DATE DUE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 UNIV. OF MASSACHUSETTS/AMHERST 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 SF 
 
 239 
 
 H38 
 
 CARD 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 
 in 2010 witii funding from 
 
 Boston Library Consortium IVIember Libraries 
 
 http://www.arcliive.org/details/liarleiandairysysOOIiarl 
 
Eiig-'}bvH.Sco 
 
 WniLILHi^MI lEIM^EalEY ]E^(@? 
 
 iH 
 
THE 
 
 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM, 
 
 SfC. SfC, SfC. 
 
THE 
 
 (fft^lu^uj^i^M^ 
 
 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM; 
 
 AND AN ACCOUNT OF 
 
 THE VARIOUS METHODS 
 
 OF 
 
 DAIRY HUSBANDRY 
 
 PURSUED BY THE DUTCH. 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 A NEW AND IMPROVED MODE OF VENTILATING 
 
 STABLES. 
 
 WITH 
 
 AN APPENDIX, 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 USEFUL HINTS (FOUNDED ON THE AUTHOR'S EXPE= 
 RIENCE) FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF HEDGE-ROW 
 FENCES, FRUIT TREES, &c. ; AND THE MEANS OF 
 RENDERING BARREN LAND FRUITFUL, 
 
 By WILLIAM HAHLEY. 
 
 " Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks ; and look well 
 to thy herds." 
 
 " A merciful man regardeth the life of his beast." 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 JAMES RIDGWAY, PICCADILLY; 
 
 BELL AND BRADFUTE, AND BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH; SMITH 
 AND SON, AND OGLE, GLASGOW ; 
 
 AND TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS IN GREAT BRITAIN. 
 
 M.DCCCXXIX. 
 
j '!?a:^^'.3tes:s?S3fcsaiSii^£aiJiil^ 
 
 i--.7i»>S<*5l!jjp\^'. 
 
 
 I ?«, /r'iC TV nC 
 
 MA SSACHUSET TS 
 AMHERST, MASS. 
 
 II 
 
 '-««»B»gae3 ii a aaj«u-« !! mi,'j.:' i i ' ii u;w) ^ 'ii tM.wf '— i n 
 
 II x nu'f rm n 'li^-'-f;-^-'-'-';;-'^;^*^-^' 
 
 ^37 
 
 ri ^ ^ 
 
 TILLING, PRINTER, CHELSEA. 
 
^^TRODUCTIo^^ xiu 
 
 or pre-conceived plan for its formation. Each 
 succeeding project grew out of the experience 
 of the former, till the town, which in early 
 life he visited as a stranger, was, eventually, 
 acknowledged by its citizens to have been 
 permanently benefited and improved by the 
 unremitting industry and perseverance of one 
 humble individual. 
 
 To those who have expressed a desire to 
 know more of the Author's early associations 
 than he would otherwise have had the pre- 
 sumption to disclose, it may suffice to state, 
 that he is a native of Glendovan, in the Ochills 
 of Perthshire. Deprived at a very early age 
 of his parents, he had the good fortune to have 
 the bitterness of such bereavement assuaged 
 by the affectionate attentions and parental 
 kindnesses of an excellent woman, his pater- 
 nal grandmother, who was better known to 
 the community of which she was the orna- 
 ment, as the Lady of Whiteridge, that being 
 the name of the property whence she derived 
 her income. To a strong natural understand- 
 
XIV TNTRODUCTIOK. 
 
 ing she added the advantages of a well cul- 
 tivated mind, and all the estimable qualities 
 of a heart fraught w^ith an unceasing desire 
 to do good. With these attainments she 
 undertook the grateful task of ''teaching the 
 young idea," and of so employing every 
 maternal effort for the improvement of her 
 adopted charge, as to impress upon his mind 
 by precepts pointed out to him from the Bible, 
 the Pilgrims' Progress, and similar sacred and 
 instructive sources, the great duty he owed 
 to his God, to his neighbour, and to himself. 
 This mental discipline was alternately re- 
 lieved by recreative diversities, in which this 
 much esteemed woman would delight to par- 
 ticipate ; but in none, perhaps, was there 
 more reciprocal enjoyment than in the anec- 
 dotes which she occasionally related, of the 
 Rebellion of 1745; one of these was so inde- 
 libly impressed upon the Author's mind, 
 from its family application, that he may be 
 excused for narrating it. 
 
 As it was known that the property en- 
 
INTRODUCTION. XV 
 
 joyed by the Lady of Whiteridge was held 
 of the Crown, the Pretender claimed, as his 
 right, the feu duty ; and, in order to en- 
 force the payment thereof, he sent a party 
 with instructions either to obtain the money 
 or bring away the cattle. Previous inti- 
 mation of this hostile visit having been com- 
 municated, all the Establishment was put in 
 requisition to transport the horses and black 
 cattle to a distant part of the Ochill Hills. 
 When the Pretender's party arrived, the 
 " Lady," (as she was called,) received them 
 courteously, and entertained them with libe- 
 ral hospitality ; but peremptorily refused to 
 pay the feu duty. This extraordinary firm- 
 ness, coupled with such unexpected kindness 
 to the intruders, (for, on their departure, she 
 furnished each man with a supply in his 
 plaid,) caused the persons and property of 
 Whiteridge to be thenceforth generally re- 
 spected by all parties who happened to be 
 marching or countermarching past the pre- 
 
XVI IXTRODUCTION. 
 
 mises, which were situated by the way- 
 side. 
 
 With such scenes as were ever before his 
 eye, it was to be expected the Author's early 
 habits should introduce him to a familiarity 
 with, and an attachment for. Rural affairs, 
 and particularly for those healthful and invigo- 
 rating sports of the field which can only be 
 truly relished by the lovers of a country life. 
 About this time his maternal uncle, (Mr. Blyth, 
 of Perth,) who had commenced a manufactory 
 at Kinross for weaving sattinets, endeavoured 
 to prevail upon the Author to learn that 
 business. The proposal was, at first, but 
 coldly received ; country weavers at that time 
 of day did not rank very high in the 
 estimation of society ; indeed, so deep- 
 rooted was the Author's prejudice as to the 
 respectability of the pursuit, that he consi- 
 dered the distinction to be but a shade 
 between a weaver and a '' finisher of the 
 law." A little time, however, mingled with 
 
TO 
 
 HER GRACE the DUCHESS of LEEDS; 
 
 THE 
 
 MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF THE 
 BRITISH PARLIAMENT ; 
 
 AND OTHER 
 
 NOBLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN, 
 THE AUTHOR'S PATRONS. 
 
 Alay it please your Grace, 
 
 My Lords and Gentlemen, 
 
 TO you — and especially to that 
 Cvcalted Patroness who has conferred upon me 
 most distinguished marks of kindness and con- 
 descension — / respectfully dedicate the following 
 
 Pages illustrative of an attempt (1 hope I 
 
 a 3 
 
VI 
 
 may call it a successful one) to benejit the 
 Public, 
 
 The impel feet system of Dairy Husbandry 
 ivhich had long prevailed suggested to me the 
 conviction that important Improvements were 
 attainable in this valuable branch of Rural 
 Economy, To accomplish these in a manner 
 that should render them ivorthy of universal 
 imitation required no inconsiderable capital, 
 much practical knowledge, and incessant per- 
 sonal attention. Such, at least, were the desiderata 
 impressed upon me in the progressive formation 
 of, and long before I had ultimately succeeded in 
 perfecting, the Willowbank Dairy, — an un- 
 dertaking ivhich the Citizens of Glasgow, and 
 many of you, my Lords and Gentlemen, in the 
 visits ivith which I ivas honored, have been 
 jjleased to speak of in terms that it would ill 
 become me to repeat, but the flattering kindness 
 
Vll 
 
 of which is associated with my happiest 
 recollections. 
 
 As Senators^ ever alive to the protection which 
 British Agriculture, in all its useful varieties, 
 claims from you in your legislative capacity, 
 I submit the history of my humble labours to 
 your impartial review ; and as Subscribers and 
 Patrons, I am proud in the opportunity thus 
 offered me of testifying the readiness with which 
 you are respectively known to encourage the 
 e.vertions of individuals who disseminate their 
 knoiv ledge with a view to public utility, 
 
 I have the honor to be. 
 
 With every sentiment of Gratitude and Respect, 
 Your faithful and obedient Servant, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 London^ June 1829. 
 
 a 4 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 It has been remarked by many Authors of 
 intelligence and observation, that in those 
 communities where a liberal supply of genuine 
 milk is obtained, fewer premature deaths have 
 occurred ; and that there is scarcely any arti- 
 cle of food deservedly in more general use, 
 pa^i'ticularly in Great Britain, than the pure 
 and unadulterated milk of the cow. 
 
 The various milks in use as food, it may 
 not be uninteresting to know, are cow's milk, 
 ass's milk, ewe's milk, goat's milk, mare's 
 milk, and camel's milk. That of the camel, 
 we are told, is chiefly confined to Africa and 
 China ; and that of the mare to Tartary and 
 Siberia. The milk of the goat is more gene- 
 rally used in Italy and Spain, than in any 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 other countries in Europe : the goats are driven 
 into Leghorn, Florence, Madrid, and other towns, 
 in flocks, early in the morning, and milked in 
 the streets. Goat's milk is recommended by- 
 physicians as nearly equally light as ass's 
 milk, the butter made from it containing a 
 larger proportion of glutinous substance, and 
 less oil than that of the cow. Ewe's milk 
 is gradually wearing out of notice. The milk 
 of the ass approaches the nearest to that of the 
 woman, and being the lightest of any, is much 
 recommended in pulmonary and hepatic affec- 
 tions ; but the favourite aliment of the human 
 species in this country is the milk of the cow. 
 The great improvement of late years in the 
 quality of this article may be ascribed to the 
 superior mode of nourishing that useful animal, 
 and to the cleanliness and good management 
 which are gradually being adopted in the 
 various departments of modern dairy hus- 
 bandry. Such, at least, is the opinion enter- 
 tained by the Author of the present Treatise, 
 whose knowledge of the universal inconve- 
 
INTllODUCTION. XI 
 
 nience experienced by the community from 
 the defective system prevalent many years 
 ago, first suggested to him the idea of project- 
 ing an Establishment which, w^hile it should 
 obviate the impediments that existed to the 
 health and comfort of the labouring poor, and 
 provide for all classes a v^holesome and abun- 
 dant supply of milk as it came from the cow, 
 should also exemplify the public utility of a 
 similar system being acted upon on a limited 
 or more extensive scale, in every town in' the 
 United Kingdom. 
 
 The celebrity which the Willowbank Dairy, 
 as well as the other Establishments projected 
 by the Author, obtained throughout the empire, 
 was in some degree to be attributed to the 
 unqualified approbation bestowed upon them 
 by the numerous and distinguished individuals 
 whose visits to the city of Glasgow were ac- 
 companied by a desire to inspect them, and 
 publicly testify their national utility. 
 
 It is in compliance with the reiterated and 
 flattering solicitations of very many of these 
 
Xll INTRO DUCT t ON. 
 
 patrons and friends, and with the declaration 
 of the Highland Society of Scotland that a 
 publicity of the system would be of general 
 utility, that the Author, overcoming the diffi- 
 dence which has long restrained him — as 
 well as having been hitherto deterred by 
 the many avocations which absorbed his 
 attention — now ventures to send forth to 
 the world a history of the origin, progress, 
 and successful establishment of the Willowbank 
 Dairy ;^ an Establishment which has been 
 admitted to have had much originality in 
 its construction, but, like the other extensive 
 concerns of the Author, had no long-standing 
 
 * In reference to the Title which this Work bears, the 
 Author owes it to himself to state, that he had never the 
 vanity to designate any of his undertakings with his own 
 name. The distinction was conferred upon his Establish- 
 ment by the late Robertson Buchanan, Esq., civil en- 
 gineer, who was requested by the Dublin Agricultural 
 Society to draw up an account of the Willowbank System ; 
 and that gentleman, in his Report, denominated it the 
 Harleian Dairy. Dr. Cleland, in his Annals of Glas- 
 gow, having also made use of the same term, the Author 
 presumed his Work could not receive a more appropriate 
 Title. 
 
INTRODUCTION. XVU 
 
 some useful inculcations, soon dissipated this 
 error, and the Author, in a short time, found 
 himself perfectly at home at Kinross, attend- 
 ing to the business with diligence, and en- 
 joying the hours devoted to recreation, in 
 angling in Lochleven, or, when the Loch 
 was frozen, rambling about the castle which 
 the fate of the unfortunate Marv had ren- 
 dered memorable. 
 
 After learning the operative part of that 
 business— 3^/2e linen, which was then manu- 
 factured in no other part of Scotland, the 
 Author visited Perth, where he acquired a 
 similar knowledge with regard to brown 
 linen; and, on Whitsunday, 1789, he pro- 
 ceeded to Glasgow, and was received there 
 into one of the most respectable manufac- 
 turing houses then in town. In a few 
 months he obtained such a knowledge of 
 the cotton manufacture as enabled him, in 
 the following year, to commence business on 
 his own account. In 1794 he produced the 
 
 b 
 
XVin INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Turkey red-checked gingham, a species of ma- 
 nufacture hitherto unknown in Great Britain. 
 During the first season, the sale of this 
 popular article was confined (per agreement) 
 to the late Mr. Gilchrist, of Edinburgh. Soon, 
 after this, it was introduced to the London 
 market, and subsequently became an article 
 of considerable importance as an export to 
 America and the West Indies, whither it 
 was sent in large quantities, and in great 
 varieties of original patterns. 
 
 For some time prior to the Peace of 1814 
 the Author paid nearly £20,000. annually 
 for winding and weaving of cotton yarn, in 
 addition to a large expenditure upon buildings, 
 labourers' wages, &c. 
 
 In 1802 he acquired a few acres of 
 ground, merely for a family residence, at 
 Sauchy Hall. This spot had formerly been 
 a bleach-field, and contained an abundance 
 of excellent spring water, an article of 
 which the city of Glasgow was then very. 
 
INTRODUCTION. xix 
 
 much in need.* The Author consequently- 
 set to work to obviate this public incon- 
 venience: he had carts and four-wheeled 
 carriages built, which were employed in con- 
 veying large supplies of water daily into the 
 city for the use of its inhabitants. The 
 success of this project led to the formation 
 of the Glasgow and Cranston Hill Water 
 Companies ; the establishment of which ren- 
 dered the Willowbank water afterwards un- 
 necessary. 
 
 ■ With a view, however, to turn this indis- 
 .pjensable article of life to some other public 
 account, the Author was induced to erect— 
 what was at that time much wanted — namely^ 
 hot and cold baths. These were held in 
 much estimation, and received considerable 
 patronage. At length it became a frequent 
 remark by invalids, that it would be a very 
 de&irable accommodation if- they could be 
 furnished with a little new milk; a wish 
 
 . * Vide Dr. Cleland's Aunak, p. 397. 
 b 2 
 
XX INTRODUCTION. 
 
 that was soon complied with by sending a 
 cow from the villa at Willowbank to be 
 milked at the baths ; and hence was laid 
 the foundation of the Willowbank Dairy, a 
 brief account of the progress of which may 
 not be inappropriately introduced in this 
 place. 
 
 In 1810 the first cow-house was erected, 
 which was calculated to hold twenty-four 
 cows ; a plan of which, with a description 
 of the building, will be found in the follow- 
 ing pages. As the demand for milk increased 
 additional accommodation was provided, till, 
 at the Peace in 1814, three hundred cows 
 could be arranged. At one period, the stock 
 amounted to two hundred and sixty. — Vide 
 Dr. Cleland's Annals. 
 
 The Grand Duke Nicholas, (the present 
 Emperor of Russia,) his brother the Grand 
 Duke Michael, Archdukes John and Lewis 
 of Austria, and other German Princes, as well 
 as many noblemen and gentlemen from all 
 quarters of the globe, paid a visit to, and 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXI 
 
 were highly gratified with, the Establishment. 
 Many of them expressed their regret that 
 no plan of the buildings, or account of the 
 System, had been published, which they 
 would have been willing to possess on any 
 pecuniary terms.* 
 
 The Highland Society of Scotland also 
 appointed a deputation of its members to 
 inspect the Dairy, and to report their opinion 
 of the same, which proved of so satisfactory a 
 nature as to lead to an unanimous vote of 
 the Society that a piece of plate should be 
 
 * Sir John Sinclair, Bart., in his General Report of 
 Scotland, says, — " If a plan and minute description of 
 the Willowbank System were given, it could easily be 
 adopted in every town in the kingdom. The great saving 
 that would thence accrue to the proprietors of cattle would 
 be easily demonstrated ; but the benefit which the commu- 
 nity at large would derive from this System, (which is 
 admitted to be original^ and not to be met with in any 
 other parts of the kingdom,) is of much greater im- 
 portance. It can hardly be questioned that many lives 
 are annually lost to the nation, for want of genuine milk — 
 that most nourishing diet." 
 
 b 3 
 
xxu jjjtroduction; 
 
 presented to the projector of the Establish^ 
 ment. This gratifying testimony bore the fol- 
 lowing inscription : 
 
 ** Voted by the Highland Society of Scot- 
 land to WiLLAM Harley, Esq,, Glasgow, for 
 having constructed a Dairy Establishment upon 
 a 7iew and extensive plan, at Willowbank, in 
 the vicinity of that city ; which was ascer- 
 tained, upon inspection and report, by a Com^ 
 mittee of the Society, to possess important advan- 
 tages, 1814." 
 
 It should be here stated, that the new and 
 improved house, for accommodating one hun- 
 dred cows, as described in this Work, was 
 erected after the Author had been honoured 
 with the above mark of approbation. 
 
 In perusing the various details of the Esta- 
 blishment, it will occur to the reader that 
 the Dairy was entirely conducted upon that 
 law of nature by which animals and vege- 
 tables reciprocally interchange their substances 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXlll 
 
 or qualities with each other, and which the 
 late Mr. Gurwen was always so attentive to 
 promote. The *' Soiling System"— of which 
 this distinguished agriculturist was justly de- 
 nominated " the father" — by confining the 
 animals to the spot where they are fed, is 
 productive of a more abundant quantity of 
 dress being collected and prepared, to be 
 returned to the partly exhausted soil whence 
 the food had been produced. The only dis^ 
 advantage of this system is, that the cattle 
 must be changed every ten or twelve months^ 
 otherwise their knees and feet, particularly 
 the fore- feet, will get diseased; and when 
 this happens they will neither milk nor fatten 
 to advantage. It would, therefore, be de- 
 sirable, in similar Establishments, to have 
 fields into which those cows which are 
 jthe best milkers and of fine symmetry for 
 breeding, might be turned; and also to have 
 a part of the cow-house exclusively for 
 them in order that they might be fed dif- 
 ferently from those that were fattening. 
 
 b 4 
 
XXIV INTRODUCTION'. 
 
 Though this might be adopted upon a small 
 scale, it is quite impracticable for town dairies 
 to keep many cows by grazing, as is done in 
 the country; and even were it otherwise, it 
 would not be so profitable, and would be 
 attended with much more trouble. The ad- 
 vantages arising from the Soiling System, whe- 
 ther upon a large or small scale, are now 
 generally known and approved. The produce 
 of one acre well cultivated, when cut and 
 carried, will go farther than five acres of pas- 
 ture, besides the value of the manure. 
 
 The Author having, at another period of 
 his life, acquired of Blythswood a considerable 
 quantity of poor and waste land ; he enclosed 
 it, and cultivated large supplies of vegetables 
 and fruits for the use of the city. A portion 
 of the land was disposed into arbour and 
 bowling greens; tasteful walks were also laid 
 out, and a square was formed and planted 
 upon Blythswood Hill, &c. 
 
 By the purchase and excambio of the lands 
 of Enoch Bank, the Author opened up 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXV 
 
 St. Vincent Street, George Street, Renfrew- 
 Street, Bath Street, and Nile Street. Under 
 the last, arches were formed to fill up the 
 ravine; these were converted into ice-houses, 
 &c., under which St. Enoch's Burn was arched 
 over and made a common sewer. The Author 
 commenced building along several of these 
 streets, which was the origin of what may be 
 called the New Town. 
 
 Previous to the above operations, Blythswood 
 had no access from his lands to the city ex- 
 cept by Anderstone Walk, and the Sauchy 
 Hall road, the latter of which was at that 
 time almost impassable. 
 
 Having introduced good water, pure milk, 
 and other improvements into the city, the 
 Author was subsequently much importuned by 
 a number of respectable inhabitants to turn 
 his attention to the objectionable practices 
 then prevalent in the baki?ig trade. The 
 bread in Glasgow was at that time considered 
 very inferior to what was sold in many other 
 places. The Author's numerous avocations, 
 
XXVI IXTRODUCTION. 
 
 however, induced him to resist the proposal 
 for tv^o years; but in 1815, at the instance 
 of several of the bankers and principal inha- 
 bitants, he commenced the baking of vrheaten 
 bread, the superior quality of which was 
 every where approved, not^ only in the city, 
 but by those who resided upon the west coast, 
 and at the different places where Glasgow 
 steam-boats were in the habit of plying. 
 
 Among the various pursuits in which the 
 Author was at one period engaged, he has 
 often felt that none afforded him so much 
 real gratification as the Dairy, particu- 
 larly as regarded the comfortable state of the 
 cows, and a cleanly mode of management; 
 and if he had not the veneration of a Hindoo 
 for these animals, their natural docility and pub- 
 lic usefulness to mankind often elicited from 
 him a regret that so little attention was in gene- 
 ral paid to their comfort ; for, next to the vital 
 nourishment supplied by the maternal sources 
 of the human species, the milk of the cow 
 unquestionably deserves to be ranked. The 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXVll 
 
 delight which the Author felt in seeing so 
 many lovely groupes of smiling children twice 
 a-day enjoying the delicious regalement at 
 the Willowbank Dairy, wall never be effaced 
 from his memoiy ; the a\idity, too, with which 
 the little urchins sought their customary pota- 
 tions, could only be equalled by their frolicsome 
 gambols afterwards. 
 
