1803.] On Cheese Making,§c. 329

which it has hitherto been found impracticable to make pala- table cheese or butter, even by the most skilful dairy women. And this land, although excellent for every other purpose of the husbandman, no change of culture, no change of grasses, has been effectual to render safe and serviceable as dairy land.

[ have known certain inclosures, in three different dairy counties, from which various experienced dairy women have attempted in vain to make palatable cheese and butter.‘The peculiar rancid flavour with which the cheese was tainted, which had been made whilst these particular grounds were under pasture, was discoverable even in the succeeding year. This unpropitious property of certain land[ suppose it was that Mr. Knight meant when he used the seemingly contra- dictory expressions recited by Verax, namely,“ I do not know any article more affected by the pasture than cheese, both in quantity and quality:” and again,“ I have no reason to suppose the quality of the cheese, or its quantity, depended on the kind of plants.” That is, f imagine, he meant to say that more depended upon the nature of the land in cheese making, either with respect to quality or quantity than on the kind of grasses with which it was planted. Or that it was the property of certain land to be productive in quantity of cheese with whatever it was planted, and that other certain portions of land would never produce this article of a good quality whatever might be its herbage.

But I would much rather see an explanation of his own words from Mr. Knight himself,‘for[ am persuaded, from the conversation which I had with him at the late public, liberal, and truly patriotic entertainment, given by Lord So- merville, that he is peculiarly well calculated to unravel an knotty point that can fall within the range of agricultural science. I fear Mr. Knight has not yet seen your Magazine.

Your Correspondent, afterwards, makes, what appears to me a very extraordinary remark respecting oxen.“ Mr. Knight,” says he,“ only notices the Sussex or Devon Cattle, as entering into competition with the Herefordshire. There is another breed that L suppose he is ignorant of, I mean the Pembrokeshire blacks, which, if butchers, or those who work rattle, may be credited, is at least equal to those he has men- tioned.”

I beg leave here to observe, that there is another class of men to be consulted in this matter besides“ butchers and those who work oxen;” the fancy or judgment of the grazier should be at least equally consulted by the breeder of oxen, with the above named persons. And if the grazier will invariably give five pounds more per head for oxen of the Herefordshire, Sus- sex, and Devonshire breeds than for the Pembrokeshire blacks,

Ag. Mag. Vol. 8. Yy;