk if too cold; many think Water best, saying, it will throw up Cream sooner; to take care the Utensils it is set up in, are exceeding clean--the utility of which I think is clearly made appear by observing the effect of a contrary remark in making Whey Butter.--Indolence, finds out many ways which Industry never thought of.--Some Butter-Women, whose care is, more, to make a large quantity, than regard the quality, or flavour of Butter, will tell you, that sour Whey, yields more Cream than sweet, and it immediately turns sour, by putting it into the Pans you poured the last meal’s Whey from, without washing them. But in making good Butter, great care must be taken to prevent the Cream’s being sour, or your Butter will be ill flavoured, and will keep good but a very little time--That lead Pans are preferred to every thing, in throwing up, or rising the Cream from Milk. Not to let the Milk stand too long before it is skimmed, especially in hot weather.--If it must stand two meals, it had better be skimmed twice, than to let it stand the whole time for one skimming, as the Milk often turns sour before the expiration of two meals; and if the last meal should change, you may then be enabled to keep all the sweet Cream by itself.--The less time the Cream stands before it is churned, the finer flavoured and sweeter your Butter will be.

Nothing is more commendable in a Dairy-maid than cleanliness, nor will any thing cause them to be more esteemed; every one who perceives extream neatness in a Dairy, cannot help wishing to purchase either Butter or Cheese from so clean and neat a place, and would gladly give a higher price, rather than be exposed to the chance of sluttish nastiness, too common in many Dairys. It is remarked by many Travellers, that in the _Isle_ of _Wight_, nothing is more pleasing than to see the exceeding neatness of their Dairys; it very rarely goes unnoticed, and to a delicate taste, scarce any thing affords greater pleasure.

As Butter is become a very considerable Article of Trade, it is highly proper every means should be rendered to make it as complete and perfect as possible; it is very different in regard to purchasers of large quantities of Butter, who must take lots as they happen, and in which very often a considerable part of them are very inferior to what they ought to be, and to buyers of fresh Butter in Markets; who can see and taste it before they buy, which is a caution to the makers to have it well made, knowing it will be inspected before sold, those who put it into Casks or Firkins, for distant sale, are apt not to be so very careful about it. I have heard frequent enquiry by Cheese-mongers, or dealers in Butter, what is the cause of Salt Butter being so subject to get rank, strong tasted, or rancid, or what some people call a fishy taste, which is a very great detriment to dealers in Butter, and the cause of the complaint much wants to be known; being well acquainted that the complaint is very frequent, has often led me to enquire into the cause when an opportunity has offered, being lately conversing with a person on the subject, he said it was very common in _Suffolk_ & _Yorkshire_, to heat the Milk before it was set up for Cream, which is done in order to increase the quantity of Cream. It is well known that every fat substance that is heated, will in course of time turn rancid, or reezy, that when Butter, of the last year, or a year old, is in the Cask through the Summer, the heat will affect it, and so far as the heat gets into it, will reeze or become of a tallowy nature, fat Bacon will reeze so far as the fat melts; and the heating of Milk must certainly alter the nature of it, and in course of time will cause the Butter to turn rancid, and ill tasted. I have heard it observed by a person who is used to buy fresh Butter that was made of heated, or clouted Cream, (which is a method much used in some parts of the South of England) that it is very apt to get strong and will keep good but a very little time. So that from all remarks I have been capable of making, it seems clear to me that the badness or foulness of Butter, is chiefly owing to the Milk being heated, and is a hint worth the enquiry of the public, especially large dealers in Butter, in order that some method may be taken to prevent an evil that is become so very prevalent.