 Although the Author had never any partner 
 in his numerous concerns, every thing went 
 on prosperously till the Peace of 1814, when 
 the universal depression that ensued upon 
 every species of property, coupled with the 
 heavy losses consequent upon this event, 
 paralysed his exertions, and produced a revo- 
 lution in his operations which formed a source 
 of deep regret on many accounts ; but espe- 
 cially as regarded the throwing out of employ- 
 ment so many necessitous workmen and 
 faithful servants, (some of whom had been 
 with him nearly twenty years,) and the com- 
 pulsion that was imposed upon the Author to 
 
XXVlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 suspend his aid to several Institutions which 
 he had assisted to establish. 
 
 If it be asked how a single individual could 
 project, and properly conduct so many diffe- 
 rent concerns ? it is answered, that it was not 
 from any vain opinion of the competency of 
 his own abilities, but in a judicious division 
 of time and labour, and in the uniform adoption 
 into every department of that comprehensive 
 word system : these may be said to have been 
 the regulating powers of his extensive machi- 
 nery. The motto, in short, throughout his 
 Establishments was, " Every man at his post 
 and doing his duty." 
 
 The Author will not arrogate to himself that 
 many of his plans might not have been better 
 concocted, or rendered more complete in their 
 respective branches. It is nevertheless a 
 source of grateful satisfaction to him to re- 
 flect, that in his various undertakings he 
 always aimed at being useful ; and he is willing 
 to hope the community have derived benefit 
 
INTRODUCTION. XXIX 
 
 from his labours, and that they will not be 
 displeased with his present humble attempt 
 to promulgate, for the benefit of mankind^ 
 the knowledge acquired by many years' 
 industrious application to the affairs of an 
 active and busy life. 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 The Author deems it necessary to offer 
 some explanation to his readers for the appa- 
 rent imperfect execution of the portraits of an 
 Ayrshire Bull and Cow. The fact is, they 
 were originally embellishments to Mr. Alton's 
 " Treatise on Dairy Husbandry;" and that 
 gentleman having very kindly tendered the 
 use of the plates for this work, the impressions 
 were taken off in Scotland and have only just 
 arrived. From the delay which this publica- 
 tion has already experienced by the Author's 
 visit to Holland, together with his time being 
 much occupied in forming in the metropolis, 
 
XXX POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 at the solicitation of many highly respectable 
 gentlemen, an Establishment to improve 
 THE QUALITY OF Bread, with the vicw of 
 supplying the public with that first necessary 
 of life, in a pure and unadulterated state; 
 he was unwilling to trespass farther upon the 
 indulgence of his numerous Patrons, by sending 
 for the plates and having them retouched and 
 improved in London. He therefore hopes this 
 explanation will be received as a sufficient 
 apology for the absence of that finished execu- 
 tion which is imparted to the other graphic 
 illustrations of the book. 
 
 It is due, however, to the Artist to state, that 
 the figure of the animals, their proportions, &c. 
 are understood to have been originally approved 
 of by the ** Kilmarnock Farmers' Club," 
 
 Contiguous to the Baking Establishment it 
 is proposed to erect, for general inspection, ji 
 small cow-house and stable, illustrative of the 
 system pursued by the Author at \^illowbank, 
 as explained in the subsequent pages. 
 
 London f June, 1829. , . 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Dedication v 
 
 Introduction ix 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Dr. Cleland's account of the Dairy business in Glasgow, 
 from 1780 to 1808. — Commencement of the Willow- 
 bank Dairy. — Benefit of the Author's Establish- 
 ment manifested. -Its surprising extension at the 
 end of six years. — Tricks and frauds of small dealers 
 detected and exposed. — -The Author's principles 
 stated in reference to the conduct of his concern. — 
 Mode in which the common Dairies of Glasgow were 
 at one time conducted, — Prominent features of th© 
 Author's system exemplified in a uniform attention 
 to cleanliness. — Evils of close or ill- ventilated cow- 
 houses pointed out. — Description of the site and 
 buildings forming the Willowbank Establishment. — 
 The various sizes and purposes of the offices explained. 
 — The ordinary method of fattening cattle in cow- 
 houses objected to, and a more improved plan stated. 
 — Value of cows' manure, and its use. — Plan adopted 
 for exhibiting the Willowbank Establishment to 
 Visitors 1 
 
XXXll CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Page. 
 Description of accommodations for cold baths, and of 
 
 the plan acted upon for constructing an efficient milk- 
 house. — Description of other offices connected with this 37 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The machinery, vessels, &c. relative to the steam 
 engine department described , 46 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Regulations observed by the milk distributors. — Quan- 
 tity of milk produced by each cow, how ascertained 
 and accounted for. — Description of the milk vessels 
 used by the distributors. — The churning process 
 detailed. — Peeding time of the cows, their food, &c. 
 — Milk carriages described. — Mode of warning cus- 
 tomers by the distributors. — Receptacle for the cow- 
 dung, and mode adopted by the feeders in supplying 
 the cows 52 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Method of conveying and applying the urine to grass 
 fields. — Application of urine and soap-suds to fruit 
 trees : the essential benefit of this plan pointed out 
 and recommended.— General duties of the byremen. 
 
CONTENTS. XXXlll 
 
 Page. 
 — The various kinds of provender commonly used at 
 Willowbank. — The Author's trial of mangel wiirtzel ; 
 results of its cultivation, and use as provender. — 
 Luxurious effects produced upon green crops by irri- 
 gating with urine. — Turnips a complete substitute for 
 scarcity of grass. — Mode of storing and preserving 
 grains. — Process of substituting Swedish turnips and 
 potatos for yellow turnips, as soft food. — Cultivation 
 of vegetable gardens for the supply of the citizens. — 
 Rules relative to the quantity of food given to the 
 animals. — Anecdote of Dr. Gregory of Edinburgh. — 
 General system observed in feeding the cows. — Di- 
 rections for giving raw or steamed turnips. — Process 
 of milking described, and the quantity supplied by 
 each cow how ascertained. — Various qualities of the 
 milk defined. — Description of means adopted for 
 checking adulteration. — Regulations observed to en- 
 sure order and cleanliness . — D airymaid's office . — Fur- 
 ther details of the process of churning. — Comparative 
 advantages of churning by steam and using Baker's 
 patent churn. — Judicious selection of cows of great 
 importance to the success of a dairy. — Qualities of 
 improved dairy cows described. — Mode of correcting 
 the bad habits of vicious cows detailed. — Arrange- 
 ment of cows intended for sale, and conditions of 
 disposal. — Advice to prevent milk from tasting of 
 turnips, &c. 63 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Description of the piggery, and particulars of the rear- 
 ing this kind of stock 118 
 
 c 
 
XXXIV CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Page. 
 Mode of keeping the various books at Willowbank, and 
 the practice pursued relative to paying the workmen 126 
 
 CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 Description of the first cow-house, containing twenty- 
 four cows. — Regulations respecting feeding, &c. — 
 Hints for dairymaids 135 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Information to private families relative to the most 
 profitable method of building a byre, and of managing 
 one or more cows , 142 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 History of the Edinburgh, London, and Dutch dairies 149 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Mode of treating cattle in South Holland. — Account 
 
 of the dairy farms in that country, and of the mode 
 
 of manufacturing cheese and butter. — Rules observed 
 
 by the Dutch farmers as to the quantity and quality 
 
 of milk. — Value of calves, and of the common way of 
 rearing them • 167 
 
CONTENTS. XXXV 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Page. 
 Of the dairy farmers in North Holland. — Account of 
 the various descriptions of cheese made in that dis- 
 trict. — Mode of rearing the pigs, their treatment, and 
 value when disposed of. — Description of the colour- 
 ing liquid used for dyeing cheese. — Treatment of the 
 cattle, and description of the cow and cheese 
 houses, and vessels 174 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Account of the canals in the Netherlands. — Mode of 
 testing the quality of milk by the Government officers 192 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 General remarks resulting from the Author's Continen- 
 tal tour 196 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 On the ventilation and proper construction of Stables,&c. 204 
 
 Note. — The access of Blythswood's lands to the 
 City of Glasgow, by opening up New Streets, will be found 
 detailed in the Introduction, p. xxiv. 
 
XXXVl CONTET^TS. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Page. 
 I. Description of the Author's farm, called Sight 
 Hill ; improvement of the same, &c. — Mode 
 of extirpating earth-worms, &c. 217 
 
 II. How to preserve dung from exposure to the 
 atmosphere. — Comparative advantage of dung 
 of the best quality, and inferior dung .... 228 
 
 III. Treatment of fruit trees, and successful plan 
 
 adopted by the Author for destroying the 
 caterpillar. — Two of the most injurious 
 species described 231 
 
 IV. The subject further treated of 238 
 
 V. On planting thorns, &c. for fences, beech 
 
 hedges, &c. 241 
 
 VI. Of the well-springs at Ochills. — Importance of 
 irrigation. — The valuable liquids for vegeta- 
 tion descanted on ; 248; 
 
 VII. History of the Ayrshire breed of cows, of which 
 
 the Harleian Dairy was chiefly composed . . 256 
 
 VIII. The Author's plans for effecting a reformation 
 
 in the moral condition of the Glasgow poor. . 273^= 
 
 :{ 
 
THE 
 
 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM, 
 
 ^^c. Sec. Sfc. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 In Dr. Cleland's Annals of Glasgow, it is stated 
 that, in 1780, the price of new milk in that 
 city was two-pence per Scotch pint, or one 
 halfpenny per English pint, corresponding with 
 the Scotch mutchkin. From that time till 
 1808, the price continued to rise, when it 
 ultimately sold as high as eight-pence per 
 pint, being four times as dear as it was 
 twenty-eight years before. The extent of the 
 supply, however, was by no means in propor- 
 tion to the increase of the population; hence 
 the scarcity of the article enabled the milk 
 
 B 
 
2 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 dealers to obtain so high a price, although 
 the quality was much deteriorated, owing to 
 the wretched system of managing the cattle, 
 and the still more objectionable and general 
 practice of adulteration. There was, besides, 
 no standard for determining the measure by 
 which milk should be sold ; so that the public 
 were exposed to the alternative of dispensing 
 with milk altogether, or consenting to be 
 satisfied with it of such quality and measure 
 as the dealers were disposed to vend it. As 
 an instance to what extent the want of system 
 was carried, and the random manner in which 
 the dairy business was conducted, each dealer 
 had measures suited to his own peculiar 
 views ; that is, they were either very small, 
 or middle sized, according to the measure 
 of his own conscience ; and it not unfre- 
 quently happened, that when, in the winter 
 season, the quantity was diminished, instead 
 of getting new measures of a still smaller 
 size, the sides of the summer measures were 
 beaten in to reduce their dimensions, thus 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM, 3 
 
 adapting the quantity they should hold to a 
 winter price. 
 
 Such was the state of the dairy business in 
 Glasgow in 1809, when the Willowbank 
 Dairy commenced. The late James Black, 
 Esq. was then Lord Provost of the city ; he, 
 as well as many others of the most respectable 
 citizens, patronised the establishment on pub- 
 lic grounds, and in particular applauded the 
 mode which its proprietor had adopted of sell- 
 ing milk by the Scotch pint, and its aliquot 
 proportions ; the quantity contained in each 
 measure hei72g marked upon its outside. This 
 equitable practice gave such general satisfac- 
 tion to the citizens, and was besides so effectual 
 in preventing imposition and fraud, that his 
 lordship often expressed his regret he did not, 
 when filling the official situation of Dean of 
 the Guildry, in 1806-7, issue regulations upon 
 the subject, and especially to direct the stamp- 
 ing of all measures used in the sale of milk. 
 
 Previously to the establishment of the Willow- 
 bank Dairy, there was comparatively little 
 
 B 2 
 
4 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 milk used in Glasgow; a circumstance, no 
 doubt, chiefly attributable to the causes already- 
 alluded to, namely, its high price and inferior 
 quality. In addition to this, many of the 
 cows were kept in narrow lanes and confined 
 corners, where the atmosphere was contami- 
 nated with effluvia arising from mire and 
 stagnant water, and the want of ventilation; 
 so little attention, indeed, was then paid to 
 cleanliness in conducting the business, that 
 many persons, especially those of delicate 
 constitutions, and who, consequently, stood 
 most in need of that excellent restorative, 
 denied themselves the use of milk, from the 
 disgust naturally excited at the filthy mode 
 of bringing it to market. 
 
 Such being the state of the milk trade at 
 that time, the Author of this work was forcibly 
 impressed with the necessity of having the 
 premises intended for his establishment, erected 
 in an airy situation, to be properly ventilated, 
 and to be kept perfectly clean. He was, there- 
 fore, led to devise a completely new arrange- 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. O 
 
 ment of the necessary buildings, as well as a 
 new system of management, applicable to the 
 details of the business ; and above all things, 
 he resolved that cleanliness should extend not 
 only to every utensil used in the concern, but to 
 every individual in the establishment. The 
 premises were accordingly built on a fine airy 
 site, at the top of West Nile Street. It was, 
 however, soon manifest, that the chief difficulty 
 consisted in getting the servants to comply 
 with the regulations respecting order and 
 cleanliness ; for, when they were reprimanded 
 for the neglect of any of these, the common 
 reply was, in the true old Scotch style, and 
 which has been so happily ridiculed in the 
 Cottagers of Glenbernie ; '' O ! we ken weal 
 eneugh about kye, and we canna be fashed wi' 
 thae new fangled ways." But even this 
 difficulty was at length surmounted, and the 
 Author's perseverance eventually triumphed 
 alike over custom and prejudice — two of the 
 most obstinate and provoking grounds of resist- 
 ance that a practical man can possibly meet 
 
 B 3 
 
6 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 with in his attempts to alter, or ameliorate, 
 any long-existing system* 
 
 The novelty of the scheme, the superior 
 quality of the milk, and the neat and cleanly 
 manner in which the entire establishment was 
 conducted, caused a great demand for the 
 article, the whole of which was, for some time, 
 entirely disposed of at the dairy; when, how- 
 ever, the customers became numerous, it was 
 sent out to those districts in the immediate 
 vicinity of the establishment; and, in process 
 of time, and at the earnest desire of the in- 
 habitants, the supply was gradually extended 
 to the whole city and its suburbs. The dis- 
 tricts nearest to the dairy were supplied from 
 hand pitchers; and the remote districts and 
 suburbs, from vessels on spring carriages, drawn 
 by small ponies. 
 
 The benefit of the Author's new establish^ 
 ment to the community was soon appreciated; 
 for whenever the Willowbank Milk was sent 
 to a new districtj it was observed, that the 
 other dealers not only improved the quality 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. f- 
 
 of their commodity, but had their measures 
 made to a more correct standard. And, after 
 all, notwithstanding the gloomy anticipations 
 entertained by them and their friends, not even 
 the small dealers had any reason to complain 
 of the result; for, as their business increased, 
 so did that of the Willowbank; and, in the 
 course of a very short time, it v^as computed 
 that the number of cows kept for dairy pur- 
 poses in Glasgow, was doubled. At the end 
 of about six years, from its commencement, 
 there were, in the Willowbank Dairy alone, 
 two hundred and sixty cows; which, it is 
 presumed, was a number equal to that which 
 had been previously kept by the whole of the 
 small dealers; and yet their business had never 
 sustained the least decline. The liberal sup- 
 ply, furnished from Willowbank, induced a 
 laudable emulation among the minor dealers, 
 and hence arose all the advantages which the 
 citizens so decidedly experienced. The least 
 of these, perhaps, were the improved quality 
 of the milk, and the reduction in the price. 
 
 b4 
 
8 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 The sale of milk now became an extensive 
 and regular object of trade; and in a com- 
 mercial town, the success and extension of 
 one concern naturally benefit every other. 
 Harleys Milk also became, as it were, the 
 fashion ; its unrivalled excellence was the sub- 
 ject of every lady's praise. All the world talked 
 of the Willowbank Dairy ; thousands, impelled 
 by a curiosity which its fame had raised, went 
 to see it; and so charmed, in short, was every 
 one with the order and cleanliness displayed, 
 that many, who had never thought of it before, 
 now became consumers of milk as a part of 
 their daily food. 
 
 In conducting this dairy business there was 
 one great draw-back, which operated seriously 
 against the success of its projector. Engaged 
 in numerous avocations, the demands upon his 
 time were so incessant as to prevent the pos- 
 sibility of his coming frequently in contact 
 with his patrons, or their servants. The small 
 dealers, on the other hand, were in constant 
 communication with their customers; and, in 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEI\r. 9 
 
 a thousand instances, by the temptation of 
 douceurs, induced the servants to give their 
 milk a preference; this vs^as accomplished in 
 several instances, by a less quantity of milk 
 and cream being purchased than wrs ordered, 
 thereby retaining part of the money, and mak- 
 ing up the deficit with water. When this 
 mixture was compared with the milk from 
 the small dealers, it tended, for a while, to 
 create a prejudice unfavourable to the Willow- 
 bank Milk ; to obviate this, it became ne- 
 cessary to detect the perpetrators of the mis- 
 chief; and the facts, consequent upon the dis- 
 covery, it was deemed proper to publish in 
 the journals of the day. 
 
 The Author deems it but justice to state, 
 that, throughout the whole undertaking, his 
 object was never avowedly to bring down the 
 price of milk, so as to conquer opposition, "but 
 simply to supply a pure unadulterated beve- 
 rage, such as would at once benefit the 
 citizens, and yield an adequate return upon the 
 labour and capital employed in the business. 
 
10 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 At the very beginning, therefore, he fixed the 
 price at six-pence the Scotch pint, which he 
 conceived a fair remuneration, although the cur- 
 rent charge among the small dealers, as already 
 mentioned, was at that time not less than 
 eight-pence. There was some dissatisfaction 
 manifested at this resolution among the dealers 
 at first, but it soon subsided; and in truth 
 there was not much reason for complaint. It 
 has always been a fixed principle laid down 
 by the Author, that any article he was engaged 
 in manufacturing, or dealing in, never to under- 
 sell, but to compete only in regard to quality, 
 and to sell at a fair price. 
 
 After the Willowbank System came into full 
 operation, it vv^as acknowledged, on all hands, 
 that Glasgow was better supplied with genuine 
 milk and cream, than any other large town in 
 the kingdom. Those who remember it, will 
 admit that this is not a mere assumption, but 
 derived from the testimony of thousands; and 
 so celebrated did the establishment become, 
 that few strangers or travellers, whatever might 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 11 
 
 be their occupation or rank, omitted to visit it, 
 as an object even of national interest. The 
 politician, the man of science, the agricultu- 
 rist, the merchant, and the manufacturer, have 
 all been attracted to it, and publicly testified 
 their approbation. Noblemen of the highest 
 rank too have been seen in the train ; and the 
 Author could adorn the catalogue of his 
 visitors with some of the heirs to the greatest 
 monarchies in Europe. 
 
 The picture which has just been drawn, of 
 the mode in which the common dairies of 
 Glasgow were at one time conducted, it is 
 believed, may be applied, at the present mo- 
 ment, to most of the dairies in every town in 
 the kingdom; except in so far as they have 
 copied or borrowed from the Willowbank Sys- 
 tem, of w^iich none have yet disputed or even 
 doubted the originality. This consideration 
 then, among others, has not been without its 
 due weight in prompting the Author to publish 
 a full account of his System, and to lay the 
 result of many years' experience before his 
 
12 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 countrymen, with a view to stimulate them to 
 similar exertions. The plainness of his illus- 
 trations, and the minuteness of his details, he 
 hopes, will make the System intelhgible, and 
 easy to be adopted. There can be little doubt 
 that, if carried generally into effect in diffe- 
 rent quarters of the kingdom, it would at once 
 contribute to the prosperity of individuals, and 
 to the common good of the country. 
 
 As before observed, one of the most promi' 
 nent features of the Author's System, is atten- 
 tion to cleanliness. In no article of food is 
 cleanliness so essentially necessary, as in the 
 management of milk, whether sold in its 
 liquid state taken directly from the cow, or 
 manufactured into butter, or cheese : milk, it 
 is believed, may be tainted more easily than 
 any other liquid, either by mixture, by contact 
 with foreign substances, or by impure air ; 
 hence the propriety of cow-houses being built 
 in airy situations, and well ventilated. The 
 milk and dairy-houses should be placed to 
 the windward, (which, in Scotland, is generally 
 
HARLEIAX DAIRY SYSTEM. 13 
 
 south-west,) or in such a situation as to be 
 out of the reach of the foul air arising from 
 the dung made by the cattle on the premises. 
 From these hints, and the explanations given 
 in the sequel, it is presumed that improve- 
 ments might be made in the dairies already- 
 established ; and when landowners, or tenants, 
 require to build new houses, whether for a 
 small, or a large number of cows, it is hoped 
 that the adoption of the System detailed in this 
 treatise will be found of great advantage, not 
 only as contributing to improve the produc- 
 tion of a more pure and wholesome beverage 
 so universally used as milk, but as tending 
 to benefit the health of cattle used for dairy 
 purposes. These two objects being attained, 
 the prosperity of the dairy system, and of 
 those who embark in it, will follow of course. 
 
 In close, or ill ventilated cow-houses, the 
 cattle will often be found in a profuse perspi- 
 ration, which is brought on solely by their 
 inhaling an atmosphere deficient in vital air, 
 (oxygen gas ;) this necessarily exhausts their 
 
14 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 vigour, and makes them liable to be injured 
 by cold when the door is opened, or when 
 they are turned out into the fields ; and when 
 they are milked in these dirty hovels, the 
 milk is always impregnated with foul air. 
 Every cow-house, even upon the smallest 
 scale, should be properly ventilated, as sub- 
 sequently described, and no stagnant water, 
 or filth, should be permitted to remain in or 
 near the premises. 
 
