The Dairyman, a Practical Guide (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872 Excerpt: ...allow of currents of air to pass upwards over the milk vessels. If cast iron be objected to, marble or slate may be used; wood is the worst material, as it is difficult to be kept clean, and sooner or later acquires a taint. If it be employed, however, it ought to be hard wood, with a fine close grain, such as sycamore. All shelves should be placed quite clear of the walls, and in no case coming in contact with them; a space being left between the inner edges of shelves and the walls, the shelves can be thus much more easily cleaned, and a current of air can find its way on both sides of the shelves. MILK VESSELS. A great deal has been written and said about the milk vessels, their material and the best form. As to material, glass is undoubtedly the best, and the easiest kept cleaned; the objection, however, being the cost of the vessels made of it, and the ease with which they are broken. Earthenware, glazed inside, is an excellent material; so also is iron, well tinned. The vessels, of whatever material formed, should be of pretty large diameter--not less than a foot across, but better if fifteen or eighteen inches--and shallow, the depth not exceeding six inches. The vessels for storing up the cream--if the butter be made from cream in place of the whole milk (see next chapter on Butter Making)--should be of earthenware glazed inside, of the best quality obtainable, and be of capacity sufficient to contain seven to eight gallons. The cream vessels are deep, not shallow like the vessels in which the milk is set up to cream. Where the quantity of milk is large, milk coolers will be of great use. There are many forms of these, several being of American invention. The simplest form is that of a trough, longer than broad, and shallow; the material of tinned i...