SIMPLE RULES FOR BUTTER-MAKING. THE following simple rules have been drawn up and published by the Royal Agricultural Society of England. A copy of them might with advantage be displayed in every butter dairy in this Colony : Prepare churn, butter-worker, wooden hands, and sieve as follows:-(1) Rinse with cold water; (2) scald with boiling water; (3) rub thoroughly with salt; (4) rinse with cold water. Always use a correct thermometer. The cream when in the churn to be at a temperature of 56 degrees to 58 degrees in summer, and 60 degrees to 62 degrees in winter. The churn should never be more than half full. Churn at number of revolutions suggested by maker of churn. If none are given, churn at forty to forty-five revolutions per minute. Always churn slowly at first. Ventilate the churn freely and frequently during churning, until no air rushes out when the vent is opened. Stop churning immediately the butter comes. This can be ascertained by the sound; if in doubt, look. The butter should now be like grains of mustard seed. Pour in a small quantity of cold water (1 pint water to 2 quarts cream) to harden the grains, and give a few more turns to the churn gently. Draw off the buttermilk, giving plenty of time for draining. Use a straining-cloth placed over a hair sieve, so as to prevent any loss, and wash the butter in the churn with plenty of cold water; then draw off the water, and repeat the process until the water comes off quite clear. To brine butter, make a strong brine, 2 lb. to 3 lb. of salt to 1 gallon of water. Place straining-cloth over mouth of churn, pour in brine, put lid on churn, turn sharply half a dozen times, and leave for ten to fifteen minutes. Then lift the butter out of churn into sieve, turn butter out on worker, leave it a few minutes to drain, and work gently till all superfluous moisture is pressed out. To drysalt butter, place butter on worker, let it drain ten to fifteen minutes, then work gently till all the butter comes together. Place it on the scales and weigh; then weigh salt; for slight salting, oz.; medium, oz.; heavy salting, oz. to the pound of butter. Roll butter out on worker and carefully sprinkle salt over the surface, a little at a time; roll up, and repeat till all the salt is used. N.B.-Never touch the butter with your hands. DISEASES OF FARM AND ORCHARD CROPS. WITH the last number of the Gazette we published a chart dealing with the insect pests and their remedies, and it is proposed to publish, as soon as the necessary drawings can be made, another chart, describing the mode of attack and treatment of fungoid diseases. A good deal of information with respect to the most economical and effective means of eradicating noxious weeds has from time to time been published in these pages, but as soon as it can be managed we hope to issue a third chart, giving, in a concise way, practical hints as to the best means of getting rid of these troublesome robbers of plant food. It is just a waste of time, money, and energy trying to combat a pest unless we are in possession of reliable information as to its life history and vulnerable points. To assist farmers, fruit-growers, and pastoralists to the fullest possible extent in this direction, arrangements have been made with the postal authorities to carry, free of cost, all packets of a reasonable size containing specimens of insects, fungoid diseases, or weeds for identification by our Scientific Staff. At the last page of this Gazette will be found a perforated addressed label, which should be torn out, signed by the sender, and pasted on the package. Weeds or plants of any description should be wrapped in a piece of slightly moistened rag, and either packed in a tin or strong paper. Insects should always be placed in secure small boxes or tins, with some of their food to keep them alive in transit. Specimens of fungoid diseases should also be placed in tins or boxes, and packed in a way that will prevent joggling in transit. ... Shoalhaven A. and H. Association Berrigan A. and H. Society Kangaroo Valley A. and H. Association... R. Drummond... Southern New England P. and A. Association (Uralla) J. D. Leece ... Manning River A. and H. Association (Taree) Robertson Agricultural Society N. Emanuel ... ... ... ... ... ... ... T. Kennelly ... ... H. Joyce ... Armidale and New England P., A., and H. Association W. H. Allingham ... 4, 5 5, 6, 7 10, 11 ... 10, 11 J. Yeo ... 10, 11, 12 11, 12, 13 Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales Castle Hill and District A. and H. Association... ... J. Y. Butler W. Moses H. J. Peard W.M.Madgwick J. Clements F. Webster F. H. G. Rogers H. R. Whittell.. Upper Hunter P. and A. Association (Muswellbrook)... D. H. Allan ... ... 15, 16 W. G. Thompson 15, 16, 17 *Namoi P., A., and H. Association (Narrabri)... Abandoned in consequence of drought. Liverpool Plains P., A., and H. Association (Tamworth) A. M'Leod Clarence P. and A. Society (Grafton) ... J. C. Wilcox ... R. Porter ... 28, 29 30, May1 ... H. Munckton ... May 4, 5 ... ... ... F. C. Tompson... June 4, 5 H. Loraine Cathie ... ... A. D. M'Innes... ... A. D. M'Innes... Aug. 5 ... J. F. Willans W. G. Dowling Southern New England (Uralla) P. and A. Association Secretaries of Societies are asked to forward dates of forthcoming Shows as soon G. I. S. Wilson ... 16, 17 ... ... J. H. Clifton ... C. Wright T. Besnard S. Wright A. A. Piggin 16, 19 22, 23 23, 24 30, Oct. 1 ... Oct. 1, 2 [5 plates.] |