 The site chosen for the Willowbank build- 
 ings, as already noticed, was in a fine airy 
 situation, at the head of Nile Street, upon 
 one of the areas which formed part of the 
 building plan of Blythswood's estate, and 
 which was bounded on each side, by streets 
 of sixty feet wide. In the centre of this 
 area, the Author formed a mews-lane, twenty 
 feet wide, running from east to west. The 
 first cow-house which he built, and which was 
 projected chiefly as an experiment, contained 
 only twelve double stalls, and, of course, the 
 accommodation was limited to only twenty- 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 15 
 
 four COWS. In forming the new extended 
 establishment, the first building was compre- 
 hended in the plan, and fronted the street on 
 the east; it was bounded on the south, by 
 the above-mentioned mews-lane, and addi- 
 tional buildings were constructed, which ex- 
 tended to the street on the west; these con- 
 sisted of an engine-house, cow-kitchen, &c., 
 which were placed nearly in the centre of the 
 original range of cow-houses. A piggery, 
 store-houses, &c. lined the street on the north, 
 or lee side; the piggery fronted the range of 
 cow-houses, and the area between these two 
 ranges was causewayed, as was also the 
 mews-lane : the whole was kept clean by con- 
 stant sweeping. 
 
 The cow-house, which was last erected, was 
 upon a grand scale, and adapted to contain 
 one hundred cows. It was placed on the 
 south-west part of the area, bounded by the 
 mews-lane on the north, by the street on 
 the west and south, and on the east by 
 the public baths which the Author had built 
 
16 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 a few years before. Being on a steep inclined 
 plane, it stood upon groin arches, forming 
 vaults, divided into three apartments by- 
 transverse walls. The centre division received 
 the dung from the grooves above, which either 
 remained there till it was found convenient 
 to cart it away, or the carts were placed under 
 the aperture to receive the dung direct from 
 the grooves. There were six apertures for 
 the dung, formed in the brick arches, each 
 eighteen inches diameter, and placed three 
 feet distant from the transverse passage ; those 
 in the middle longitudinal passage were 
 placed in the centre for the purpose of receiv- 
 ing the dung right and left from the double 
 row of cows ; and those in the two-side longi- 
 tudinal passages were placed in the side of 
 each passage close to the groove ; but the 
 apertures at the sides were seldom or never 
 used ; it was found better to wheel the dung 
 from the grooves of the side-rows of cows to 
 the central openings, because it was thus kept 
 more closely together, and the cart entry below 
 
O^''"'"'^ y'/'^'f ■■/'^/i<- ^<rf</t ( (■"' Jfrr/ji' 
 
 <^„<n.-^://^, ffu .yt:,;L^.n d»My jy^/.;., /%/■/. J,../ /,/ y,;,/,^„.,„y, y/;„/,.„ /S2(). 
 
¥- 
 m-'- 
 
 References to the GROUND PLAN. 
 
 A A. Stone cribs. BB. Grooves. CC. Cast-metal posts 
 between ivhich the wireframes ee ai'e hung ; these frames are 
 suspended by cords to the iron I'od f f, which go over the pullies 
 fixed to the iron rails gg. DD. Iron stakes to which the 
 cattle are fixed by means of small chains. EE. Cast-iron 
 moveable plates which cover the opening through which the 
 dung passes to the vaults &&. FF. Longitudinal passages. 
 GG. Cast-metal moveable plates, under which are placed the 
 filtering vessels; into these the urine runs from the grooves 
 and passes into the wooden rones ; ii are the grooves through 
 which the urine runs below the pavement of the large passage. 
 HH. Place where the wheel and pinion are fixed to the 
 partition. II. Single stalls. 33. Double stalls. KK. Bal- 
 cony. LL. Transverse passage. 
 
Se^iwn, on ifft&Zitte CD. 
 
 S'Bciwn ort theXtrm .A.S. 
 
 >~r~"r-i I 1 I I I — r— h 
 
 Scale of Feet 
 
,y';-/f,'//^ r/'^/f ^<'/,/,' O'l'f ,/{t>/f<jr 
 
 W 
 
 Plan p^fojf mrtxlJ^M^. 
 
 
 Ift'fjon on //itZinf Jf.J^ 
 
 
 -Li^LL .- LLLi-.LUL.,.UL. 
 
 '■ \' ^1 ia^ I li pi ii. I 
 
 '/■/■ne>// e>» «fcr £i./w a.^. 
 
 ;//.■' ^„- J^:,-4w„ y.nyjifjf,,,, :r„//,jL,/ /y/Ji'U,,,,,,/. y.''':</-,. /cv 
 
i 
 
 References to the SECTIONS. 
 
 "PP. Cow-house f'^Q;. Cellars. RR. Longitudinal walls 
 which divide the vaults, S. Cart entry to cellars. TT. Tank. 
 UU. Sky windows. VV. Level of Cow-house floor. 
 WW. Section of brick vaulting. XX. Layer of puddle 
 above the brick vaulting. YY. The hecks wound up for 
 admitting the feeding dishes. TiZ. The hecks in their posi- 
 tion when the cattle are feeding. &&. The vaults, m. Space 
 for wooden trevis. n. Space for the grating for heck. 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 17 
 
 was thus kept cleaner. There were cast-iron 
 frames fitted into the pavement, across the lon- 
 gitudinal passage in the centre, to support cast- 
 iron covers over the apertures, which were made 
 flush with the pavement. The central cover 
 was three feet long by two feet wide ; and at 
 each end it had an additional foot, making 
 five feet in length, to correspond with the 
 pavement. Each of the side pieces had a 
 piece turned down at a right angle, which 
 rested upon a curb stone at the side of the 
 groove; this stone was rounded upon the top, 
 and two inches higher than the bottom of the 
 groove, to prevent the water from flowing over 
 into the dung-hole. The covers had finger 
 holes for lifting them up ; the side ones hinged 
 with crooks, and folded back to allow the dung 
 to drop through the apertures; and this was 
 drawn along the grooves with a broad, inverted, 
 or hooked scraper, commonly called a clat. 
 The whole of the covers were taken off* when 
 there were ashes or anything else to be mixed 
 with the dung, which was carted along the 
 
18 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 transverse passage; this mixture was often 
 necessary to render the dung fit for carting, as 
 the high feeding of the cattle made it rich and 
 soft. 
 
 The south division of the vaults v^as fitted 
 up for cows that were dry, and prepared for 
 fattening. That apartment being quiet, and 
 having little light, was deemed better adapted 
 for carrying on the process of fattening than 
 the other cow-houses, darkness and quiet 
 greatly contributing to assist the progress, and 
 make the cattle much sooner fit for slaughter- 
 ing. The other, or north division of the vaults, 
 was appropriated as a cellar for holding pota- 
 toes, turnips, and other provender; and it 
 answered the purpose remarkably well, both 
 from its effectually preventing the conse- 
 quences of frost in the winter season, and 
 affording a fine free ventilation by openings 
 to the lane from the upper part of the roof. 
 
 Along the south side of the cow-house was 
 a road forming an inclined plane, which turned 
 the south east corner, and entered the cellars 
 
HARLETAN DAIRT STSTEM. 19 
 
 by an archway at the centre; the bottom of 
 this cellar, or dunghill, was paved with white 
 stone, inclining towards the west, or farther 
 end. At that end, or west side of the house, 
 was a large tank, or reservoir, as a depository 
 for the cows' urine ; it was fifty feet long, six 
 feet wide, and six deep. The surface of the 
 tank was on a level with the bottom of the cel- 
 lar ; it was covered with fiat brick-work, arched, 
 leaving a space in the centre of the arch, four 
 feet square, for taking out the sediment. This 
 aperture was surrounded by a wall sufficiently 
 high to prevent the dung from getting into the 
 tank. 
 
 The gTand building, which contained one 
 hundred cows, was ninety-four feet long by 
 sixty-three feet wide, within the walls ; it was 
 nine feet high, and covered with three roofs, 
 in a pavilion form, the central one being 
 twenty-four feet wide, and the others nineteen 
 feet and a half each. These roofs rested upon 
 two longitudinal beams, supported by cast-iron 
 pillars. There were no horizontal ceilings; 
 
 c2 
 
20 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 the slates were hung to the rafters on pins, 
 and were not lime-pointed, but had a good 
 cover. This mode saved a considerable ex- 
 pense, ventilated the house better, and was 
 found warm enough for the cattle in the coldest 
 weather. There were thirty windows in the 
 roof, each three feet , six inches by one* foot 
 eight inches, hung with hooks and eyes, and 
 having a latch-handle fastened to the bottom 
 of the frame inside, to admit atmospheric air 
 at pleasure, and promote ventilation. There 
 were four windows in each side of the roofs, 
 and one at each end. In warm weather, part 
 of the doors and windows were opened, .and 
 when very hot, the whole were opened wide, 
 which produced a free circulation of cool air. 
 In short, by attending to a proper ventilation 
 of the grand cow-house, and preserving at 
 the same time an equal temperature, the 
 cattle, whether for milking or fattening, were 
 uniformly kept in good health, and in the 
 finest condition. 
 . The heat was generally kept at the tempe- 
 
ttARLElAN DAIRY SYSTEM. ^21 
 
 rature of from 60 to 64 degrees of Fahrenheit's 
 scale ; and as the walls were plastered care- 
 fully, the cattle never experienced any injury 
 from cold, even in winter. It was often neces- 
 sary, however, even at that season, to open 
 some of the windows on the lee side of the 
 house ; and if more air was wanted, it was 
 found better to open one or more windows on 
 the windward side, than to open any door. 
 It was customary, also, especially in cold 
 weather, before opening the doors at the end 
 of the feeding passages, to shut all the win- 
 dows, as a direct current of cold air suddenly 
 admitted, was found to be exceedingly inju- 
 rious. Great care was also taken to have all 
 the doors and windows tight, and not to admit 
 cold air but when necessary. There were, 
 in all, eleven doors to the grand cow-house, 
 viz. one at each end of the five longitudinal 
 passages, measuring seven feet by three feet 
 six inches; and one at the end of the wide' 
 passage, fronting the balcony, seven feet by 
 six feet. All the passages were laid with the 
 
 c 3 
 
22 HARLEIAN ©AIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 hardest hewn free-stone; the five longitudinal 
 ones were five feet wide, commencing at the 
 side walls ; the transverse passage was nine 
 feet wide, near the centre of the building, 
 there being four rows, of twelve cows each, on 
 one side, and four rows, of thirteen cows, on 
 the other side. 
 
 The passages were rounded two and a half 
 inches across, which made them wear much 
 longer, and if any liquid was spilt, it ran off. 
 
 The floor on which the cows stood was 
 raised six inches above the passages; this not 
 only showed the emus to greater advantage, 
 but kept them dry and clean ; and two and a 
 half feet of the floor next to the trough was 
 made of composition, similar to what is com- 
 monly used in making barn floors; because 
 the principal weight of the cows being upon 
 their four feet, and as in lying down the whole 
 weight is upon their knees, it was obviously 
 desirable to have that part of the stall a3 
 smooth and soft as possible. Indeed, it is 
 conceived that joists and flooring would be 
 
HARLEtAX DAIRT SYSTEM. 23 
 
 the best for that purpose, were it not for the ex- 
 pense. The back part of the stall was of hewn 
 stone ; and for about eighteen inches towards 
 the groove, there was an inclination of about 
 half an inch, to let the water go off ; and these 
 eighteen inches were of stript ashlar trans- 
 versed, the strips being about an inch separate ; 
 this prevented the feet of the cows from slip- 
 ping. In all cow-houses, perhaps, the front 
 part of the stall should be rather lower than 
 the back part, since it would enable the cattle 
 to lie easier ; and, besides this, they would not 
 be apt to slip their calf. It may here be 
 recommended, en passant, that cows which put 
 out their calf bed, or have a tendency to slip 
 their calf, should have a straw mat laid below 
 their hind quarters. 
 
 The bottom of the feeding troughs were on 
 a level with the floor of the stalls ; both edges 
 were of hewn stone; the outer one next the 
 passage was three inches above the bottom of 
 the trough, and the other six inches higher; 
 they were four and a half inches thick, and 
 
 c 4 
 
24 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM* 
 
 rounded to a semicircle ; the trough was one 
 foot three inches wide, and six feet four inches 
 long. 
 
 The space between the longitudinal pas- 
 sages was nine feet six inches ; in some of 
 the cow-houses there were six inches, more 
 or less, for the different sizes of cows ; of which 
 one foot six inches was for the groove, and two 
 feet for the grass, or hay trough; leaving six 
 feet from the inner side of the trough to the 
 inside of the groove. This space was subdivi- 
 ded, in the other direction, by wooden parti- 
 tions, distant six feet four inches, which con- 
 tained two cows ; each cow being fixed to a 
 stake nine inches distant from the partitions, 
 and six inches from the grass trough, so that 
 the stakes were five feet six inches apart 
 from the inside of the groove. These stakes 
 v^ere made of cast-iron, with a quarter of a 
 circle of nine inches at top, and a cross head 
 six inches long, which had a hole at each end 
 for screw bolts to pass through the partition; 
 so that there were two stakes bolted together 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 25 
 
 through each partition, and forming a semi- 
 circle ; this kept the stakes firm, and prevented 
 the cows from putting their heads over the 
 partition, or trevice. The partitions v^ere 
 supported at each end by round cast-iron 
 pillars, with ball tops, rising five inches above 
 the partition; those which were next the 
 passages were connected by a lintel and pilas- 
 ter ; the latter was placed in the centre between 
 two pillars, enclosing two hecks, to prevent the 
 cows from pushing the hay or grass out of the 
 trough into the passages. A range of these 
 hecks, embracing one half of the length of the 
 cow-house, were pulled up and let down when 
 the cows were fed, by the operation of a wheel 
 and pinion, placed on the outside of the par- 
 tition in the transverse passage. 
 
 The partitions of the grand cow-house were 
 all of wood, one and a quarter inch thick ; 
 they were four feet long, five feet three inches 
 high at the end next the passages, and moulded 
 down to four feet three inches at the other 
 end ; these were supported by cast-iron hollow 
 
26 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 pillars, two and a half inches diameter, with 
 grooves for receiving the partitions. Two rows 
 of these pillars were lengthened to nine feet, 
 to support the main beams of the roof; a per- 
 pendicular pilaster of cast-iron, two and a half 
 by two and a quarter inches, with grooves 
 for the hecks, was placed in the centre, between 
 two pillars, at the passages, supporting a cast- 
 iron lintel, four by one inch, with a ledge for 
 receiving one and three quarter inch pullies, 
 over which ropes were passed for drawing up 
 the hecks. 
 
 All the hecks were three feet two inches 
 long by one foot ten inches deep, framed 
 with deal two and a quarter inches wide by 
 one and a quarter inch thick, and were fil- 
 led up with one horizontal and ten perpen- 
 dicular iron rods a quarter of an inch dia- 
 meter. 
 
 There were iron rods five eighths of an inch 
 diameter, screwed into each other the whole 
 length of the subdivision. The hecks were 
 hung with window line, and put through holes 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 27 
 
 in the iron rod, and a knot cast on the upper 
 side of the rod ; there were also three feet of 
 a cart rope, next to the wheel and pinion, 
 which went over a large pulley placed on the 
 top of the partition at the transverse passage. 
 At first, ropes were used instead of iron rods ; 
 but the strain upon these was so great as to 
 prevent the hecks from being moved smoothly 
 and without noise. 
 
 The chains for fixing the cows to the stakes 
 were placed on swivels, with a ring three and 
 a half inches diameter, allowing an inch of 
 play; and the stakes were two and a half 
 inches diameter, of solid cast-iron. The chains 
 were three feet seven inches long, consisting 
 of twenty-one links, viz. three on one side of 
 the swivel, and eighteen on the other; the 
 short end of the chain had a hook for joining 
 the chain, with a broad point of an oval shape, 
 which was more easily hooked and unhooked, 
 and answered the purpose better than the 
 common mode used in dogs' chains. 
 
 The ordinary method of fastening cattle in 
 
28 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM". 
 
 cow-houses, is, to fix the neck of the animal 
 between two stakes, similar in appearance to 
 that of a culprit in the pillory. This, to say 
 the least of it, is exceedingly improper ; for it 
 completely prevents, what is at once a natural 
 and very necessary operation of the animal 
 itself, viz. the licking of its skin ; whereas, by 
 the mode of fastening by a chain and swivel, 
 the cows can at all times apply their tongue 
 to any part of the body as easily as if they 
 were in the fields. Nor was any danger to be 
 apprehended from their liability to attack each 
 other, since those in the same stall were too 
 far distant to commit any injury with their 
 horns ; yet they were frequently observed 
 licking each other's foreheads, and such parts 
 of the body as they could reach. 
 
 The Author is persuaded that it is of im- 
 portance to indulge the cows in their propen- 
 sity to lick with the tongue, as it contributes, 
 like currying, to create a free perspiration, and 
 to increase the circulation of the blood ; it also 
 tends greatly to promote the general health 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 29 
 
 of the animal. A strict attention to the proper 
 ventilation of the cow-houses, is likewise of 
 the last consequence; it not only preserves 
 the health of the cattle, but prevents any 
 accumulation of foul air, and thus the milk 
 runs no risk of being tainted from that cause, 
 as has sometimes been experienced even in 
 passing it from the cow to the pitcher ; besides, 
 in a close ill-ventilated cow-house, this evil 
 always results, that the breath of the animal 
 is rapidly absorbed by the timbers, which 
 causes them soon to rot. It is also considered 
 to be improper to have hay lofts immediately 
 above the cows, as their breath taints the 
 provender ; and there is, moreover, great danger 
 from fire. This was completely guarded against 
 in the roof above described, there being no 
 wood, except the couples and rafters, which 
 were not liable to such a casualty ; indeed, 
 had they been accidentally kindled, they could 
 have been easily extinguished. 
 
 The grooves of the cow-house were, as 
 before mentioned, one foot six inches wide, 
 
30 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 six and a half inches deep at the end next the 
 side walls, and twelve and a half inches deep 
 at the transverse passage; thereby forming a 
 declivity of half an inch for each cow, to allow 
 the water to run towards the centre of the 
 house, where it ran off as already described. 
 The grooves were also formed upon an inclined 
 plane towards the cows, so that, by drawing 
 back the dung to the side of the groove next 
 the passage, the water ran freely towards the 
 centre of the house, and passed into a circular 
 vessel which was sunk under the passage and 
 covered with plates of iron. 
 
 There were three apertures of eighteen 
 inches diameter, which were used as filtering 
 apparata. One of these was in the centre 
 of the middle passage, and upon the north 
 side of it. The filter barrel was sunk about 
 two inches lower than the bottom of the 
 grooves, which were hollowed or washed down 
 to the mouth of the barrel. The urine from 
 the south divisions was carried under the 
 transverse passage ; and thus all the urine 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 31 
 
 of the fifty cows went into the filter, which 
 was placed in the centre of the middle longi- 
 tudinal passage. All the filtering barrels were 
 covered with cast-iron plates similar to those 
 of the dung apertures; but the pieces that 
 were turned down at the side of the groove, 
 were perforated with small holes for the filter ; 
 and in order to filter the water, and prevent 
 the pump from being choked, the filter vessel 
 was perforated all round with small holes, and 
 placed in the inside of another vessel, upon 
 which it rested, or rather hung, by an iron 
 chim, which was run round its mouth ; it had 
 a handle across the mouth for the purpose of 
 lifting it up to empty the sediment among the 
 dung. The other vessel was four inches larger 
 in diameter, and receiving the water through 
 the holes and at the top, emptied itself into 
 a wooden conduit, or rone, which carried it 
 along the roof of the cellar to the tank. With 
 all this care, however, it was found that the 
 sediment soon choked the pump ; to prevent 
 which, a division was made at one end of the 
 
32 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 tank, where filtering boards were placed, with 
 very small holes ; this kept back the sediment 
 from the pump, and it was afterwards taken 
 from the tank by pails, when necessary; it 
 was then mixed with ashes, which formed an 
 excellent manure for turnips, and other vege- 
 tables. As the dung was preserved from wind 
 and weather, it was considered worth from 
 twenty-five to fifty per cent, more than dung 
 exposed to the atmosphere ; it sold at from 
 five to eight shillings per ton ; the cow water 
 sold at from four to six shillings per butt, of 
 about four hundred gallons. 
 
 According to the best calculation, the ma- 
 nure of each cow was worth, upon an average, 
 about five pounds sterling per annum ; the 
 proprietor, however, used the greater part of 
 it for his own gardens, and farm. 
 
 In the wall, at the end of the tank, was 
 placed a large wooden pump for throwing up 
 the water into wooden rones, by which it was 
 conducted to the cask, or urine carts. It was 
 ascertained that the urine soon corroded iron. 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 33 
 
 As every thing at the Willowbank Estab- 
 lishment was arranged upon a methodical 
 plan, its perfection as a system soon attracted 
 no small share of public attention. This was^ 
 at first, attended with considerable inconve- 
 nience ; for the number of visitors whom 
 curiosity drew to the premises was productive 
 of a double evil, that of interrupting the ser- 
 vants, and disturbing the cattle. A remedy, 
 however, soon suggested itself to the Pro- 
 prietor: he immediately gave directions for 
 erecting a balcony in the new cow-house, from 
 which a bird's-eye view of the whole interior of 
 the cow-house, and its hundred cows, could be 
 obtained at one glance, without producing the 
 slightest annoyance or inconvenience, either 
 to the servants or cattle. In constructing this 
 improvement, the Proprietor was induced, for 
 various reasons, to study effect; the chief object, 
 however, was to gratify the numerous spectators, 
 whose frequent visits had now become highly 
 excited. The balcony was, therefore, erected 
 on the outside of the building, opposite to 
 
34 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 the main passage ; it was about four feet above 
 the level of the floor, and open in front to the 
 cow-house, where a large curtain was sus- 
 pended. Visitors, on their arrival, were 
 requested to insert their names, and place of 
 residence, in an album, kept for that purpose. 
 The keeper then, by means of a pulley, drew 
 aside the curtain ; when the whole establish- 
 ment, with its hundred cows, and their 
 attendants, were instantly presented to the 
 view of the delighted and astonished spectators. 
 Princes, noblemen, and gentlemen, from almost 
 every quarter of the globe, bore testimony to 
 this interesting panorama. All, indeed, were 
 charmed with the order and arrangement 
 observed in the plan, and uniformly lauded it 
 as unrivalled both in execution and design. 
 