A friend who has been much used to Dairying, lately communicated to me a method to give Winter made Butter, which is often made from Fodder, either Hay or Straw, the countenance and relish of Summer Butter, made in the prime of the Season; which is done by taking the juice of carrots, being bruised, or pounded to a pulp & then press’d or squeezed out, putting it into the Cream before Churn’d. And also, a method to take off the disagreeable taste of Butter made from Turnips, viz. let your Cream be warmed and poured into a Tub or Pail of cold Water, then skim the Cream off the Water, which will rise to the top, the same as in Milk, and by this means leave the foul taste behind it in the Water, this last method will much improve Whey Butter, taking off the disagreeable sourness that often attends it, and by adding the juice of carrots as above, will help its colour and give it an agreeable relish, and by this means you may salt Whey Butter, down in pots, that will do very well for paste in Winter. In a very sensible, and practical Essay printed in the third Volume of the _Bath_ Society’s Letters and Papers on Agriculture, &c. by _Mr. Hazard_, some useful remarks are made on Dairying, and also on the Dairy-house, which he says, should always be kept in the neatest order, and so situated, that the Windows or Lattices never front the South, South-east or South-west; Lattices are also prefer’d to Windows, as they admit a more free circulation of Air, than glazed lights possible can do, and to prevent the cold Air in Winter, a sliding frame coverd with oil’d cap paper, pasted on packthread strained thereon, will admit the light and keep out the Sun and Wind. It is hardly possible in the Summer to keep a Dairy-house too cool, on which account none should be situated far from a good spring or current of Water: They should be neatly paved with red brick or smooth hard stone, and laid with a proper descent, so that no Water may lodge, this pavement should be well wash’d in summer every day; and all the Utensils belonging to the Dairy should be kept perfectly clean, nor should the Churns even be suffer’d to be scalded in the Dairy as the steam that arises from hot Water will injure the Milk, nor do I approve of Cheese being kept therein, or Rennet for making Cheese, or having a Cheese Press fixed in a Dairy, as the Whey and Curd will diffuse their acidity throughout the Room. He is of opinion the proper receptacle for Milk are Earthen-pans or Wooden-vats, but not lined with lead, as that mineral certainly contains a poisonous quality and may in some degree affect the Milk, but if people still persist in using them, he advises that they never forget to scald them, scrub them well with salt and Water and to dry them thoroughly before they deposit the Milk therein, indeed all Utensils should be cleaned in like manner before they are used, and if after this, they in the least degree smell sour, they must undergo a second scrubbing before they are fit for use, he also recommends Pans with a large-surface, or wide at top; during the Summer Months he recommends skimming the Milk very early in the Morning before the Dairy becomes warm, and not in the Evening till after Sun set; churning he recommends to be done in a Morning before the Sun appears, taking care to fix the churn where there is a free draft of Air, if a pump churn be used it may be plunged a foot deep into a tub of cold water to remain there the whole time of churning, which will very much harden the Butter; a strong rancid flavour will be given to Butter, if the churn be so near the fire as to heat the wood, in the Winter season.

After Butter is churned, it should be washed in many different waters till it is perfectly cleansed from the Butter-milk, but he observes a warm hand will soften it and make it appear greasey: The Cheese-mongers use two pieces of Wood (or Spaddles) for their Butter, and if those who have a very hot hand were to have such, they might work the Butter, so as to make it more saleable.

Butter will require, and endure, more working in Winter than in Summer, but he remarks he never knew any person, whose hand was warm by nature make good Butter.

Those who use a pump churn must endeavour to keep a regular stroke, nor should they admit any person to assist them, except they keep nearly the same stroke, for if they churn more slowly, the Butter will in Winter, go back, as it is called, and if the stroke be more quick and violent, in the Summer it will cause a fermentation, by which means the Butter will imbibe a very disagreeable flavor. Where many Cows are kept, a barrel churn is preferable, but it requires to be kept very clean or the bad effects will be discover’d in the Butter, to be fixt in a warm place in Winter, and where there is a free Air in the Summer.

As many of my acquaintance wished to have an enlarged account, of the Art of making Butter: I was very glad to have the opportunity, of collecting these annex’d, which are most of them worthy observation, and as I have before mention’d the method some people use in making Butter from what is generally call’d clouted cream; I shall now give you the process as laid down by _Mr. Hazard_.

“In the first place, they deposit their Milk in Earthen-pans in their Dairy-house, and (after they have stood twelve Hours in the Summer, and double that space in the Winter) they remove them to stoves made for that purpose, which stoves are filled with hot embers; on these they remain till bubbles rise, and the Cream changes its colour, it is then deem’d heated enough, and this they call scalded Cream, it is afterward removed steadily to the Dairy, where it remains twelve Hours more, and is then skimmed from the Milk and put into a Tub or Churn, if it be put into a Tub, it is beat well with the hand, and thus they obtain Butter, but a cleanlier way is to make use of a Churn; some scald it over the fire, but then the smoke is apt to affect it, and in either case if the pans touch the fire, they will crack or fly, and the Milk and Cream be wasted.”

