iE 97.4

the butter is generally ſfalted up in wooden or earthen veſ- ſe1s, and ſent to Edinburgh, Glaſgow, and other markets. Both the plunge and barrel churns are uſed 3 but in general the plunge churn is preferred. The whole'operation of churning is performed by manual labour; and almoſt uni- verſally the cream alone 1s employed in making butter. What of the butter-milk is not conſumed in the farmer's family, is either ſold to the labourers and manufacturers in the neighbourhood, or ſent in ſmall barrels to market. A few gentlemen give the butter-millk: and whey to their hogs, but this pradice does not ſeem to gain ground. Farmers con- ſume alſo the whey in their families, or ſell it as they do the butter-milk. The profits of theſe two articles are generally allowed to the farmer's daughter, or dairy maid, who finds herſelf in ribbons and other orhaments for ſhowing herſelf to advantage in church and market. Many of them, how- ever, very laudably allow a part of theſe profits to accumu- late, in order thereby to provide themſelves in bedding and other articles, for taking up houſe at marriage.

In the management of the dairy, the cows are miked three times a-day in the height of the ſeaſon. It is much to be wiſhed, that cleanlineſßs were more attended to in the operations of the dairy. The kind of fuel burned in the houſe, where butter and cheeſe are made, is eafßly diſcover- ed by the taſte of theſe two articles. Although peat makes 2 pleaſant fire, yet its flavour is not conſidered as a valuable addition to the taſte of butter and cheeſe.

Formerly the only veſſels employed for holding milk were of wood; and not being always carefully rinſed, and kept clean, communicated a diſagreeable taſte to the milk. At preſent the cleanlieſt dairy women are bringing earthen veſſels into uſe; and, in ſome places, wooden veſſels, lined with lead, are employed for holding milk. It is generally believed, however, that wooden veſſels, when kept clean and well ſeaſoned, are of all others the beſt for the dairy.

The richeſt paſtures in the county are appropriated for milch cows; eſpecially in the neighbourhood of towns and

manufatturing