 After the balcony had been erected, the 
 Harleian cow-house became, as it were, one 
 of the '' lions" of the day. In fact, to visit it 
 occasionally, became the fashion of the town ; 
 and the Author, to gratify the desire that 
 prevailed, had copper-plate tickets of admission. 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEBI, 35 
 
 engraved with a design, symbolical of a woman 
 milking a cow, and groupes of children 
 drinking milk under the Glasgow Arms. 
 These tickets were adapted for the admission 
 of any number from one to six. The admis- 
 sion was fixed at one shilling each, which 
 actually produced about two hundred pounds 
 per annum. There was, besides, an immense 
 number of private friends of the Proprietor, 
 and others who were introduced to him, who 
 were admitted gratis. 
 
 This celebrated Dairy Establishment was 
 pleasantly situated to the north west of the city, 
 upon a rising ground, adjoining the extensive 
 gardens and walks of Willowbank. 
 
 The rural situation of these walks in the 
 immediate neighbourhood of the city, formed 
 a strong feature of attraction to young persons 
 and children, who, every morning and evening, 
 were in the habit of coming (some from a great 
 distance) to enjoy a delicious regalement of 
 unadulterated milk. 
 
 The cow-houses, and the whole premises, 
 
 D 2 
 
36 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 were latterly lighted with gas ; the large cow- 
 house, from a brass lustre, with four branches, 
 which hung over the centre of the transverse 
 passage. This lighted the house well, and 
 imparted a fine effect when viewed from the 
 balcony. In establishments of this kind, 
 where there is no public company, a small 
 gas apparatus might be erected on the premises, 
 which would not only furnish a light in all 
 respects preferable to that of either oil or 
 candle, but be, on the whole, much more 
 economical. 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 37 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 To the east of the cow-house there was, for- 
 merly, a deep ravine, or old quarry, with a 
 rivulet at the bottom. Here cold baths were 
 formed in the low ground, and hot baths higher 
 up. Upon the south side, the ravine was 
 arched over; and one of these arches was 
 formed into a milk-house forty-five feet long, 
 twelve feet wide, and twelve high, from the 
 floor to the centre of the arch ; the side walls 
 being six feet, and the radius of the semicircle 
 six feet. In the centre of the arch were five 
 circular openings, ten inches in diameter, 
 covered with wire cloth. The entrance was 
 from the north, and was lighted by a large 
 window in the south end ; this window was also 
 covered with a guard of fine wire cloth. The 
 
 D 3 
 
38 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 whole north end of the house, including the 
 door, was framed with wood, and covered 
 with wire cloth. The side walls and roof 
 were lath and standard, plastered with Roman 
 cement, and a space was left all around to 
 promote a circulation of fresh air. The six 
 inches of the circular space between the walls 
 and plaster, were covered with strong iron 
 grating, for the purpose of admitting air behind 
 the plaster, as well as to the side walls and 
 arch. There were a number of fancy circular 
 and diamond frames, four inches diameter, fil- 
 led with fine wire cloth ; these were neatly 
 arranged, about three feet distant in the lath, 
 and made to finish flush with the plaster ; by 
 this means a free circulation of air was pro- 
 moted, and it also exhibited a pleasing appear^ 
 ance to the eye. 
 
 The floor was paved with polished ashlar 
 stone of the best quality, and laid upon parapet 
 walls, (to preserve it free from damp,) with an 
 inclination of about an inch and a half from 
 the entrance to the south end, which termi- 
 
HAELEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 39 
 
 nated in a cesspool. Under the pavement 
 was a drain to carry away the water from the 
 north end, where there was a water pipe, and 
 a stop cock. The milk dishes were placed 
 upon the pavement, right and left, leaving a 
 space for a passage in the centre; they were 
 then filled with new milk from three to four 
 inches deep. When all the vessels had been 
 filled with milk, a plug was put into the 
 cesspool; the stop cock at the north end was 
 then turned, and the water allowed to flow 
 until it covered the floor where the milk vessels 
 were placed. This cooled the house; and 
 the fixed air, or the spring of the water, carried 
 up the steam of the milk through the circular 
 opening in the top of the arch. When the 
 dairymaid went to cream the milk, the plug 
 was taken out to let the water ofl". If any 
 milk or cream was spilt, it was easily cleaned 
 up, from the floor having been previously wet. 
 The floor was regularly washed and rubbed 
 with a dry cloth, which, with the complete 
 ventilation throughout the premises, kept the 
 
 d4 
 
40 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 atmosphere very pure. In order to make the 
 circulation of air more effectual, a tunnel, 
 about a foot square, was conveyed under the 
 street, along the top of the arch; and two 
 transverse tunnels crossed and communicated 
 with the central one in the middle of the 
 house ; that is, they were carried from the 
 sunk area, on the south, to the north side of 
 the building. There were strong wire gratings 
 put at the mouth of these tunnels, to prevent 
 vermin getting in. It was not necessary, 
 however, to devise any plan for keeping out 
 flies from the milk-house, as it was remarked, 
 whenever any got in by accident, they did 
 not survive, owing to the coldness and rarefac- 
 tion of the place. 
 
 A milk-house might be made equally effi- 
 cient adjoining to the cow-house ; the whole, 
 or part, to be sunk under the ground, but to 
 be perfectly free from damp ; the milk could 
 then be conducted to it from the milk office 
 by a pipe ; but the house should be shaded 
 from the sun, with a northern entrance. It 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 41 
 
 might be arched, as already described, and 
 roofed over, the space between the roof and 
 the top of the arch serving for the tunnels 
 mentioned in the other milk-house. The floor 
 of the house might be an inclined plane, as 
 in the before-described house, but divided into 
 three spaces ; the two side divisions to be 
 raised eighteen inches or two feet above the 
 floor, with a curb stone in front two or three 
 inches high, to prevent the water from coming 
 into the passage. The bottom and sides might 
 be of brick, plastered with Roman cement; 
 this mode would keep the passage always dry, 
 and prevent the inconvenience of the dairy- 
 maid's stooping to cream the milk. There 
 should, also, be only one tier of milk vessels ; 
 for where there is one shelf placed above 
 another, the steam arising from the under shelf 
 will gather upon the one above it, and taint 
 the purity of the atmosphere. Private gentle- 
 men, farmers, &c. might have small milk- 
 houses upon this plan, cold water, and free 
 
42 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 circulation of air being the principal requisites. 
 The milk-house should always be erected to 
 windward, being thereby protected against 
 any effluvia arising from other parts of the 
 premises. 
 
 The churning-house at Willowbank was 
 ventilated and lighted by windows in the north 
 side and in the roof, covered with fine wire 
 grating. 
 
 The milk office contained the large tubs 
 for receiving the milk from the cows, from 
 which it was measured out to the distributors. 
 There were rows of racks, or stands, and long 
 pins ; the former for holding the milk pitchers, 
 and the latter for hanging up the measuring 
 jugs, lids of pitchers, &c., of each distributor. 
 
 The counting house was situated near the 
 gate, and commanded a view of the court, as 
 well as of all who entered and departed, either, 
 on business, or as visitors. 
 
 The manager had a house within the pre- 
 mises; the dairymaid and one or two of the 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 43 
 
 servants were also accommodated there, it being 
 necessary they should be on the spot night 
 and day. 
 
 There was a scullery, or kitchen, adjoining 
 the milk office, into which hot and cold water 
 were brought for washing the vessels. There 
 was also a boiler, in which, after being washed 
 and rinsed, these were scalded. They were 
 then dried upon a rack, and the milk pitchers, 
 measures, &c. were taken to the milk office, 
 and set in their proper places. 
 
 Two apartments, one for the men and ano- 
 ther for the women, were allotted for the pur- 
 pose of keeping their clothes ; and that they 
 might the more conveniently change them, 
 before gx)ing out to deliver the milk, nume- 
 rous clothes' and towel pins were fixed in the 
 wall ; and the rule to be implicitly obeyed 
 by the servants was, that their hair was to 
 be combed, their hands and face washed, and 
 their dress to be neat and clean. Cleanliness, 
 indeed, was always regarded as essentially 
 necessary in this, as well as in every other 
 
44 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM! 
 
 part of the establishment ; a task often of very 
 difficult accomplishment, every one, when 
 challenged, being too much accustomed to 
 give the irritable reply of '' Tut! I canna 
 be fashed." The Author has often thought 
 that much good might result from having a 
 copy of the Cottagers of Gknbirnie in every 
 dairy establishment, and some of its excellent 
 passages occasionally read or impressed upon 
 the minds of the servants, particularly those 
 w^ho have the care of the milk v^ithin doors ; 
 as it is too often either spoiled or deteriorated 
 from the vessels not being properly cleaned. 
 It is well known that if milk be put into a 
 place, not well ventilated, or where other 
 articles are kept, it will affect its flavour. 
 This was often ascertained by some of the 
 Willowbank customers having their milk dete- 
 riorated after remaining a short time with 
 them, whilst it retained its rich flavour with 
 others who received it from the same pitcher, 
 and at the same time. 
 
 Upon the front, and along one side of the 
 
IIAKLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 45 
 
 first range of cow-houses, was a projection 
 of about six feet over the walls, (similar to a 
 Chinese roof,) nearly flat, covered with com- 
 position. This was supported by hollow cast- 
 iron pillars about four inches diameter, by 
 which the water was conducted from the roof 
 into the common sewer. There was also an 
 area in front of the house, and a space fitted 
 with seats, under the projection, for the 
 accommodation of milk customers, and servants 
 with children. 
 
 The space along the side was allotted for 
 wheel barrows, feeding dishes, and other 
 utensils, and for the use of servants when 
 cutting the tops of turnips, or other work of 
 that description, in wet weather; the milk 
 carts were also placed there. 
 
4g HARLETAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The area of ground mentioned in a former page, 
 was subdivided by a mews-lane, twenty feet 
 wide, supported by two arches ; the floor on 
 the same level as the floor of the cellars under 
 the cow-house. 
 
 The steam engine, and all the machinery 
 connected with it, stood on the north side of 
 the same lane, near the centre of the first 
 range of buildings. The boiler from which 
 the engine was supplied with steam, was close 
 to one of the arches ; and this latter served 
 as a commodious cellar for coal dross, which 
 was let down to it most commodiously by an 
 opening in the lane. At one corner of the 
 cellar, near the furnace, was a space about 
 four feet square by two deep, which was kept 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 47 
 
 filled with dross, saturated with water; and 
 it was believed that the same quantity of dross 
 gave more heat, and lasted longer, when put 
 into the furnace wet. 
 
 In an open space, by the side of the main 
 passage, were the steaming vessels. This space 
 divided the barn from the churning house; 
 the former being on the left hand, and the 
 latter on the right, in going northward across 
 the buildings. All the machinery was upon 
 the ground floor, and on the same level with 
 the cow-house. Underneath this, were cellars 
 which communicated with those under the 
 cow-house by one of the arches mentioned 
 above : the laying shafts, with drums, &c. were 
 hung from the joists ; and apertures were made 
 in the floor, through which the belts passed 
 to propel the machines ; namely, a threshing- 
 mill and fanners, a turnip and potato slicer, 
 a hay and straw cutter, a corn bruiser, and 
 the churning apparatus. 
 
 These machines are now so common, and 
 so well understood, that any particular descrip- 
 
48 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM, 
 
 tion of them would be superfluous. Their 
 convenient arrangement, and the trifling ex- 
 pense of working them, were the peculiar 
 advantages of the system adopted at Willow- 
 bank. The steam engine was one of about 
 six-horse power; but the boiler could have 
 supplied an engine of twelve-horse power. 
 Coiled within the boiler was a leaden pipe 
 1 50 feet long and two inches in diameter ; 
 cold water was admitted at one end of this 
 pipe by a stop cock, and the water was heated 
 in passing through the boiler. Branches were 
 taken from the other end of the pipe to the 
 scullery, hot baths, bakehouse, &c. 
 
 A steam pipe from the boiler was introduced 
 into the steaming vessels, for preparing food 
 for the cattle ; so that one fire of dross was 
 sufficient for the whole establishment, and did 
 not cost more than one shilling (the price of 
 twelve cwt. of dross,) per day. 
 
 The milk oflice, and other apartments, were 
 also heated by hot water vessels. 
 
 The Author having applied steam to so 
 
HAHLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 49 
 
 many purposes at his establishment, he ob- 
 tained a celebrity with the public, and espe- 
 cially among the wags, for more feats than 
 he really performed. For instance, it was 
 often said that he not only milked his cows 
 by steam, but achieved other things still more 
 wonderful by that power. 
 
 The steaming vessels were made of plate 
 iron; the one for the cows was ten feet long, 
 four wide, and four and a half deep, with a 
 semicircular top, hinged on one side, and 
 lifted by weights and pullies : the lid was 
 formed round the edges, to prevent the steam 
 from escaping. The cut provender, consist- 
 ing of turnips, hay, &c. was put into this 
 vessel, in layers, well salted, and with a 
 sufficient quantity of water. The vessel had 
 a false bottom, perforated with small holes 
 about four inches from the real bottom, under 
 which the steam was admitted. The potatos 
 were generally steamed by themselves in a 
 vessel ; and the fresh water, which is deemed 
 ^ unwholesome, was run off. This is the com- 
 
 E 
 
50 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 mon practice observed in boiling potatos for 
 family use, and it is a correct one. In pre- 
 paring potatos for soup, the first water should 
 be always run off; if it be changed three or 
 four ^ times, and a considerable quantity of 
 salt put into the last water, the Author can 
 certify that the potatos will be drier and clearer 
 when brought to table than when boiled in 
 the common way. The steam vessel for the 
 horses was four feet long, two feet nine inches 
 wide, and three feet deep, and had a lid and 
 other apparatus similar to that used for the 
 cows. The potatos, turnips, &c. for the horses 
 were washed clean : those for the cows were 
 not washed, but put in by themselves, and 
 when at the boiling point, the first water 
 was let off ; they were then mixed in the large 
 vessel, in alternate layers, with turnips, hay, 
 &c., and sprinkled plentifully with salt. 
 
 There was a stop-cock under the false bottom 
 for drawing off the liquid when the mash was 
 ready. 
 
 The mash trough was placed alongside 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 51 
 
 the steaming vessels, about eighteen inches 
 lower. It was about eight feet square ; the bot- 
 tom was of polished ashlar ; the sides of pave- 
 ment were two feet high, seven inches thick at 
 bottom, and five at top ; the whole was jointed 
 with Roman cement. The trough had also a 
 wooden cover, or frame, to fit, which was five 
 inches high all round, bolted to the stone and 
 rounded at the top to a semicircle ; this pre- 
 vented the stones from being chipped. The 
 bottom of the trough had a dip at one end, 
 sloping to the centre, about three inches deeper 
 than the bottom ; this enabled the mashman 
 to clean it out. 
 
 E 2 
 
52 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Every milker had a strong tin vessel, without 
 a lid, which held about forty quarts. As each 
 cow was milked, the milk was emptied into 
 this vessel, which was placed in the transverse 
 passage, to be out of the reach of any thing 
 that might fall into it were it placed in the 
 passage behind the cows. When the vessel 
 was filled it was carried to the milk office 
 and emptied into the receiving tub, and the 
 quantity marked upon a slate by the clerk, 
 or person in attendance ; this task was repeated 
 till all the cows were milked. The total 
 quantity of each milker was then summed 
 up and entered from the slate into the milk- 
 book. 
 
 Each distributor had a pair of milk pitchers, 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 53 
 
 with lids to fit tight, which contained from 
 twelve to eighteen quarts. These were locked 
 and secured to prevent adulteration. 
 
 The distributor also carried retail measures, 
 containing a Scotch pint (at six-pence), a quart 
 (at three-pence), a sixth of a pint (at a penny), 
 and a twelfth (at a halfpenny). 
 
 In measuring out the milk to the distributors 
 in the milk office, oblong measures, narrow and 
 deep, were used, which contained ten quarts 
 each; there were likewise small ones of the 
 same shape, which contained two quarts each, 
 divided into a penny and halfpenny worths; 
 but these were chiefly used to measure the 
 milk returned by the distributors. In order 
 that the article might be perfectly free from 
 every extraneous substance, there was in con- 
 stant use a milk sieve, with a block tin rim, 
 and a bottom of the finest brass wire cloth : 
 this vessel was placed upon a frame which went 
 across the mouth of the receiving tub. 
 
 The milking pitchers, which held about 
 fourteen quarts, were made of black, or dark 
 
 E 3 
 
54 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 oak wood, with a white stave for the handle, 
 six inches longer than the rest; this was gra- 
 duated, and the scale burnt with a sharp- 
 pointed hot iron, which made the figures more 
 distinct. One day in the week (Friday was 
 the usual day), the quantity of milk produced 
 by each individual cow was measured, morning 
 and evening. 
 
 The clerk, or the person who carried the 
 milk into the milk office, had the number of 
 the cows upon a slate ; and as each cow was 
 milked, the pitcher was placed upon a table 
 in the transverse passage ; by looking at the 
 white stave, the quantity was at once seen, 
 and marked upon the slate, and afterwards 
 transferred to the proper column in the milk- 
 book. 
 
 The milk vessels for the carriages were 
 oblong, similar to the churns, but wider ; they 
 contained about thirty-six Scotch pints each» 
 and had a folding iron handle on each side 
 for lifting them into the carriages. The lid 
 was fastened with a cross iron bar, one end 
 
HAKLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 55 
 
 of which went into the eye of a piece of iron 
 which was fastened to one side of the vessel ; 
 there was a hasp at the other end of the bar, 
 which was folded down over a staple, and 
 padlocked. On each side of the vessel, trans- 
 verse to the bar, was an iron screw, of about 
 three eighths of an inch in diameter, fastened 
 to the vessel ; the points of which came up 
 through the side of the lid, and were screwed 
 down by a long-tailed screw-nut ; and to make 
 the lid quite tight, a gaskin was put round the 
 mouth of the vessel. 
 
 Each of the vessels had a float of block tin, 
 or thin oak wood, as large as the vessel would 
 admit; this floated on the top of the milk, and 
 descended as the milk was drawn off, which 
 prevented agitation. In barrels, &c., where 
 there is no float, and much carriage, the milk 
 will be partly churned before it is sold ofl". In 
 consequence of the lids being moveable, the 
 vessels were also much easier cleaned than 
 they would have been if there had been only 
 a small opening. 
 
 E 4 
 
56 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 In the milk office were several large receiv- 
 ing tubs, each containing about six hundred 
 quarts, graduated into divisions of ten quarts, 
 or five Scotch pints ; from these vessels the 
 milk was measured into the distributing 
 vessels. 
 
 Most of the vessels for raising cream were 
 made of oak, and were well washed, rinsed, 
 and boiled every time they were emptied. 
 To prevent the bottoms from twisting or warp- 
 ing by boiling, there was a second bottom 
 transverse, and the two were pinned together, 
 as in ship-building. They were twenty-seven 
 inches in diameter, and five inches deep. 
 
 The vessels for holding milk and cream for 
 souring stood in the churning-house, or in an 
 adjoining apartment; they were made of wine- 
 pipes cut in two, clean dressed by the cooper, 
 and graduated into divisions of ten quarts ; 
 the milk, or cream, stood in them till it. was 
 thick and sour, without which it would not 
 churn to advantage. There was a vessel for 
 each different milking, as it was found injurious 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 57 
 
 to mix the milk ; and if milk and cream were 
 put in at different times, it was always well 
 stirred. It was found, however, that the 
 preferable way was to keep every quantity 
 distinct, and to allow it to become sour by 
 itself. The milk was always cooled in vessels, 
 such as those used for raising cream, before it 
 was put into the tubs for churning. 
 
 The churns were propelled by means of a 
 steam engine, and were made upright or oblong, 
 each containing about two hundred and fifty 
 quarts, and graduated into divisions of five 
 quarts. 
 
 The lid was made to fit close ; but a fourth 
 part, or the half of one side of it, was hinged, 
 so as to be opened in order to see how the 
 churning was going on. In the centre of the 
 lid was a hole to fit the churn-stafF, with a 
 chim or guard round it, to send any of the 
 liquid that might come up with the staff down 
 into the churn again. 
 
 The stroke of the staff could be shortened 
 or lengthened at pleasure, according to the 
 
68 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 quantity that was put into the churns. Be- 
 sides the fancy holes that were made in the 
 foot or bottom of the staff, which was contrived 
 to fill the mouth of the churn, the under side 
 of the foot was closely grooved across three 
 eighths of an inch deep; as it was conceived 
 that these hollows, or grooves, took down a 
 portion of atmospheric air, and thereby tended 
 to facilitate the process of churning. 
 
 Large stands, such as are used by masons' 
 labourers for carrying water, were filled at 
 the mash trough, and carried to the head 
 passages at feeding time; from these, the 
 feeders gave a small additional quantity of 
 food to the cows as they required it; but 
 great care was taken not to give too much to 
 any. Some distillers' wash, or water, or a 
 mixture of both, was then given them to drink ; 
 and when the animals were satisfied the vessels 
 were removed. 
 