Dairy-women are oft times much perplex’d when churning, by having the Butter very long in coming, the cause of which I have never heard properly explain’d, some think the Cream was too cold, sometimes it is thought too hot, many observe that an irregular motion in churning prevents its coming properly, as before remark’d by _Mr. Hazard_, but there seems to be a more powerful chemical cause; from observing common causes, I should imagine there is an alcaline salt in old Milk, which sometimes overcomes the oily part of the Cream when agitated by the motion of churning, so as to prevent the Butter, separating in the churn, the cure for which seems to be, to reduce the alcali to a neuteral state, which effect, Acids are known to have, or at least alcalies on Acids, as is common; when Beer gets sour or much Acid, to recover it by putting a little salt of Tartar, salt of Worm-wood or any other powerful alcali into it, immediately recovers it to its usual state, and neither the acid nor alcali are perceived in the Beer, being made neuteral by their union.

I am much pleas’d to find my opinion seconded, and put in practice by an anonimous Author in the _Bath_ Papers, who was very earnest to find out a remedy that would hasten the operation in churning, and from a very pertinent idea that led him to weigh the matter, seems to have found out the real cause of the obstruction, met with in the work, and also a remedy, which many Dairy-women will be very happy to be inform’d of, as the Author justly observes, it will shorten the Labour of many a weary Arm, and prevent much vexation to a multitude of good House-wives.

He observes, that when the operation of churning had been going forward for half a Day, he caused a little distilled Vinegar to be poured into the churn, and the Butter was produced within an Hour afterwards.

He also remarks upon the subject, that if the supposition be admitted, that the Cream of old Milk (and such is Milk for the most part in Winter,) contains much stronger alcaline salt, or at least more of it than new Milk does, then the effect of the Vinegar is readily accounted for on the known principles of Chymistry, it is an acknowledged property of alcalies to unite with oil into a saponaceous (or soapy) mass, and to render them intimately miscible with water. But it is likewise well known to chemists that there is a nearer affinity (as they Term it) a much stronger elective attraction between acids and alcalies than between alcalies and oils; consequently the acids being mixed with the Cream, immediately attaches to itself the alcaline salt, which is the bond of union, as we may call it, that holds together the oleaginous (oily) and aqueous (watery) particles, and leaves them easily separable from each other. It may perhaps be objected to this mode of practice that the acid mixing with the Cream, would render the Butter unpalatable; but this on experience I do not find to be the case, and indeed I should not my self have expected it, as the Butter is usually well washed in two or three changes of clean Water, by which the whole of the acid is carried off, or if some few particles remain, they are so few as not to be perceiv’d by the taste & perhaps have rather a desirable effect than otherwise, by acting as an antiseptic, (preventing putrefaction) and preventing the Butter from becoming rancid so soon as it otherwise would do; he adds, my experiments have not as yet ascertained the exact quantity of the acid which is necessary to produce the proper effect, nor the precise time of its being mix’d with the Cream. But I apprehend a table spoonful or two to a gallon of Cream will be sufficient; nor would I recommend it to be applied, till the Cream has undergone some considerable agitation.

