DAIRY.
The greatest possible attention must be paid to cleanliness. All the utensils must be daily scalded and brushed, washed in plenty of cold water, dried with clean cloths, and turned up in the air.
The dairy should be kept perfectly clean and cool.
In milking, if the cows be not left perfectly dry, the quantity will be decreased. The quantity depends on the goodness of different cows, on the pasture, and on the length of time from calving. A middling cow gives a pound of butter a day for five or six weeks, and sometimes longer. When the milk decreases, a change even to a worse pasture will effect an alteration; and where water is within reach of the animals, it is of great consequence to the milk.
The chief of the cows should come in the end of March, or the beginning of April, and one the end of September; then the family will be supplied with milk in the winter.
When a calf is to be reared, it should be taken from the cow in a week at furthest, or it will cause great trouble in rearing, because it will be difficult to make it take milk in a pan. The calf should be taken from the cow in the morning, and kept without food till next morning, when being hungry it will take it without much trouble. Skimmed milk made as warm as new, is to be given twice a day in such quantities as it shall require and if milk run short, a fine smooth gruel mixed with it will do very well. This is to be continued till the calf be taken out to grass, which at first will be only by day, then milk must be given when housed in the evening.
To scald Cream.
In winter the milk stands twenty four hours before scalded; in the summer twelve. The milkpan is to be put on a hot hearth, if you have one, or if not, into a brass kettle of water, of a size to receive the pan. It must remain on the fire till quite hot, but on no account boil, or there will be a skin, instead of cream, upon the milk. You will know when done enough by the undulations on the surface, and looking quite thick. The time required to scald cream depends on the size of the pan and the heat of the fire; the slower the better. Remove the pan into the dairy when done, and skim it next day.
Of cream thus prepared, the butter is usually made in Devonshire, &c.