 There was also a feeding vessel, or tub, for 
 each cow, which was made of oak twenty 
 inches in diameter and ten inches deep, with 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. ^59 
 
 a handle on each side flush with the mouth, 
 so that one tier might be put above another 
 at the mash tub, when filling. 
 
 There was as much cut out of the wood as 
 to allow the fingers to get in below the handle, 
 which was made of rod iron half an inch 
 diameter, with the ends flattened and made 
 fast between the hoops and the staves; these 
 were also nailed to the sides of the vessel. 
 
 There were, likewise, common pitchers with 
 folding iron handles, which held from twelve 
 to fourteen quarts each. The mashman, and 
 each feeder, had one of these ; and every two 
 milkers had one between them for washing 
 the passages, &c. Each milker had also a 
 wooden stool to sit upon when milking, about 
 a foot high, vnth. three feet well spread out. 
 
 All the wooden vessels were tapered, just 
 as much as was necessary to keep the hoops 
 fast ; which latter were made of iron, and each 
 vessel was graduated and marked with the 
 point of a hot iron .to show the figures or marks 
 more distinctly. 
 
60 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 The tin vessels were not tapered, but were 
 all graduated with slips of block tin soldered 
 to the vessel inside. 
 
 The milk carriages were hung upon springs, 
 or chains, to prevent shaking, if possible ; and 
 they were drawn by small ponies. The ves- 
 sels were labelled " New Milk," " Skimmed 
 Milk," &c., in order that the customers might 
 be sure of the quality of the article which 
 they purchased. 
 
 Each distributor was provided with a bell, 
 to warn the customers ; and if any unreasonable 
 detention occurred, the customer was given up. 
 Punctuality, in short, was so strictly observed, 
 that each customer knew, within a few mi- 
 nutes, the precise time when the milk would 
 arrive. 
 
 All the delivering vessels had brass stop- 
 cocks, with male and female screws ; the latter 
 were made fast to the tin vessels with solder ; 
 and to the wooden vessels with bolts and 
 nuts. The former were unscrewed and removed 
 every time the vessels were washed, and were 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 61 
 
 carefully cleaned, that no verdigris should 
 collect. 
 
 Every byreman, or feeder, had a box v^heel- 
 barrow for removing the cow-dung to the 
 apertures above the cellars. It w^as afterwards 
 found more convenient to make the dep6t in 
 the centre of the cellar, than to put the dung 
 down at every aperture. 
 
 There were also large light provender v/heel- 
 barrows with frames placed on them, to hold 
 as much as the feeder could wheel at one 
 time ; these were taken to the head passages, 
 where the feeder gave a portion to each cow, 
 right and left, as he wheeled along ; adding a 
 little more from time to time till they had 
 enough. 
 
 Each byreman had a large clawt, or scraper, 
 adapted to the width of the groove, for drawing 
 the dung along to the apertures; a small 
 clawt was also used for cleaning the stalls, &c. 
 
 The byremen were also supplied with a 
 rake, a besom or broom, and a hard-wood 
 forked stick, for gathering up the dry litter 
 
62 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 to the fore feet of the cows ; these were pre- 
 ferred to iron, which sometimes injured the 
 animals' feet. 
 
 Each milker had a coarse towel, a washing 
 cloth, a currycomb, and a hair cloth. 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 63 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Early in the season, part of the Proprietor's 
 farm and some small fields contiguous to the 
 cow-house, were sown with barley and grass 
 seeds; these were watered with cow urine 
 by means of an engine, upon the principle of 
 a fire engine. There were also used for that 
 purpose hand-barrows with broad wheels, 
 upon which barrels were placed filled with 
 urine. Under the barrels were placed conduc- 
 tors about eight feet long, perforated with 
 small holes ; these barrels were easily wheeled 
 along the rich soft ground, which would 
 have been destroyed by horses and carts. 
 The urine was carted to the fields in large 
 casks, from which it was carried in stands 
 resting on spokes, to the engine and barrows. 
 
64 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 The grass of the fields thus irrigated was 
 cut live or six times a year; and though not 
 very long in the blade there was always great 
 weight of produce. Indeed it was so thick 
 and rich that it would have rotted unless cut 
 often. 
 
 The first cutting generally commenced about 
 the middle of April, and was continued once 
 a month. The grass was cut during the day, 
 when the weather was wet, or moist ; but 
 when it was dry, it was cut late at night or 
 early in the morning, and the field irrigated 
 immediately after being cut; the process was 
 sometimes performed during the night. Sir 
 John Sinclair visited one of these fields, 
 which had been cut sixteen times in three 
 years. 
 
 There was a public washing-house adjoin- 
 ing the dairy; all the soap-suds from which 
 were carried into a well, or tank, and applied in 
 the same way as the urine ; and sometimes the 
 two liquids were mixed together, or if the 
 weather was very dry the urine was diluted 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 65 
 
 with water. Both urine and soap-suds were 
 applied to the watering of fruit trees ; during 
 winter, and early in the spring, every tree was 
 washed from the top to the root, which cleaned 
 the bark, promoted a luxuriant growth, and 
 made the trees bear well. If private families 
 were to preserve their soap-suds, and the urine 
 of the cows (if they have one), it would be 
 found of essential benefit in manuring the 
 garden. 
 
 A watchman was stationed within the pre- 
 mises, who came regularly to his post at seven 
 o'clock, p. m., and continued till the milk 
 distributors were sent off at the same hour on 
 the following morning. In the evening he 
 assisted in any little jobs that were required ; 
 saw the lights put out, and the cow-house 
 doors and outer gate shut. During the 
 night, he examined the byres every half hour ; 
 and if there were any cows near calving, 
 he acquainted the manager, and got the 
 necessary assistance ; he also attended the 
 engine furnace, and steaming the food for 
 
66 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 the cattle, &c. At half past four, a. m., he 
 rung the work-bell, and at five all the 
 servants mustered. 
 
 It was a remarkable fact, that such cows 
 as happened to be in a recumbent posture when 
 the bell began to ring at the feeding hours, 
 were all upon their legs before it ceased. 
 
 The byremen, or cow-feeders, after light- 
 ing the gas, proceeded to gather up the dry 
 litter towards the crib, with a forked stick 
 of hard wood, the wet straw and dung being 
 drawn down with a small clawt into the 
 groove, and pressed hard to the highest side 
 of the groove, viz. the side next the passage ; 
 this allowed the urine to run off into the 
 filtering vessel, as before described. 
 
 All the servants of the Establishment 
 having next assisted in carrying the mash 
 or soft provender, to the cows, the milkers 
 then proceeded to milk their respective lots, 
 and the byremen gave them the dry pro- 
 vender. The dung was then carried ofi*, 
 and the cows' beds were relaid with dry 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 67 
 
 litter ; which was no sooner done, than they 
 generally laid down. These operations were 
 completed about eight, a. m., when the house 
 was shut up until eleven. All the interme- 
 diate hours, from morning till night, were 
 appropriated to preparing food, &c. 
 
 At eleven, a. m., the byremen gathered 
 up the clean straw which had been laid 
 down in the morning; the milkers assisted 
 in giving the soft provender, and then pro- 
 ceeded to curry and clean their respective 
 lots of cows. The byremen again gave the 
 dry provender, and relaid the beds as be- 
 fore; and the doors were shut from one 
 o'clock, p. m., till three. At the latter hour 
 the same mode was repeated as in the 
 morning and at mid-day ; all hands joined to 
 give the cows their mash: the milkers then 
 milked their respective lots ; the byremen at 
 this time gave only a handful of dry fodder 
 to each cow; and the beds being relaid as 
 before, the doors were again shut from five, 
 p. m., till seven. At that hour the litter 
 
 F 2 
 
68 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 was once more gathered up, the water let 
 off, and all hands called to assist in giving 
 water or pot-ale, or a mixture of these, to 
 each cow in its respective vessel. After- 
 wards a full feed of dry provender was 
 given them ; the dung was taken away, the 
 passages cleaned, the cows' beds relaid, and the 
 house shut up at eight, p. m., for the night. 
 
 The drink might have been made to run 
 into the troughs ; but as water was seldom 
 given by itself, it was found that if either 
 pot-ale, or the mash, were put into the 
 troughs, some keen feeders would take too 
 much ; so that their neighbours got too little, 
 and what was left could not so easily be 
 gathered up. 
 
 The provender commonly used at Willow- 
 bank consisted of hay, straw, grass, and 
 green barley ; also Swedish turnips, and the 
 different varieties of Aberdeen yellow, red 
 tops, &c., also mangel wurtzel, carrots, cab- 
 bages, ground oil cake, bruised beans, and 
 other grains. 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 69 
 
 Mangel wiirtzel was recommended to the 
 Author, as provender for his cows, upon 
 economical grounds. He accordingly made 
 trial of it in 1814, but the result did not 
 answer his expectation. It was not produc- 
 tive as a crop, except in particular soils, 
 such for instance as suited carrots. Besides 
 it did not stand the frost, and it was found 
 necessary to be taken up in the fall, the 
 tops cut off, and the roots used during the 
 winter mixed with other provender. A trial 
 was made with this root and Swedish tur- 
 nips; a corresponding weight of each was 
 given to two lots of cows of equal numbers, 
 and great attention was paid to the quantity 
 and quality of the milk produced, and the 
 improvement in the condition of the cattle. 
 In these respects, however, there was found 
 to be little or no variation. The quantity 
 and quality of the milk, and the improve- 
 ment of the cattle, were much the same; 
 but as the mangel wiirtzel did not stand the 
 frost, and moreover required a deep soil in 
 
 F 3 
 
70 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 the cultivation, the Swedish turnips were 
 necessarily preferred. 
 
 About this time, Mr. Coke of Norfolk lost 
 some cows ; and other agriculturists had their 
 cattle also much injured by eating mangel 
 wiirtzel ; a circumstance which excited intense 
 interest not unmixed with serious apprehen- 
 sions, and gave rise to much discussion in 
 the periodicals of the day on the merits of 
 that root. There was no instance, however, 
 in the Willowbank Dairy of any bad effects 
 resulting from the use of it. 
 
 The quantity given as a mixture, however, 
 was comparatively small, except on the oc- 
 casion just noticed, when trial was made of 
 it with the turnips, and before that trial was 
 made the roots had lain a considerable time 
 in a dry cellar ; whereas Mr. Coke's cattle 
 had the roots and leaves when full of juice. 
 
 Instead of attempting that ill-judged eco- 
 nomy which pinches the cattle of their food, 
 every attention was paid to make each cow 
 eat as much as possible, without running 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 71 
 
 into the opposite extreme of overfeeding; 
 and for that purpose the mixture was occa- 
 sionally varied, and sometimes a fev^ raw 
 potatos, or turnips, were given by themselves, 
 which tended to whet the appetite. There 
 is a Scotch proverb which says, " The cow 
 milks by the mou';" and as the object of 
 the Harleian Dairy was to fatten as well 
 as to yield, the more the keepers could get 
 them to eat, the sooner these objects were 
 accomplished. 
 
 Young grass, and green barley, but par- 
 ticularly young clover, contain a great quan- 
 tity of juice, and fixed air, which has often 
 proved injurious to cattle. The irrigation 
 with urine made these crops luxuriant and 
 rich ; the first cutting was, therefore, mixed 
 with a large proportion of old hay, or straw, 
 to which, was superadded a good quantity 
 of salt, to prevent the cows from swelling 
 or blowing. When wet, a greater proportion 
 of these ingredients was used; this mixture 
 was allowed to stand from twelve to twenty 
 
 F 4 
 
72 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 hours, and was frequently turned and shaken 
 to prevent heating; when the weather was 
 dry, a little water was added at the time 
 of mixing. 
 
 As the season advanced, less of that sort 
 of provender was mixed with the grass ; and 
 when the grass fields which had not been 
 irrigated were about ripe, cut grass only 
 was given ; but young or wet clover was 
 never given without a mixture of dry pro- 
 vender. By this means the rich juices of 
 the green food were absorbed by the dry 
 fodder, which enabled the cattle to feed freely 
 without the risk of injury. 
 
 As neither turnips nor potatos could be 
 procured in summer, a mash was prepared 
 of some of the other articles mentioned 
 above. 
 
 When grass became scarce, as the season 
 advanced, recourse was had to the turnip 
 crop, as follows. Each servant, not other- 
 wise employed, had a gardener's basket slung 
 upon his back, and took his way betwixt 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 73 
 
 the rows of the turnip field, while two per- 
 sons, one on either side, thinned the turnips, 
 and put the produce into the baskets. The 
 carriers then came in rotation, and soon filled 
 a cart or two. The tops of the young tur- 
 nips being all fresh, were put into the vessel 
 with the roots and steamed with the other 
 mixtures, and the whole made an excellent 
 mess. In this there was a twofold advantage. 
 While the young turnips made a desirable 
 substitute for grass, those remaining in the 
 field were found to grow much better, and 
 to yield as much weight per acre as if no 
 thinning had taken place. In proportion as 
 the grass decreased, the turnips increased, 
 until the latter became a complete substitute 
 for the former. As the season advanced, 
 when grains and distillers' wash were plenti- 
 ful and cheap (which was generally the case 
 in winter), a large portion of these was given 
 with the more succulent food ; but they were 
 apt to make the cattle grain-sick, as it is 
 termed, and to prove injurious to the stomach 
 
7i HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 of the animal. It has been ascertained that 
 if cows are fed long upon grains, or dis- 
 tillers' wash, their constitution will quickly 
 be destroyed: cattle thus fed, should not be 
 kept longer than eight or ten months. 
 
 A little boiled linseed was considered to 
 be the best antidote for preventing distillers' 
 wash, &c. from injuring the health of the 
 animals; and wheat straw, cut short, mixed 
 with the grains, also prevented the cows from 
 turning sick. 
 
 When grains were abundant in the market, 
 large quantities were stored at Willowbank, 
 in deep pits ; and it was found that the deeper 
 and larger were the pits, the better they 
 were adapted for the purpose. 
 
 In these pits the grains were first hard 
 tramped ; and afterwards, in order to preserve 
 them from the effect of exposure to the at- 
 mosphere, they were covered with mould, 
 and sown with grass seeds; or, when it could 
 be obtained, turf was laid on. If carefully 
 stored in this way, it was found that grains 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 75 
 
 would keep in good condition two or three 
 years without salt; and there can be no doubt 
 that they would keep for many years, if it 
 were possible completely to exclude the at- 
 mospheric air. Now that the duty on salt 
 has been taken off, it would be unnecessary 
 to use that article so sparingly as before; and 
 if a considerable quantity of it were added 
 in storing, this kind of provender would be a 
 decided improvement. It may be mentioned, 
 by the way, that when any of the pits were 
 opened, the mould that was next the draff 
 emitted a very unpleasant smell ; a circum- 
 stance which tended to excite unfavourable 
 prejudices in those who did not examine or 
 taste the grains. These had always an agreeable 
 acid flavour, a sure proof of their wholesome 
 condition. 
 
 When the earth or mould was taken off 
 the pits, it was immediately carried away 
 and mixed with dung, which being impreg- 
 nated with the vapour of the grains, made 
 good manure. 
 
76 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 As the spring approached, it was customary, 
 in the feeding process, to substitute the Swedish 
 turnips and potatos for the yellow turnips, 
 potatos being generally to be got at a very 
 moderate price in the market at that season 
 of the year. 
 
 These two staple roots, steamed with hay 
 and other mixtures, continued thenceforward 
 to be the soft food till grass was again in 
 season. Thus a proportion of succulent food 
 was given to the cattle all the year round. 
 Such wholesome food as the Author found 
 cheapest in the market, provided it was in 
 season, he caused to be given to the cows in 
 the greatest abundance; there might have 
 been occasional exceptions to this rule; it 
 was nevertheless the practice generally ob- 
 served. 
 
 In addition to the farm on which the greater 
 part of the dairy provender was raised, there 
 was a great extent of ground cultivated as a 
 vegetable garden for the supply of the citi- 
 zens. This formed an excellent auxiliary on 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 77 
 
 all occasions ; for the fresh refuse of the garden 
 stock made a fine mixture with the cows' 
 ordinary food; such portions of the refuse as 
 were in a spoiled state, were mixed up with 
 the weeds of the farm and gardens, and car- 
 ried to the piggery, or save-all; whence it 
 was afterwards given in small quantities at a 
 time to the pigs. This stuff, when added to 
 the offal of the dairy, kept the swine in good 
 condition for breeding, and greatly increased 
 the manure. 
 
 The quantity of food given to the animals 
 varied according to the quality or richness; 
 but it was found very necessary to attend as 
 particularly to quantity as to quality ; because 
 rich food, by itself, could not be taken in 
 sufficient quantity to fill the stomach, nei- 
 ther would it digest. The general rule in 
 feeding, therefore, was to give as much good 
 wholesome stuff to each as the cattle would 
 eat clean up, always taking care, however, 
 to administer it rather sparingly than other- 
 wise, in order to avoid given them a surfeit. 
 
78 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 It is of the utmost importance to attend to 
 this ; for if the cow loathes her food, she will 
 neither milk nor fatten. The usual mode of 
 curing a surfeit in the Willowbank Establish- 
 ment was, to take the vessel from any cow 
 that appeared to have little inclination for 
 food; her stall was then marked with chalk, 
 to prevent mistakes ; and at next feeding time 
 an empty dish was set before her. This 
 practice was continued until the animal showed 
 something like keenness of appetite, when a 
 small quantity of food was given her, which 
 was afterwards gradually increased to the ex- 
 tent of the customary meal. 
 
 The late Dr. Gregory, of Edinburgh, sent 
 a medical gentleman to the Author, to en- 
 quire '' If the cows were subject to any disease, 
 from so many being constantly confined in 
 one house, and never getting exercise in the 
 open air?" The reply was, that '' From the 
 manner in which the house was ventilated, 
 and from the strictness of the rules observed 
 with regard to feeding and cleaning, there 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 79 
 
 was never any general disease, and very rarely 
 a particular instance of it among the cattle." 
 The gentleman was also informed of the above 
 mode of cure when a cow accidentally be- 
 came surfeited with food. '' Ah!" said he, 
 *' that's just the doctor's grand specific for 
 complaints of the human stomach ;" and he 
 then related the following anecdote of a pa- 
 tient who had applied to the doctor for ad- 
 vice, in consequence of having lost his appe- 
 tite. He was a rich Glasgow merchant, and 
 for a long time had been a noted punch- 
 drinker. The doctor heard all his symptoms, 
 and then prescribed as follows :—'* Pre^cnjo- 
 tion. — To get up at six o'clock, a. m., and 
 walk round the public green, or down to 
 Govan (a village about three miles from town) 
 till breakfast time; then to take a crust of 
 bread, or toast, and smell it, but not to taste 
 it ; next to go to his ordinary business, taking- 
 care to walk again before dinner, as he had 
 done in the morning. At dinner time to take 
 another crust, or piece of toast, and to chew 
 
80 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 a little of it; but not to swallow even the 
 smallest particle. To go to business again in 
 the afternoon, and finally to go to bed without 
 supper. Next morning to take a similar walk 
 round the green, and then, if inclined to eat, 
 to take a little, very little breakfast. By fol- 
 lowing this rule," said the doctor, '' and ab- 
 staining from Glasgow Punch altogether, I 
 will guarantee that you will very soon regain 
 your appetite." 
 
 As mentioned in a preceding page, there 
 was a feeding dish for each cow. These dishes 
 were arranged round the mash trough at 
 feeding time; the mashman (whose business 
 it was to mix up the mash) then stripped to 
 the thighs, and went into the trough; and 
 with a pitcher put about five Scotch pints 
 into each dish. All hands of the Establish- 
 ment then joined and carried these dishes in 
 a line along the head passage, when each 
 cow received her allotted quantity. Previous 
 to this, however, the feeder wound up the 
 hecks by the wheel and pinion. By the time 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 81 
 
 the hands returned to the mash trough, an- 
 other set of vessels was filled, and thus the 
 rounds were repeated till all the cattle were 
 fed. The large stands were then filled at 
 the mash, and carried to the head passage, 
 from which the feeders gave a small addi- 
 tional quantity as the cows seemed to re- 
 quire it, but taking especial care not to give 
 too much to any. Some distillers' wash, or 
 water, or a mixture of these, was then given 
 them to drink, as before mentioned; and 
 when the animals appeared to be satisfied 
 the vessels were removed, and provender was 
 given them from the wheelbarrow, right and 
 left, by the byremen, adding a little more 
 occasionally till they had had enough. If 
 any provender was left in the trough, it was 
 gathered up before giving the next soft feed 
 and deposited in the save-all for the pigs. 
 
 In the cow-house which was first erected, 
 there was a circular hole, with a barrel in 
 the transverse passage to receive the wash- 
 ings of the trough. 
 
 G 
 
82 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 The advantage of the head, or feeding pas- 
 sages, was great, and much saving, both of 
 time and provender, accrued from them; as 
 one person v^ill feed four times as many as 
 by the old mode of crossing the gTOove, and 
 carrying the food from behind the cows, a 
 part of which was usually lost in the grooves; 
 besides, the feeders in this way avoided all 
 danger of being hurt by the cows in going 
 up between them when they were keen for 
 their food, and of course somewhat unruly. 
 
 In a former page the cow's steaming vessel 
 is described. This vessel was generally filled 
 in the afternoon, at from five to six o'clock, 
 and if twice filled in a day the usual morning 
 hour was from eight to nine. The cut pro- 
 vender, sliced turnips, and potatos, were put 
 into the vessel in layers ; but the greater part 
 of the turnips were put upon the top that 
 the juice might descend to saturate the hay, 
 &c. When common turnips were u^ed the 
 steam vessel was heaped, as these decreased 
 much in bulk; whereas the yellow kind was 
 
HAKLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 83 
 
 little reduced by steaming, and the Swedish 
 none at all. 
 