After having so much interested myself in endeavouring the improvement of Dairying, I am unwilling to take my final leave of it, without adding my sincere wish, that the increase of Dairy-Farms, may meet with every encouragement from the Public, as it appears to me, a matter of the first consequence to this Nation. The price of Butter & Cheese having so much increased within a few years, makes it quite necessary to give every encouragement to the increase of Dairying, as it plainly appears, there is not near a sufficiency of those Articles for general use, and every endeavour to increase the quantity must be for the Public good, if we only consider how large a quantity of Butter is imported into England every Year, and yet the price still continues to advance; it is astonishing to think that there is annually great quantities of Grain of different kinds imported into the Kingdom, while such a prodigious quantity of Land lies waste in commons or that are of very little benefit to the community in general; also, how many thousand People (both young and old) are now unemploy’d, who might find sufficient support, if encouragement was given for improving of Land for different purposes, and growth of numerous materials which now takes our Money abroad, such as Rhubarb, Liquorish, Madder, Woad, Teasels, Flax, Hemp, &c. As a plan for improvement in Husbandry, seems much to prevail at present in this Kingdom, as if in emulation, to keep pace with the Arts, and ingenuity discoverable in many of our capital Manufactures in the present Age, so superior to those of former times and which are still improving in a very great degree, so from the various Societies connected in different parts of this Kingdom, for the benefit and improvement of Agriculture, great knowledge is acquired and made Public for the general advantage of community, and if the same spirit would animate Gentlemen in common, who doubtless are the people that will receive the greatest advantage from the inclosure of commons, it would be a noble example, and discover a true patriotic spirit, if they would undertake the improvement of the Lands, which may be inclos’d, and who have it more in their power, especially where small Farms are necessary, (than the peasant to whom they may be let, and who, when they are made useful can perhaps best employ them for the Public good,) they would then be well repaid for their trouble, be setting a noble example to posterity, making a fortune for their Family, at the same time they are enabling numbers to gain a livelihood by their means, and what is there in Life that would more endear them to their Country, than such a benevolent disposition. I have not a doubt but the proportion of large Farms throughout this Kingdom is too great for the small ones, and if the inclosure of commons should take place, there would be a proper opportunity to equalize them, by making a larger number of small Farms of different degrees, from 20 Acres to 50, from 50 to 100 and from 100 to 150, for tho’ it is from large Farms, that our principal supply of provisions must arise, yet it certainly is from the small Farms that our Markets are chiefly supply’d with the common necessaries, such as Butter, Eggs, Fowls, Pigs, Pigeons, Fruit and many other common necessaries of human Life, and the more small and moderate siz’d Farms there are, the better will all Markets be supplied. I have not a doubt but if Gentlemen would undertake the management of new enclosures, great improvement might be made from the Horse-hove, and drill Husbandry so much commended by many of the _Bath_ Society correspondents, as well as those of _Arthur Young, Esq._; and from the advantage proposed thereby of improving Land by those methods, with very little manure, if Gentlemen would thoroughly adopt that method upon a large scale of practice, doubtless it would become universal, and from the great quantity of Seed proposed to be saved by this method, and a larger crop produced, must in the end be a very great advantage to this Nation; many may object, that the inclosed commons, will very little of it become Dairy-Land for a considerable time; yet it will certainly come in, in time, and the more Arable Land is brought into use, certainly the greater proportion of Grass Land may be spared for the Dairy. One great impediment to inclosures is the great expence of Acts of Parliament, this might be remedied in a great measure, if Government would grant one general Act for inclosing commons throughout the Kingdom, under the direction of County Committees, which might be appointed for that purpose at a moderate expence, and fully answer the design, but as a hint at the improvement, is the only thing I can advance toward it, yet, like the Widows mite, I would not with hold it, as it may encourage more capable Persons to take it in hand.

_SOME ACCOUNT_, OF NOXIOUS, BITTER, and POISONOUS, PLANTS.

Ribwort, ribbed grass, black plantain or cock plant; this plant may not properly be ranged among bitter plants, it not being bitter to any great degree, but I have often thought upon examination, that the bitterness in some Cheese more resembles the taste of this plant and dandelion than any other whatsoever, and in barren soils they are apt to prevail more than any other.

Arsmart, or lakeweed, is a bitter plant, well known; ’tis said to produce an essential oil, or oil extracted by distillation, which I should imagine more likely to affect the bitterness of Milk than colder plants, it is apt to grow very strong after being mowed, and I have not observed that Cows refuse or leave it untouched more than other plants in common. I think this plant much more likely to cause the bitterness of Butter in _Autumn_ than the falling leaves to which it is generally referred, though many people are of opinion that Cows eating ash leaves in _Autumn_, causes the bitterness in Butter.

Meadow sweet--is a bitterish plant that Cows are fond of, especially the sort that grows on up-lands, commonly called drop-wort, the meadow sweet of low-meadows is a sort they do not readily feed on where there is plenty of Grass.

Centaury, lesser centaury or gentian, is an extream bitter plant, bears a pale red blossom with many florets, or pips, on an upright stem in old Pastures, blows from _June_ to _August_, I should imagine it must be hurtful in Dairy-ground being a very penetrating bitter.

Hemlock, with stems and branches, spotted with brown, or black, and white flower; the whole plant is poisonous, it grows in hedges, orchards, or among rubbish, and is very common.

Henbane, with blossoms purple & brown--indented leaves, embracing or cleaving to the stem, grows on road sides or among rubbish, the seeds, roots, and leaves taken internally are all poisonous.

Nightshade, grows in moist brakes and hedges, with bluish blossoms, sometimes inclined to flesh colour, sometimes white.