 Turnips, whether given raw, or steamed, 
 ought always to be sliced, which will enable 
 old cows to eat them who could not break a 
 whole turnip ; and there is besides no danger 
 of the animals choking. When sliced they 
 can be boiled in a short time, and mix more 
 easily with the draff, &c. ; but when, on the 
 contrary, they are in a whole state, a longer 
 time is required to steam them, and they 
 also retain the heat much longer, which some- 
 times burns the cows when feeding. 
 
 When the food was sufficiently steamed, 
 the lees were let into the mash trough by 
 a stop-cock, which was placed under the 
 false bottom; the meat was then thrown out 
 and mixed in the trough by the washman 
 with distillers' wash, or water, or a mixture 
 of both, and some bean-meal, bran, &c. 
 Steamed food produces more milk and makes 
 the cattle fatten sooner. 
 
 After the mid-day feed was given, the 
 
 G 2 
 
84 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 milkers went to their respective divisions with 
 a curry ing'-comb and hair- cloth, and curried 
 and rubbed every part of the cows, from the 
 forehead to the tail, and heels : this was so 
 gratifying to the cows that many of them 
 would stop feeding during the time they were 
 curried; the milkers then, with the washing 
 cloth, cleaned the partitions, hecks, &c. 
 
 When turnips, or potatos, were given to 
 the cattle raw, and not sliced (which was 
 seldom the case), there was a small iron pin 
 put above the ring into a hole in the stake, as 
 described in the account of the first cow-house. 
 
 As soon as the milkers had lent their as- 
 sistance to carry in the dishes of soft meat, 
 at five, a. m., they proceeded to their re- 
 spective divisions of cows; each had a milk- 
 ing pail, a large tin vessel for receiving the 
 milk of their lot, with a towel and stool ; 
 every two milkers had a common pail for 
 washing their hands, the cows' udders, &c., 
 and a mop for washing the floor. This pail 
 was taken charge of by each milker one day 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 85 
 
 alternately ; with the towel they wiped the 
 udder carefully before beginning to milk. 
 
 When each cow was milked, the contents 
 of the pails were emptied into the interme- 
 diate vessel, as before mentioned. 
 
 Each milker milked from twelve to fifteen 
 cows, averaging eight in an hour ; but some 
 could milk from ten to twelve in an hour. 
 The milkers were generally women, their 
 wages being only half that of men, and they 
 were found to milk as well. 
 
 One day in every week at least (Friday 
 was the usual day at Willowbank), it was 
 the custom to measure the quantity of milk 
 supplied by each cow, morning and evening. 
 The clerk, or those who carried the milk 
 into the office, had running numbers of the 
 cows set down upon a slate, and as each 
 cow was milked the pail was placed upon a 
 table in the transverse passage ; by looking at 
 the graduated score on the handle the quan- 
 tity was immediately ascertained. It was then 
 marked upon the slate and afterwards trans- 
 
 g3 
 
86 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 ferred to the proper column in the milk 
 book. 
 
 To ensure the cows being completely milked, 
 the milker of No. 1 stripped, or took the 
 aftering, of No. 2, &c. ; a small premium 
 was given weekly to the milker who pro- 
 duced the greatest quantity from stripping; 
 this induced each to be careful in milking 
 their respective lot as completely as possible. 
 The milk thus stripped, or the aftering, as 
 it is called in Scotland, was put into the 
 churn-house; or when the demand was great 
 for cream, it was put into the milk- house 
 for that purpose. 
 
 The milkers changed their respective lots of 
 cows with each other weekly, and by rota- 
 tion, which showed who were the best milkers. 
 Each milker's name was entered at the top 
 of the list of their own lot of cows, and in 
 this way the alternate weekly change was 
 effected without mistake or irregularity. 
 
 The aggregate quantity of milk yielded by 
 all the cows on the measuring days, should 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 87 
 
 correspond with that of each of the other six 
 days. When the quantities did not tally, the 
 measuring of each individual cow's milk indi« 
 cated whence the disproportion arose, and 
 to which animals the fault attached; it also 
 assisted in judging which ought to be selected 
 for sale. 
 
 In comparing the quantity and quality which 
 each cow thus gave weekly, there was found 
 to be a striking difference in the returns from 
 various cows. Those which were deficient in 
 point of quantity, made up for it in quality; 
 for as the quantity decreased, the quality 
 improved. Some cows, when they had newly 
 calved, gave from twenty to thirty quarts 
 per day ; others were quite dry, or nearly so ; 
 but taking the total number in the Establish- 
 ment, the ordinary average was about twelve 
 quarts from each cow daily. It must not be 
 overlooked, however, that both the quality and 
 quantity of the milk were materially affected 
 by the different kinds of food, which neces- 
 sarily varied according to the season, 
 
 g4 
 
88 HARLEIAN IDAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 Potatos, distillers' grains, and wash, pro- 
 duced the greatest quantity of milk, but the 
 quality was thin and poor ; on the other hand, 
 green clover, rye-grass, clover-hay, yellow, and 
 Swedish turnips, bean-meal, oil-cake, &c., pro- 
 duced rich milk and a fair yield. 
 
 It should never be forgotten, that the quan- 
 tity, as well as the quality, of food for milch 
 cows, is a matter of the last importance ; for if 
 they got even an abundance of rich food, such 
 as bean-meal, &c., without a due proportion 
 of straw, or hay, they would inevitably lose 
 their appetite. 
 
 At Willowbank, lactometers were used to 
 ascertain the quality of the milk ; but the 
 best and simplest mode was by glass tubes : 
 these were made six inches long, an inch in 
 diameter, and graduated into eight parts of 
 an inch. The bottom was broad, to make 
 them stand firm ; a dozen were placed into 
 a wooden frame, taken to the transverse pas- 
 sage, and filled from the milk pails before they 
 were emptied into the intermediate vessel; they 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 89 
 
 were then placed in the milk-house, and the 
 number of each cow inscribed upon a piece 
 of paper and put under the bottom of the 
 tubes, which were examined at the end of 
 twelve, twenty-four, thirty-six, and forty-eight 
 hours, and the depth of the cream in each 
 tube marked upon the paper underneath. In 
 an extensive dairy, if it were necessary to get 
 quickly through this operation, two or three 
 dozens of such tubes might be made use of. 
 
 The milk of the cows which produced most 
 cream was either set apart to raise cream, or 
 for churning. As the first portion or half of 
 the cows' milk that is drawn off is not nearly 
 so rich as the last half, it is necessary, in 
 order to ascertain the real quality, that the 
 sample taken for the tubes should be from 
 the whole quantity she gives at one time. 
 
 When richer milk is wanted for any par- 
 ticular purpose, the last half, or the third or 
 fourth part of each cow's milk, should be 
 kept by itself. A variety of experiments were 
 made at Willowbank to insure accuracy in such 
 
90 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 matters. The best method of preventing the 
 milk from being adulterated by the distri- 
 butors, it may with truth be said, cost more 
 study than all the other departments of the 
 Establishment ; although it was only necessary 
 to ascertain how to admit air to allow the 
 milk to run off by the stop-cock, and to pre- 
 vent water from being put into the milk. 
 
 At last, however, a simple method was dis- 
 covered, which completely answered the pur- 
 pose. There were three small tin tubes put 
 betwixt the handle of the lid of the milk 
 vessel, and the lid itself; these afforded addi- 
 tional strength to the handle, and prevented 
 it from bending when another pitcher was 
 placed upon the top of it, which was often 
 the case when the milk was drawn off. The 
 two side tubes were soldered to the lid and 
 the under side of the handle ; the centre tube 
 was put down through the lid and was sol- 
 dered close around, and the upper end of the 
 same tube was also soldered to the under 
 side of the handle, except a small point about 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 91 
 
 one sixteenth of an inch, which was left 
 open; this admitted a sufficient quantity of 
 air through the tube to allow the milk to 
 run off, and at the same time it effectually 
 prevented the admission of water. 
 
 Previous to this simple discovery, the Author 
 applied to many to learn if they were ac- 
 quainted with, or used any plan for checking, 
 the adulteration in question ; but it was ad- 
 mitted by all that they had never been able 
 to devise any scheme that would prevent their 
 servants from putting water into the milk 
 (if they were so inclined), as the hole on the 
 top of the milk barrel or vessel, from which 
 a pin was taken to admit the air, always sug- 
 gested the facility of introducing water. 
 
 After the milking of the cows was finished, 
 the distributors shifted their clothes, and 
 washed themselves ; and those who carried out 
 the milk got the hand pitchers, and the vessels 
 for the carts, filled from the receiving tub by 
 the graduated measures already described. 
 
 The quantity of milk given to each distri- 
 
92 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 butor was then entered against his respective 
 number or account in the distributing milk- 
 book, and the vessels locked with small strong 
 brass padlocks, with copper wards. 
 
 It may be remarked that unless the locks are 
 particularly good, they will soon become use- 
 less. The Author got his padlocks made 
 for the express purpose, as the common ones 
 purchased in shops very soon gave way and 
 became useless. 
 
 The distributors of the milk at Willowbank 
 had their respective districts of the city dis- 
 tinctly noted down in a small book kept 
 for the purpose, which also contained lists of 
 the regular customers, with their places of 
 residence. These were copied from the milk- 
 ledger, in which all the routes, and the 
 customers' names, were entered, with two 
 columns to the right — one for the morning, 
 and another for the afternoon ; to the right 
 of these was also a money column in which 
 the monthly amount was entered. 
 
 The respective quantities given on credit 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 93 
 
 and sold for ready money, with the quantity 
 returned (of which there was seldom any), 
 balanced the account of each distributor. 
 
 If any of the distributors gave occasional 
 credit to a chance customer, they were made 
 accountable for it themselves ; and the defi- 
 ciency was entered into the black book, and de- 
 ducted from their wages on the first pay day. 
 
 The milk routes were so arranged that 
 all the distributors could finish their respect- 
 ive courses about the same time. For every 
 quarter of an hour that any was later than 
 his appointed time of return, a fine was 
 exacted, agreeably to the regulations. The 
 carts went to the distant parts of the town 
 and suburbs. 
 
 As regularity, order, and cleanliness, were 
 three indispensable requisites peremptorily in- 
 sisted upon at Willowbank, with a view 
 to insure the due observance of them, and 
 that none might plead ignorance as an excuse, 
 a table of regulations was hung up in each 
 cow-house, as well as in the milk-office. 
 
94 HARLT.IAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 When any of the distributors happened to 
 have returned milk, the amount was placed 
 under the quantity taken out, and the total 
 carried to the right-hand column and charged 
 to the churn-house. 
 
 The dairy-maid, who had the charge of 
 the sale shop at the dairy, kept a regular 
 account with the Establishment, and had a 
 pass-book containing the names and residence 
 of her regular customers, as in the books of 
 the distributors. It may be mentioned that 
 the dairy-maid had also the charge of the 
 milk-house, the churn-house, and the sale of 
 all the produce of every kind which was dis- 
 posed of at Willowbank ; and she alone had 
 to account for the whole, as neither the 
 manager, nor clerk, was allowed to sell any 
 thing. They only kept the general books so 
 as to preserve a complete check with regard 
 to every article sold. Indeed, so effectually 
 was this method formed, that it is believed 
 there was less risk of purloining, in the way 
 in which this large concern was conducted, 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 95 
 
 than if it had been only a small establish- 
 ment where one person was entrusted with 
 the charge of a few cows, and suffered at 
 the same time to interfere with the produce 
 and pecuniary concerns. 
 
 Every morning and evening at Willowbank 
 as much new milk was set apart in the milk- 
 house, as was necessary for the cream customers. 
 This was a regulation of some importance, be- 
 cause the cream was sold at six-times the 
 price of new milk. The ordinary price of 
 cream was eighteen-pence per quart, new 
 milk three-pence, skim milk three-halfpence. 
 In order to raise the cream completely, it 
 was found necessary to put a little cold 
 water into the milk set apart for the purpose ; 
 if one quart of water was added to twelve of 
 new milk, it would produce one quart of rich 
 cream and twelve quarts of good skim milk, 
 which would be equal in value to twelve quarts 
 of new milk ; so that the only loss in selling 
 skim milk and cream, instead of new, Avas the 
 extra trouble. 
 
96 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 When any cream, or new, or skim milk, 
 was left over, it was put into the churn-house 
 in a vessel by itself, and not mixed with 
 the other milk, from the fear of disturbing 
 the coagulation. 
 
 The churning machine was constructed to 
 work one, two, three, or four upright, or 
 oblong churns at once, so that skim milk 
 might be put into one, new milk into ano- 
 ther, cream into a third, and a mixture of 
 the whole into the fourth. The plan usually 
 followed at Willowbank, however, was to 
 mix the whole together. 
 
 Although the prime or chief object of town 
 dairies is to dispose of new milk, yet from 
 various causes, such as buying a number of 
 cows at a fair, or making fewer sales on 
 Sundays than other days of the week, there 
 will occasionally be an extra quantity of 
 milk left on hand. It is, therefore, neces- 
 sary in a large establishment to have a 
 complete apparatus for churning; and the 
 details should be as regular, minute, and 
 
ftARLEIAX DAIRY SYSTEM. 97 
 
 systematic, as in the milk department. At 
 Willowbank a churn-book was kept, and it 
 contained the quantity and quality of all the 
 milk put into each churn, as well as the 
 produce in butter and butter- mi Ik. 
 
 The butter was generally sold at from ten 
 to fourteen-pence per pound of sixteen ounces, 
 and butter-milk at a halfpenny per quart. 
 This last was the cheapest article of dairy 
 produce. 
 
 There was an apartment adjoining the 
 churn-house, where all the milk and cream 
 for churning was put into large tubs or 
 vats, in which it remained till it became 
 thick and sour, for it would not churn to 
 advantage till that took place. The churns 
 were always washed clean after churning, 
 and kept dry till they were to be used. 
 
 It is the practice with many to place the 
 churn in some corner of the house, and such 
 milk as can be spared from other purposes, 
 or as may be left over on ordinary occasions, 
 whether new from the cow, or cold, is thrown 
 
 H 
 
98 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 into the churn, and when this receptacle of 
 all sorts is full, the milk is churned. When 
 milk is thus collected, that which is first put 
 into the churn or vat becomes clotted or 
 sour ; if the coagulation remain until it is 
 churned, it does not injure the milk ; but if 
 more milk be thrown into the vessel before 
 it is cooled, the sour and new milk ferment, 
 and if that operation takes place before churn- 
 ing, the fermentation will continue in the 
 milk, and the butter-milk will go into curds 
 and whey after churning. Whenever milk 
 is added to the store, the coagulum is broken 
 and the fermentation is renewed. It is abso- 
 lutely necessary that milk should become 
 sour, and clotted, before it will churn to 
 advantage; but the fermentation should not 
 be allowed to proceed too far; otherwise 
 the milk will become mouldy and putrid, 
 and whenever that is the case, before it is 
 churned, the butter has a bad smell and 
 colour, and the butter-milk becomes unpalat- 
 able and unwholesome. 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 99 
 
 To prevent these effects, and to render 
 both the butter and butter- milk good and 
 pleasant, the milk when taken from the 
 cow should be set apart in coolers, in the 
 same way as the milk that is set apart for 
 raising cream, and when cold it should be 
 put into milk tubs. When a second quan- 
 tity of milk has been cooled, it may be put 
 into the same tub with the first, provided it 
 has not become sour; but if the milk which 
 was put first into the tub has become sour, 
 the throwing in a second quantity will excite 
 too great a fermentation, and reduce the 
 whole to a state of curds and whey. It is 
 scarcely necessary to say, therefore, that it 
 is improper to mix a second quantity, if the 
 first has begun to sour. Each different milking 
 should be kept in a tub or vat by itself. 
 
 Whilst it is proper that the whole milk 
 should become sour, and be coagulated before 
 churning, yet it should never be allowed to 
 ferment so long as to run into curds and 
 whey ; otherwise both the butter and butter- 
 
 H 2 
 
100 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 milk will be unpalatable, and what hot water 
 is added to bring the milk to a proper heat 
 for churning, will tend the more to turn the 
 butter-milk into curds and whey ; whereas 
 when the milk is properly preserved before 
 churning, the butter-milk will admit of a 
 fifth or even a fourth part of water being 
 mixed with it, and be still good ; nay, be 
 much better than that which has been made 
 from the milk that has become putrid, or 
 has had the coagulum broken before it was 
 churned, though no water was put into it. 
 
 After the operation of churning has com- 
 menced, a little hot water should be added 
 gradually until it reaches the temperature 
 of about 75 degrees of Fahrenheit; but it 
 should never be overheated, nor churned too 
 hastily, otherwise the butter will be soft and 
 of a white colour. 
 
 It cannot be too often repeated, that clean- 
 liness in every possible respect is the life 
 and soul of every branch of a dairy, from 
 the milking of the cow to the last process 
 
HARLEtAX DAIRY SYSTEM. 101 
 
 of making butter and cheese ; and the slight- 
 est deviation from cleanliness cannot fail to be 
 highly detrimental. 
 
 It is not the practice in many parts of 
 Scotland to put any salt into butter that is 
 sold new; but it is a great improvement to 
 mix a little v^ith the butter, or to dissolve a 
 quantity in cold w^ater in w^hich the butter 
 is v^ashed after it is taken from the churn. 
 
 The quality of the butter-milk sold in Glas- 
 gow is generally very good, and there is a 
 great quantity used. It is a very w^holesome 
 beverage, and may be turned into a luxury 
 by putting a quantity into a linen bag, and 
 allow^ing the vs^hey or serum to drop out ; then 
 to mix v^hat remains in the bag w^ith a portion 
 of sv^eet cream and sugar. This is a dish 
 w^orthy of being introduced at the tables of 
 the first circles. 
 
 Part of the butter-milk was sometimes put 
 into a hot place to make it sour quickly, and 
 to be ready for mixing with the milk and 
 
 o 
 
 HO 
 
102 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 cream in cold weather. It was found that 
 this mode prevented the butter from acquiring 
 the flavour of the turnips or cabbage mixed 
 in the cows' food. 
 
 It may not be amiss here to give a proof of 
 the advantage of churning by steam. A gentle- 
 man in the vicinity of the city had got a 
 handsome patent churn made by Baker of 
 Fore Street, London, which he conceived to 
 be superior to the common churn; and he 
 said he would engage to produce much more 
 butter, and of better quality, by this patent 
 churn, than could be produced by the Harleian 
 churn. To give a fair trial, his patent churn 
 was brought to Willowbank, when an equal 
 quantity was put into each from the same 
 milk tub. The gentleman's servant com- 
 menced with the patent churn, and the steamer 
 was set a-going at the same instant; steam 
 beat the patent, however, by fifteen minutes; 
 and it was found that there were also two and 
 a half per cent, more weight in its favour, 
 besides the quality being better. The only 
 
HARLEIAN 1>AIRY SYSTEM. 103 
 
 way to account for this was to ascribe it to 
 the constant and regular motion of the steam 
 power. 
 
 From the leaden pipe or worm in the boiler 
 hot water was brought by pipes to the milk- 
 office, churn-house, &c., . where vessels of 
 various sizes were placed, made of block tin. 
 These were in size and number according to 
 the heat required and the spaciousness of the 
 apartment. Each vessel had two stop-cocks, 
 one at either end, and in the lower part of the 
 vessel one to admit the water, the other to let 
 it off. If a strong heat was wanted, the waste- 
 cock might be kept half or three parts open ; 
 and if a gentle heat was required, it was shut 
 altogether, or nearly so, and opened occa- 
 sionally to let off the cold water and replace 
 it with hot. As the vessels would not fill with 
 water till the atmospheric air was let off, there 
 was a small tube, about the thickness of a 
 quill, with a stop-cock to suit; one end of this 
 tube was soldered to the highest part of the 
 vessel next the waste-cock, and the other end 
 
 H 4 
 
104 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 was inserted into the waste pipe beyond the 
 waste stop-cock ; this allowed the air to escape, 
 and if the stop-cock of this tube was left open, 
 a small thread of water would constantly run 
 through. 
 
 All the pitchers, measures, money bags, 
 and hand-bells, were numbered and arranged 
 in lots. The pitchers and measures, when 
 washed, rinsed, and scalded, were put upon 
 racks, or hung upon pins to dry in the milk 
 office. The racks and pins for each set of 
 measures were also numbered to correspond, 
 so that if any article was lost, injured, or dirty, 
 it was easily detected; and the defaulter to 
 whose department the loss or missing article 
 belonged, was fined, and the amount entered 
 in the black book. 
 
 Care in the selection of cows is of the utmost 
 importance to the success of a dairy. The 
 Author had cows by way of experiment from 
 different parts of the united kingdom : he 
 purchased ten at one Edinburgh market, 
 of the Igirge short horned breed, at £20. each ; 
 
JIARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 105 
 
 but these did not give more milk, nor better 
 in quality, than Ayrshire cows that were bought 
 at the same period for £13. a- head ; and on 
 comparison it was found that the latter were 
 much cheaper kept, and that they improved 
 fully more in beef and fat in proportion to 
 their size than the high-priced cows ; a decided 
 preference was therefore given to the improved 
 Ayrshire breed, from seven to ten years' old, 
 and from £8. to £20. per head. Prime young- 
 cows were too high-priced for stall feeding; 
 old cows were generally the most profitable 
 in the long run, especially if they were not 
 previously in good keeping. Animals of this 
 description were usually got for little money, 
 and although they were seldom in good order 
 in the mouth when first brought to Willow- 
 bank, they soon improved with soft and rich 
 steamed food. 
 
 The cows were generally bought when near 
 calving, which prevented the barbarous prac- 
 tice called hafting, or allowing the milk to 
 remain upon the cow for a considerable time 
 
106 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 before she is brought to the market ; this base 
 and cruel custom (for which a heavy penalty- 
 ought to be legally inflicted) is always perni- 
 cious to the cow, and in consequence of it she 
 seldom recovers her milk for the season. The 
 middling and larger size of cows was pre- 
 ferred, such as weighed from thirty-five to 
 fifty stone, English. The Author bought one 
 very large fine cow for £30. ; he got £3. for 
 the calf without being fed, and he sold the 
 cow to a butcher for £28. ; for a considerable 
 time this cow gave forty quarts per day, and 
 was milked three times each day. He had a 
 number of other very fine cows, which when 
 newly calved and highly fed, produced from 
 twenty-five to thirty quarts per day. The 
 most approved shape and marks of a good dairy 
 cow are as follows : — head small, long, and 
 narrow towards the muzzle ; horns small, clear, 
 bent, and placed at a considerable distance 
 from each other ; eyes not large, but brisk 
 and lively ; neck slender and long, tapering 
 towards the head, and a little loose skin below ; 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 107 
 
 shoulders and fore quarters light and thin ; 
 hind quarters large and broad; back straight 
 and joints slack and open; carcass deep in 
 the rib ; tail small and long, reaching to the 
 heels ; legs small and short, with firm joints ; 
 the udder (milk vessel) square, but a little 
 oblong, stretching forward, thin skinned and 
 capacious, but not low hung; teats, or paps, 
 small, pointing outwards, and at a considerable 
 distance from each other ; milk veins capacious 
 and prominent; skin loose, thin, and soft like 
 a glove; hair short, soft, and woolley; the 
 general figure handsome and well proportioned. 
 These shapes, or marks, of an improved dairy 
 cow have generally the following qualities : — 
 
 First. — She is of a quiet and docile temper, 
 which greatly enhances her value. A cow 
 that is of a quiet and contented disposition 
 feeds at ease ; and when pasturing in the fields 
 does not break the fences, hurt herself, or 
 gore other cattle. 
 
 Secondly. — A cow that is quiet and con- 
 tented, is milked with greater ease and yields 
 
108 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 more milk than those of a turbulent disposition. 
 When any of the above shapes are of a con- 
 trary disposition, it generally arises from im- 
 proper treatment ; such as scolding, striking, 
 or frightening the animal, which tends to 
 make her cross. Kind treatment is both the 
 best preventive and cure of vicious habits in 
 any animal. 
 
 Thirdly. — Another quality of the improved 
 Ayrshire breed is, that after they have yielded 
 a large quantity of milk they fatten well, make 
 excellent mixed beef, and yield a considerable 
 quantity of tallow; this is easily accounted 
 for, as in general they feed freely, have capa- 
 cious stomachs, and when dry, the food which 
 produced the large supply of milk is converted 
 into fat and flesh. These facts should induce 
 every dairy husbandman, whether upon a large 
 or a small scale, to be careful in the selection 
 of his cows. 
 
 There were no calves fattened at the Harleiau 
 dairy ; these were always disposed of as soon 
 as possible. The Author had so many other 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 109 
 
 avocations on hand and so many duties to attend, 
 that he found he could not get this important 
 department of dairy husbandry overtaken. 
 
 The fattening of calves produces a large return, 
 if managed on the improved plan adopted of 
 late, and especially in winter and spring. 
 
 At the Willowbank Establishment some of 
 the cows' stalls were longer and some shorter 
 to suit the different sizes of the animals. The 
 largest cows were placed in those next the 
 balcony in the hundred cow-house ; the quietest 
 and handsomest were put in the stalls next the 
 transverse or middle passage, and so on in 
 rotation towards the sides of the house. They 
 stood in pairs, and were generally of the same 
 size and colour, at least as nearly so as pos- 
 sible. When new cows were bought, each 
 had a running number in the cow-book, 
 which was put upon a ticket and placed upon 
 her stake with paste, and was also removed 
 with her as often as she changed her place. 
 
 The name of the person from whom the cow 
 was bought, with a description of her colour and 
 
110 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 mark, also her age and whether in calf or not, 
 and how long gone in calf, were entered in the 
 cow-book. Her price was likewise entered in 
 the money column ; and if in calf she was 
 credited with the price got for it, and the date 
 and name of the purchaser were inserted in the 
 cow-book against her number. In dressing the 
 cows the hair was cut clean off their tails, to 
 prevent them from lifting dung or water; 
 indeed they had little or no use for long tails, 
 as from the cleanliness of the house there were 
 few flies, and in the season, when there were 
 any of these, white fancy cut papers were 
 hung from the roof to attract flies. 
 
 The vicious cows, or any that had con- 
 tracted bad habits by improper treatment 
 before being brought to Willowbank, were 
 put next to the wall ; and such as would not 
 allow themselves to be touched without kick- 
 ing, had the fore foot farthest from the wall 
 tied with a rope to the chain that bound them, 
 thence brought along their side and round 
 their hind quarters, and fastened to a ring in 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. Ill 
 
 the wall. A currycomb with a long handle 
 was then applied to the rump of the tail, 
 forehead, neck, &c., and every part of the 
 skin was curried. Cows should never be 
 struck or scolded, but spoken to and dealt 
 with in the kindest manner ; when struck they 
 will either attempt to kick, or throw them- 
 selves down. By persevering in kind and gentle 
 treatment, it was found that in a short time the 
 crossest Willowbank cows became peaceable 
 and easily managed; whereas by a contrary 
 plan, and if not curried or clean milked, they 
 became irritable and restive, and uniformly got 
 worse instead of better. If there are any 
 exceptions in cows thus treated, they must 
 be very rare ; indeed there are few of the wild 
 and ferocious animals but may be tamed by 
 kindness. Cows, like many other animals, 
 are partial to a pleasing sound. It was found by 
 experience at Willowbank that cows were very 
 fond of having a tune hummed or sung by the 
 dairymaid whilst milking. Nothing, in short, 
 contributed more to keep them quiet, unless 
 
112 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM, 
 
 it was the act of eating their food; but it is 
 well known that in the Highlands wild deer 
 will be arrested in their progress by singing, 
 and will sometimes allow the songster to 
 approach very near them. 
 
 If ever Mr. Martin should regain his seat 
 as a senator, and make another motion in the 
 House of Commons respecting humanity to 
 animals, he would do well to introduce a 
 clause to prevent the base and inhuman prac- 
 tice of hafting cows, which often brings disease 
 of the udder and makes them fretful and 
 vicious. 
 
 When the cows were bought at Willow- 
 bank, each was measured with a tape line 
 from the top of the shoulder to the rump or 
 top of the tail, and girted round from the top 
 of the shoulder immediately behind the fore 
 legs ; these dimensions were calculated accord- 
 ing to Ainslie's Tables, and the weight entered 
 opposite their number in the cow-book. The 
 whole of the cows in the establishment were 
 measured in this manner once a month, and 
 
HARLEIAN Dy\IRY SYSTEM. 113 
 
 the weight entered opposite their numbers 
 in a list which was put in a part of the cow- 
 book, with columns extending to the right, 
 having the date of measurement at the top ; 
 thus at one glance was seen the improvement 
 of each cow. There were some exceptions 
 to this as well as to every general rule, but it 
 was found that the weight of the cows when 
 killed and weighed corresponded nearly to the 
 weight by measurement. 
 
 In another part of this work the general 
 arrangement of the cows is stated as they were 
 brought into the house; but there were sub- 
 sequent changes, such as bringing those that 
 were nearly fat and dry together; still it was 
 found most expedient to adhere as far as 
 possible to the original plan, and particularly 
 in keeping those of the same size and colour 
 in the same stalls. In making sales of them 
 they were generally disposed of in lots without 
 any pick or shot. The purchaser was usually 
 allowed a given time to take them away ; and, 
 to prevent mistakes, this condition, with the 
 
114 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 price and other particulars, was ratified by 
 missives, a copy of which was entered in the 
 sales-book column, which contained also the 
 running number of the cows sold. From the 
 date of sale the cattle were at the risk of the 
 purchaser, who was at liberty to remove them 
 at any time, but bound ta pay for their main- 
 tenance after the fixed term was expired. If 
 they were partially taken away, the seller had 
 the liberty of pointing out which cows were 
 to be removed first ; in this he was commonly 
 guided by the quantity of milk they gave, 
 except when there was a rise or fall upon 
 cattle. In general the same price was got 
 for fat cows as that which was given for them 
 when bought near the calving : the price of 
 the calves nearly paid the expense of keeping 
 before calving. When there were many dry 
 cows, they were put into the dark cow-house 
 or cellar described in the former part of the 
 work. 
 
 At the Willowbank Establishment one or 
 more good bulls were kept, to which the cows 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 115 
 
 were taken when in condition ; but as it did 
 not suit to keep them over to calve, it was 
 thought best not to let them have the bull till 
 the prime of the milk was over. After taking 
 the bull they fattened better. 
 
 Many gentlemen in the city and neighbour- 
 hood sent their cows to the bull at Willowbank : 
 the charge was five shillings. There was a 
 book kept in which was^ recorded the date 
 and number of the cows that were served by 
 the bull, and a separate part of the same book 
 for the date and name of those who sent 
 their cows. 
 
 A month was the usual credit given for 
 the milk; the accounts were then sent in 
 to the customers. If any did not pay, the 
 amount was carried forward, and added to 
 the next month's list ; so that at the end of 
 every month the amount due by each customer, 
 as also the total sum, was seen at once. 
 
 There was a weighing machine within the 
 premises near the gate, where ail the provender, 
 whether hay, straw, grass, vegetables, oil-cake, 
 
 I 2 
 
116 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 or other articles of food, were weighed and 
 entered in the proper book. Occasionally all 
 the food, of whatever kind, which the cows 
 got, was weighed ; say once in two or three 
 weeks, or as long as the same mixtures were 
 continued, to ascertain as nearly as possible 
 the expense of feeding per day or week. 
 
 All the dung, too, whether sold or used by 
 the proprietor, was weighed and entered to the 
 account of the purchaser, or to the garden or 
 farm. The urine carts, with the casks, were 
 also weighed ; but as these belonged to the 
 Establishment and were numbered, it was only 
 necessary to enter their numbers in the book, 
 against which the quantity that each held 
 was always affixed. 
 
 Ir order to prevent the milk from tasting 
 of turnips, &c., take a given quantity of nitre, 
 and boil it in water; let the solution be as 
 strong as possible, but not to chrystalize ; when 
 cold, bottle it and cork it well, and put a few 
 tea-spoonsful in the milking pail, and milk 
 upon it; or a quantity may be put into the 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 117 
 
 bottom of the receiving tub, and the milk 
 stirred about when put into the tub. This 
 in a great measure will carry off the taste of 
 the turnips ; but the best and most effectual 
 way is to steam all the vegetables well. It 
 is chiefly common turnips and cabbages that 
 give the strong taste to milk and butter. 
 Aberdeen yellow turnips have little effect, 
 and Swedish none. 
 
 1 3 
 
118 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The piggery belonging to the Willowbank 
 Establishment was kept chiefly for consuming 
 the offals of the dairy, and the refuse of the 
 gardens and farm, and also for turning the 
 whole into manure. Every description of weeds 
 and waste stuff was daily gathered and laid 
 in front of the piggery, and a small quantity 
 was thrown into its area every hour or two. 
 What the pigs did not eat was trodden down, 
 and soon decomposed by their dung and 
 urine. The left mess, &c., was put into the 
 feeding troughs, which were cleaned out and 
 washed daily. 
 
 A portion of cinders from the ash pit was 
 given to the pigs daily, which they were found 
 to be fond of: it was supposed that these 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 119 
 
 tended to promote digestion, and to prevent 
 swelling when they ate or drank too much. 
 The weeds and offals were the only food 
 given to the swine, and these kept them in 
 good condition for breeding. That being 
 the chief object, none were fattened except 
 those that were bad nurses or past breeding; 
 such as were nursing or fattening were bet- 
 ter fed. 
 
 Most of the pigs that were kept at Wil- 
 lowbank were a cross breed of the Berkshire 
 and Chinese. The Author paid 10/. for a very 
 large and handsome breeding sow of the 
 former kind, and he got a boar of the latter 
 breed from the late Lady Shaw Stewart of 
 Ardgowan, which produced a breed of medium- 
 sized pigs. They were very handsome, quiet, 
 and good tempered ; had short legs, and small 
 bones ; were easily fed, and when cut brought 
 a high price for store pigs. They also sold 
 readily for roasting. 
 
 All the pigs were regularly curried, and 
 so fond were they of this operation, that 
 
 I 4 
 
120 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM, 
 
 they would often leave their meat and rub 
 their shoulders against the feeder, as an in- 
 dication of their desire to be scrubbed. 
 Tow and wool -cards were preferred to curry- 
 combs for this purpose ; they were also better 
 adapted for cleaning the cows after they had 
 cast their long and rough hair, which they did 
 when they began to fatten. 
 
 The young pigs were sold when about six 
 weeks' old for roasting, or when cut they 
 were bought for store pigs. The price varied 
 very much according to circumstances, say 
 from seven shillings to twenty shillings each. 
 One of the servants was selected as properly 
 qualified to kill the pigs, and make them 
 ready for the spit. Gentlemen or ladies who 
 were accustomed to buy pigs for the dinner 
 table, had them prepared for the cook and 
 sent home from Willowbank. They wil- 
 lingly gave a higher price for pigs so obtained 
 than for such as were exposed for sale in 
 the market, as they were known to be cleaner 
 fed and kept than by the common mode. 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 121 
 
 The pig-house was alongside one division 
 of the cow-house ; the dimensions of which 
 will be seen in the annexed plan. They 
 were built of brick, and the roof was a semi- 
 circular arch of the same materials. The styes 
 were divided from each other by a nine-inch 
 wall, and these were sub-divided into two apart- 
 ments, one for feeding, the other for sleeping* 
 The entrance to the latter was just sufficiently 
 wide to admit the pig. There was placed 
 in it an oblong cast iron trough, which was 
 filled with water, to cause the pigs to wash 
 their feet before they retired to rest at 
 night. When the weather was warm, they 
 often lay down in the trough, and thus got 
 a cold bath gratis. There was a water-pipe 
 laid along in front of the piggery, from which 
 a branch was taken into every stye ; the 
 trough had a washer in the bottom to let 
 off the water, which was changed daily, im- 
 mediately after the dung was taken away. 
 
 In front of the styes was an area, the 
 
122 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM, 
 
 whole length of the piggery, with a wall suffi- 
 ciently high to confine the pigs. This area was 
 sub-divided by iron gates, as it was found the 
 swine cut the wooden ones. These sub- 
 division gates were hung upon the sub-di- 
 vision walls, and as the pig-styes were of 
 the same width with the area, the gates 
 also shut up each stye when the servant 
 went to take the dung from the area, or 
 when a sow was taken to the boar; this 
 kept every lot or family by itself The 
 bottom of the area and pig-houses was cause- 
 wayed with whinstone ; the sleeping apart- 
 ments were a few inches higher than the 
 feeding places, and both were on an inclined 
 plane towards the area, which also similarly 
 inclined towards the houses. At the junction 
 of these two inclined planes a sewer was 
 formed, which had descended to one end of the 
 area, at which there was a large well or 
 tank for the urine to run into. Immedi- 
 ately after the dung was taken from the 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 123 
 
 area, the washing troughs were emptied, be- 
 ginning at the highest part of the area, 
 when the keeper, with a birch besom, washed 
 the feeding places and area ; this cleaned and 
 carried off all the particles of dung and the 
 left food towards the tank, where there was 
 a filter similar to the one in the cow-house. 
 It may be here remarked that although it 
 is proverbial for sows to wallow in the 
 mire, it has been found that they are never- 
 theless fond of a clean dry bed ; and if 
 straw be within their reach they will make 
 a bed for themselves. They are particularly 
 careful as to this before producing their young. 
 Great attention, indeed, should be paid to them 
 at that crisis, as some will eat their pigs if 
 not watched ; others are careless, and often 
 overlay them ; but the greater part are kind 
 to, and careful of, their young : they will lie 
 down with the greatest care flat upon their 
 side to give suck, and then rise up very 
 gently. Such as were of this disposition at 
 Willowbank were kept for breeding, and the 
 
124 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 others were fattened or sold off as soon as 
 possible. 
 
 With regard to the rearing of this kind of 
 stock as a source of profit, the Author does not 
 think it worth while to fatten pigs unless there 
 are offals which would otherwise be lost, as it 
 takes far more value in the sort of food required 
 to fatten them than they are worth when fed; 
 but where there are offals in abundance, he 
 thinks that one or more pigs should be kept. 
 All the refuse and weeds of the garden, 
 the offals, dish- washings of the kitchen, &c.> 
 should be given to them ; and if they get plenty 
 of litter they will produce manure sufficient 
 for the kitchen garden. When the tank at 
 the piggery was full it ran over into a drain, 
 which carried it into the large tank under 
 the hundred cow-house. 
 
 All drains for conducting pig or cow urine, 
 unless very steep, should be made so large 
 as to allow a person to go through them for 
 the purpose of cleaning them out, otherwise 
 the sediment will soon stop them up. The 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 125 
 
 sediment of the piggery tank was taken out 
 periodically and mixed with ashes, which 
 produced a great quantity of valuable manure. 
 
 Upon the top of the piggery was a large 
 barn and store houses, which projected over 
 the open area; these were supported by pil- 
 lars from the wall in front of the area. This 
 kept the area warm and dry. Some persons 
 imagine, and not without reason, that it is to 
 allay the heat or itchiness of the skin that pigs 
 are so fond of wallowing in the mire ; the Author 
 would advise, that when there is any ap- 
 pearance of eruption in the skin of the pigs 
 they should have a little sulphur mixed with 
 their food, and, in addition to the regular 
 currying and cleaning, be well washed with 
 soft soap and water. 
 
126 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM, 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 With regard to the mode of keeping the books 
 at Willowbank, the Wages Book had a folio 
 for registering the names of all the servants, 
 with their places of residence. Part of this 
 book had columns for keeping the servants' 
 time, in v^hich all short time was marked. 
 In the right hand column the wages due to 
 each was entered. 
 
 The pay day was on Tuesday evening after 
 each Saturday fortnight. This always left 
 two days' pay in hand. At one time, when 
 paid in full on Saturday, some in a frolic 
 thought proper to absent themselves, which 
 caused inconvenience on the Monday. But 
 the chief reason for paying on Tuesday was 
 to prevent the servants from spending their 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 127 
 
 earnings on the Sabbath, and also to give them 
 an opportunity of purchasing their necessaries 
 at the weekly market, which was held on the 
 Wednesday; and where they could lay out 
 their wages to more advantage than by pur- 
 chasing late on Saturday night, when the worst 
 commodities are brought forward. Besides, 
 there was extra work on the Saturday after- 
 noon and evening, in preparing food for the 
 cattle; and some of the customers took extra 
 milk on that night, as the carts did not go 
 out on the Sabbath. The hand pitchers 
 only were carried out on that day. The 
 clerk, too, had more time to get the Black 
 -Book examined, and the Wages Book com- 
 pletely made up. 
 
 This practice (of paying the working men 
 of his various establishments on Tuesday even- 
 ings) was adopted for many years by the 
 Author; and although some did not like the 
 mode at first, they soon found its advantage 
 both to themselves and to their families. In 
 reference to this subject, it may be observed 
 
128 HARLEIAX DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 that many young persons, who have their wages 
 and time at command, are enticed away by 
 idle companions on the Sabbath, and are 
 thus often led from the paths of virtue on the 
 day which is most particularly commanded to 
 be kept sacred. Indeed it has often been 
 remarked, that in Scotland many of those who 
 have forfeited their lives to the laws of their 
 country, have dated the commencement of their 
 fatal career from an early disobedience to their 
 parents, and the profanation of the Lord's Day. 
 In farther relation to the books, there was 
 a table of regulations made pointing out the 
 duty of the manager, clerk, and all the other 
 servants. These were read once a week, and 
 a copy was hung up in the office and in each 
 cow-house, with a list of fines. The fines 
 were kept by the clerk, and at given times 
 were appropriated to the common benefit of 
 all the servants. This made every one careful, 
 as defaulters were sure to be detected for the 
 sake of the fine. In short, there was an in- 
 ventory taken of every vessel and implement 
 
HAttLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 129 
 
 about the premises and entered in a book. All 
 spare articles were locked up by the manager, 
 and a note of what was on hand was to be 
 seen in the utensil book ; and when new 
 articles were got, they were put to the debit 
 of that book. Every article that each servant 
 got was put to the credit of the utensil book 
 and to the debit of the servant, and when 
 any one changed their place in the Estab- 
 lishment, or left the service, they were obliged 
 to account for the articles under their charge. 
 If any thing was missing, the value was 
 put in the black book, and deducted from 
 their wages. In all similar esta^blishments, 
 the inventory should be compared with the 
 stock at least once a month; unless this be 
 attended to, there will soon be much loss and 
 inconvenience. 
 
 The Author does not pretend to any superior 
 skill in the book-keeping system he adopted, 
 but as he had no form to copy from, he 
 had his books ruled for the different depart- 
 ments in as concise and simple a form as 
 
 K 
 
130 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 possible, and which any person who could 
 write and had a knowledge of figures, might 
 keep with ease, without having been taught 
 a general system of book-keeping. The chief 
 objects in view at Willowbank were accuracy, 
 2kUd to show the daily receipts and disburse- 
 ments of the Establishment. Also at the 
 end of every month to exhibit the amount 
 owing to and by the concern. 
 
 The cow-book, into which every cow was 
 entered as she came into the cow-house, 
 contained a description of the animal, from 
 whom obtained, the price, &c., as formerly 
 mentioned. . 
 
 The provision book had folios, or accounts 
 opened for every kind of food, which was 
 entered upon a slate when weighed, and 
 transcribed at the first leisure into the book. 
 The amount and value of each kind of pro- 
 vender were summed up monthly, and put 
 to the credit of the farm or gardens, or to 
 that of the individual who furnished the 
 food. 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 131 
 
 The feeding-book had columns for the 
 different kinds of food, appropriately entitled at 
 the top, and the quantity of each kind entered 
 in their respective columns. The various sorts 
 were v^eighed in the machine, either on 
 wheel-barrows or carts ; but when the same 
 kinds continued to be used for a given time, 
 say two or three weeks, there was only one 
 day entered for that period, which, multi- 
 plied by the number of days, showed the 
 total amount. 
 
 In the daily milk-book was entered all 
 the distributors' milk, and that which was 
 set apart for cream was put in the milk- 
 house. These two added together showed the 
 total quantity daily. This book also showed 
 what milk was returned > and put into the 
 churn-house : in short, it exhibited the whole 
 of the dairy milk, obtained, and how dis- 
 posed of. 
 
 The ledger contained all the customers' 
 names and residences on the left hand of 
 the folio ; columns to the right showed the 
 
 K 2 
 
132 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 quantity received by each customer, morning: 
 and evening ; the third column contained the 
 amount per month ; and again, to the right 
 of these, the date v^hen paid. These co- 
 lumns were extended to the right for six or 
 twelve months. The money column showed 
 the amount due by each customer, and the 
 total amount at the end of each month. Each 
 distributor had a small book containing the 
 names of his customers, &c., which was an 
 abstract from the ledger. 
 
 The daily cash-book had double money 
 columns. In the first was entered the money 
 received from each distributor for butter, 
 milk, &c. ; the second contained the money 
 received from regular or monthly customers, 
 and such butter or cream as was entered 
 in any book on credit. These columns were 
 summed up daily, and the total amount en- 
 tered in one sum in the general cash-book. 
 
 The churning-book had a column for cream, 
 strippings, new and skim milk ; and, in a 
 column to the right of these, the daily total 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 133 
 
 \Yas extended. Another part of the churning- 
 book contained the quantity put into each 
 churn, and the produce in butter and milk. 
 
 In the petty expense-book was entered all 
 small incidental sums, which were cast up 
 daily, to balance the cash, and entered 
 monthly in the general cash-book. 
 
 In the memorandum-book every thing was 
 noted down that was necessary to be kept 
 in mind, and as these were disposed of 
 they were marked off in the book. 
 
 All orders for milk, cream, &c., were en- 
 tered in the order-book. 
 
 In the utensil-book the names of all the 
 servants were entered, with the utensils they 
 had in use. It also contained the whole 
 amount of the stock of utensils. 
 
 The black-book contained a note of all the 
 fines that were levied, and all the money 
 that every distributor was short; also the 
 price of any article that was lost or destroyed 
 by carelessness, the amount of which was car- 
 
 K 3 
 
134 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 ried to the debit of each servant's account, and 
 deducted from their first pay. 
 
 The regular cash-book contained the daily- 
 receipts for milch cows sold, dung and urine 
 sold, and all disbursements whatever, say cash 
 paid for cows, hay, and other provender, &c. 
 
 The ledger contained accounts for cows, pro- 
 vender, personal accounts, &c. 
 
 There was no journal kept, but every thing 
 was entered in the ledger direct from the cash- 
 book and the buying and selling- books. The 
 provender-book showed all the purchases of that 
 article, and the cow-book the various purchases 
 of cows. There were a few folios at the end 
 of the cow-book for entering the lots sold, as 
 mentioned in the section on selling cows. 
 
 The piggery-book contained the pedigree of 
 the pigs, the number of each litter, and how 
 disposed of, Sec. 
 
J^'t^teuir t^-ct^t^:^ /^n^ -Gx/tce . 
 
 
 S'na-'uu^ec^ '^n/ i^ ^^u^ii^A' ^c^cwi-e^ .>n.aaHX^-i^ie- yf. "Z? >^ •^'^ ^'^^^ ■ 
 
References to the SMALL COW-HOUSE. 
 
 AA. Sale shops. BB. Longitudinal passages, CC. Trans- 
 verse passage, DD. Double stalls, EE. Pillars for sup- 
 porting partitions. FF. Wii'e grating hung with weights 
 as a window sash, GG. Partition, HH. Common sewer 
 for conducting the cow urine to the tank. II. Grooves. 
 KK. Grating for filtering the urine. \Aj. Cast-metal plate 
 covering the barrel into which the washings of the troughs are 
 received, and from thence taken to the piggery. MM. Feed- 
 ing troughs. 
 
 J 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 135 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 As the history o|' the large cow-house is chiefly 
 applicable to town dairies, it may be useful 
 to give a description of the first cow-house, 
 which contained twenty-four cows, as being 
 more applicable to private gentlemen and 
 farmers. A sub-division of it, say for six 
 cows, may be adopted to equal advantage by 
 those who farm upon a small scale. The 
 building was forty-four feet long by thirty-one 
 feet wide within the walls : there were three 
 longitudinal passages, four feet wide, with a 
 door at the north end of each, and one trans- 
 verse passage six feet wide. Additional houses 
 were added to the westward, and the trans- 
 verse passage was carried along through them. 
 The roof, which was pavilion, was covered 
 
 K 4 
 
136 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 with slates, and hung with pins upon rafters ; 
 there were two hatch windows on each side 
 of the roof, and one at each end. The windows 
 were hung with crooks and eyes, and opened 
 with a handle as described in the large cow- 
 house. 
 
 There were two rows of cows of twelve 
 each, sub-divided by the transverse passage 
 so as to accommodate two sixes on each side 
 of it, and two cows in each stall, which were 
 separated from each other by wooden parti- 
 tions. The cows were bound with iron chains 
 and swivels the same as in the hundred cow- 
 house, but the stakes were of round ash wood, 
 about seven and a half feet long and four 
 inches diameter; the bottom end sunk in a 
 stone, flush with the floor ; and the top, which 
 was square, was fastened with a screw bolt and 
 not to a longitudinal joist. One half of the 
 stalls were floored similar to the large cow- 
 house ; the fore part with composition, and 
 the hinder part with hewn stone : the other 
 half of the stalls had the fore part laid with 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 137 
 
 joists and flooring about two and a half feet 
 broad, and the hinder part was formed of hewn 
 stone. Wood is decidedly the best for the fore- 
 feet of the cows, as it is softer than composition, 
 and the cattle will require little or no litter; but 
 being occasionally wet with the food and water 
 spilt, the wood soon rotted ; had the floor 
 and joists been made of larch timber, there is 
 no doubt they would have been more desirable, 
 inasmuch as they would have lasted longer. 
 
 The passages were of hewn stone rounded, 
 
 as were also the grooves and troughs. The 
 
 grooves were also inclined to the centre, and 
 
 to the side next the cows, the better to allow 
 
 the urine to run into a common sewer which 
 
 was formed under the transverse passage to 
 
 conduct the urine to the tank, as shown in the 
 
 ground plan of this cow-house. The hecks 
 
 were also the same, but hung with weights 
 
 and pullies similar to a window sash; there 
 
 were wooden pilasters at each end to guide 
 
 them, and facings to keep the hecks in their 
 
 places. 
 
138 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 The bottoms of the pilasters were sunk in 
 the curb stone at the head passages, and the 
 tops made fast to the horizontal joists in the 
 same manner as the stakes. There was a 
 hole in the stake, about a foot from the bottom, 
 with an iron pin to fit, which to prevent its 
 being lost was made fast to the partition with 
 a piece of jack chain. When raw uncut 
 turnips or potatos were given to the cows, 
 the pin was put into the stake above the ring, 
 which kept the cow's head down while feed- 
 ing, and was a certain preventive against 
 their choking, as it is only when they lift 
 their heads to bolt that the turnips, &c., stick 
 in the throat. 
 
 There were small pits in the centre of the 
 transverse passage, with cast-iron covers to 
 fit, in which were placed barrels for receiving 
 whatever meat or drink was left in the troughs, 
 the bottom of which inclined towards the 
 barrels, so that by putting a little water into 
 the troughs all was washed clean into the 
 barrels and carried to the piggery. , 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 139 
 
 Although the sashes were very convenient, 
 the improved mode used in the one hundred 
 cow-house of lifting the hecks by divisions 
 with a wheel and pinion, was preferable, as 
 by that mode the cows were prevented from 
 overturning their feeding dishes. When the 
 dishes were put into the trough with the mash, 
 the inner side, (the side next the cow,) of 
 each dish, rested upon the bottom of the 
 trough, and the other side upon the curbstone 
 next the passage. When thus placed, the 
 ratch was lifted, and all the hecks were let 
 down and rested upon the feeding dishes; 
 the hecks, which were hung by weights in the 
 first cow-house, (now described,) were also let 
 down upon the dishes; but as the hecks were 
 counterpoised by weights, they had little ef- 
 fect in preventing the feeding dishes being 
 tumbled. 
 
 About one fourth part of the feeding dish 
 was outside of the heck, which allowed the 
 feeder to put in what additional mash or water 
 was required. The dishes being thus placed 
 
140 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 upon an inclined plane, enabled the cows more 
 easily to clean them out. 
 
 This description of the small cow-house 
 may be applied to apartments for one or two 
 cows ; indeed every cow-house should have 
 a head passage, and the other arrangements 
 mentioned in this Treatise, and also hecks to 
 let their breath escape. When the cow's head 
 is close to a wall, her breath is returned upon 
 the food, which injures it. Hence it is not good 
 for the provender to be kept in a loft over the 
 cattle. 
 
 There should invariably be a barrel or small 
 tank to preserve the urine, and a place to keep 
 the dung from exposure to the atmosphere ; 
 otherwise the richest particles vsdll fly off in 
 vapour. 
 
 The regulations respecting feeding, &c., 
 should also be particularly attended to. 
 
 When the Author kept only a cow or two 
 for his family, they were frequently injured, 
 and did not give the proper quantity of milk 
 from the ignorance or inattention of the dairy- 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 141 
 
 maid. Sometimes they were neglected, at 
 other times they got too much, and when 
 fed with turnips or potatos, they were often 
 in danger of being choked ; when these were 
 boiled the cows were sometimes scalded. 
 Potatos or turnips, when boiled whole, should 
 always be broken by the hand or a beetle, 
 and not given warmer than blood heat, other- 
 wise the cow will be injured ; but although 
 steamed food be put boiling into the horses' 
 manger, they will not eat it till it is sufficiently 
 cold. 
 
 Were an outline of the system of feeding, &c., 
 as detailed in this Treatise, transcribed and 
 given to dairymaids by their masters or mis- 
 tresses, with an injunction to commit it to 
 memory on entering their service, it might 
 be of considerable advantage to the owner of 
 the cows, and the health of the animals, as 
 well as improve the quantity and flavor of the 
 milk. 
 
142 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The following particulars are intended to 
 convey to private families the most profitable 
 method of building a byre and of managing 
 one or more cows. 
 
 To such as require accommodation for only 
 one cow, the byre should be constructed 
 fifteen feet inside, measuring from side wall to 
 side wall ; the walls should be from seven to 
 nine feet high. There should be a passage 
 of three feet wide at the head and three feet 
 at the tail of the cow; the stall should not 
 be more than three feet six inches wide, and 
 from five and a half to six feet long from the 
 inside of the crib to the inside of the groove, 
 according to the size of the cow. There 
 
IIARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 143 
 
 should be a space of three feet wide alongside 
 the cow for passing to feed her, or to take 
 away the dung. A post should be placed 
 about half way between the crib and groove 
 to keep the cow in her stall, and prevent 
 her from turning round to soil the side passage. 
 She should be tied to a stake with a chain, 
 ring and swivel ; the stake to be placed in the 
 centre of the stall four inches from the crib 
 stone : the crib or feeding trough to be of hewn 
 stone, one foot four inches wide at the top, 
 and one foot at the bottom; the sides four 
 inches thick, rounded to a semicircle; the 
 groove a foot wide, four inches deep next the 
 passage, and eight inches next the stall, which 
 should be four inches higher than the pave- 
 ment. 
 
 The part of the stall next the groove to be 
 as described in the large cow-house ; the fore 
 part of it to be floored with deal, and joists or 
 composition. 
 
 A heck with wire grating should be hung 
 in front of the cow as a window sash, to pre- 
 
144 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 vent the provender from coming out into the 
 passage. 
 
 If two cov^s are kept, the stalls should be 
 six feet six inches wide, and the stakes for 
 fastening them should be placed within nine 
 inches of each side of the stall, to prevent the 
 cows from coming in contact; and if more 
 than two cows are kept, there should be a 
 trevis (partition) between the second and third 
 cow, or the stake of the third cow so placed 
 as to keep her at a proper distance from the 
 second; but in every case there should be a 
 side passage, or a separate entry to the head 
 passage for carrying in the food, as it should 
 never be carried across the groove, or between 
 the cows. It is not desirable to have a hay- 
 loft above the byre in case of fire ; besides, 
 as has been before remarked, the cows' breath 
 injures the provender; but if there is no suit- 
 able place for keeping the hay, it is very con- 
 venient to have it in a loft over the byre; in 
 which case there should be a board hinged 
 to fit the aperture for letting down the hay 
 
HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 145 
 
 to the COW, to prevent the cow's breath from 
 ascending to the ' provender ; and in order to 
 give ventilation there should also be one or 
 two holes made in each side wall close to the 
 hay-loft. If it is wished to have the byres 
 handsome, the walls and ceilings may be 
 plastered, and neat circular openings formed 
 in the ceiling between the joists where the 
 openings are made through the outer walls. 
 The current of fresh air passing between these 
 joists, will draw up and carry off the foul air 
 by the circular openings; and to make the 
 ventilation more complete, air should be 
 admitted as described in the chapter for sta- 
 bles ; but the door should be made tight at 
 bottom, as a current of cold air coming in 
 below cannot be otherwise than hurtful to 
 the cow. 
 
 The passages should be washed and sanded 
 once a day, and the walls and roof kept clean 
 with whitewash. There should be a dung- 
 pit at the back of the byre, and an opening 
 in the back wall with a door to fit, for putting 
 
146 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 out the dung ; the opening to be at the head of 
 the passage for taking in the provender. The 
 dung-pit should be thatched over or covered 
 with turf, to exclude rain and the action of 
 the atmosphere. 
 
 A barrel or hogshead should be sunk into 
 the ground alongside the dung-pit, to receive 
 the urine by a drain from the grooves. The 
 drain should be closely built, to exclude ver- 
 min, and should also be straight, that it may be 
 easily cleaned v^ith a garden hoe, or clawt. 
 Over the mouth of the drain, at the lowest 
 point of the groove, a board should be placed, 
 perforated with small holes, as a filter. 
 
 The outer end of the drain should terminate 
 in the barrel, which should be covered with a 
 lid of wood, or a flag stone, and when full, 
 applied to the garden or grass fields. 
 
 Where there is a garden, all spare vegetables 
 should be given to the cow, and if boiled they 
 will prevent the milk and butter from having 
 a disagreeable taste. No spoiled vegetables, 
 not even a single leaf, should be given to the 
 
HARLEEAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 147 
 
 COW, as it would inevitably alloy the flavour 
 of the milk; but all the broke (ofFal) and 
 weeds of the garden, and offal of the kit- 
 chen, should be deposited in the pig-house 
 or save-all. The pig-house should be fitted 
 up alongside the dung-hill, and should have 
 two apartments, to be paved with flag <^ 
 whin stones; the sleeping apartment to be 
 six inches higher than the feeding place, and 
 the floors of both inclined to the dung-hill ; 
 a small opening to be made in the wall of 
 the dung-hill for throwing in the pig's dung. 
 The feeding place should be open at the 
 side for putting in the food, litter, &c. ; or 
 a small aperture might be made in the wall 
 of the byre for throwing into the pig-house 
 whatever is left by the cow, as also kitchen 
 water, &c. This will be found very conve- 
 nient for the servant. 
 
 When the cow is fed vnth young grass 
 or clover, some straw or hay should always 
 be mixed with it and sprinkled with salt. 
 
 The most economical way of feeding cows 
 
 L 2 
 
148 HARLEIAN DAIRY SYSTEM. 
 
 is the soiling system ; but when they are kept 
 constantly in the house they must be changed 
 every year, otherwise their feet would fail and 
 their knees swell. It is, therefore, desirable 
 to have pasture for them to go at large, 
 but if that cannot be obtained, a small plot 
 may be taken to tether them upon ; or fail- 
 ing that, they might be turned out to a 
 court or an open shade to get air and ex- 
 ercise. 
 
EDINBURGH DAIRIES, 149 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 It is the Author's intention in the present 
 and subsequent Chapters to speak of the 
 Edinburgh, London, and Dutch dairies. And 
 first, of the 
 
 EDINBURGH DAIRIES. 
 
 The very general complaint that prevailed 
 in other towns as well as in Glasgow, of 
 the insufficient supply of genuine milk, led 
 to the formation of a number of Joint Stock 
 Companies, two of which were formed in 
 Edinburgh. As many of the inhabitants of 
 that city are proprietors of villas, and resi- 
 dences of summer resort, they were, of 
 course, in the habit of occasionally enjoying 
 milk of the purest quality; but, on their 
 
 L 3 
 
150 EDINBURGH DAIRIES. 
 
 return to town in winter, they felt the want 
 of that wholesome beverage, it being very 
 difficult to obtain the article unadulterated 
 any where in the city ; hence, a number of 
 spirited individuals proposed to form an asso- 
 ciation among themselves for the purpose of 
 obviating this public inconvenience. In the 
 progress of their discussions, however, some 
 schisms arose, which led to the establish- 
 raent of two Companies; both of which con- 
 sulted the Author upon the probable success 
 of the speculation, and he strongly recom- 
 mended an union of their respective interests, 
 by means of which a saving of nearly one- 
 half the expenses in delivering the milk, &c. 
 would be effected, and thereby more easily 
 accomplish the desideratum they had in view, 
 namely, to furnish the public with pure milk 
 at a moderate price. Both Companies not 
 only approved of the Willowbank system, 
 but expressed a desire to take advantage of 
 the advice and experience of its projectors, 
 particularly as regarded the buildings. 
 
EDINBURGH DAIRIES. l5l 
 
 One of the Companies, by way of expe- 
 riment, took a farm with its old buildings 
 thereon, which were converted, as far as 
 was practicable, to the purposes of the new 
 concern. The other purchased a valuable 
 and appropriate site for the premises, upon 
 which was erected a magnificent cow-house, 
 which attracts and deserves the attention 
 and admiration of visitors, and is well worthy 
 the metropolis of Scotland. Unfortunately, 
 however, for the shareholders' prospects, too 
 much money has been expended upon the 
 Establishment to hold out any early hope of 
 a beneficial return. At the request of the 
 Committee of Direction, the Author gave them 
 a sketch of the Willowbank cow-house, and 
 the particulars of the system pursued, which 
 were highly approved, though but a very 
 small portion was subsequently adopted. 
 Though this Company has been unfortunate 
 in its buildings, and in the interior arrange- 
 ments (verifying the old adage of '' too many 
 cooks," &c.), yet the undertaking deserves well 
 
 L 4 
 
152 EDINBURGH DAIRIES. 
 
 of the citizens, inasmuch as it has been the 
 source of supplying them with milk free from 
 any admixture or impurity. The other Com- 
 pany also send out milk direct from the 
 cow, and both furnish it to their customers 
 from locked pitchers. 
 
 The exertions of these Establishments na- 
 turally stimulated the small dealers to supply 
 their customers with an improved article ; and 
 every means was used to dissuade those who 
 dealt with them, not to countenance the new 
 Companies ; so successful, indeed, were these 
 representations, that the patronage which the 
 public were in gratitude bound to afford, was 
 thus surreptitiously withheld. 
 
 The city of Edinburgh is now better sup- 
 plied with milk than at any former period, 
 a circumstance, as has been already remarked, 
 entirely owing to the new Establishments, 
 which may be said to be getting '' both the 
 skeith and the scorn." As an instance of the 
 suspicions of self-interest ; when the Companies 
 were first projected, a hue and cry was raised 
 
EDINBURGH DAIRIES. 153 
 
 against them, for interfering with the old cow- 
 keepers. This, to say the least of it, was 
 very ill-judged, as the avowed object was not 
 to injure them or put them down, but to be 
 a means of supplying that populous city with 
 milk of a quality very different from what 
 they had hitherto been compelled to receive, 
 and at a fair and reasonable price. It would 
 have reflected more credit upon the citizens 
 of Edinburgh, had they imitated the conduct 
 of a chief magistrate in a certain town in 
 the west of Scotland, who was reproached 
 by the bakers and their friends for encou- 
 raging a Bread Establishment, which furnished 
 a much better article than the community 
 had been in the habit of getting. " The 
 bakers," replied the magistrate, *' are but 
 few in number, while the town contains many 
 thousands of inhabitants ; and therefore I 
 consider it my duty to award my attention 
 to the interests of the many, especially in 
 a matter which relates to the first necessary 
 of life." 
 
154 LONDON DAIRIES. 
 
 LONDON DAIRIES. 
 
 There have long been established in the 
 vicinity of the metropolis, several extensive 
 dairies, none of which, however, have been 
 at any time so large as has been represented. 
 As, for instance, the popular notion that one 
 well-known dairyman has had as many as 
 nine hundred and ninety-nine cows, but events 
 always conspired against his ability to boast 
 of having a thousand, is erroneous; so far, 
 indeed, from this being the case, the Author 
 is enabled to state, on the authority of the 
 oldest dealers in London, that the ordinary , 
 Establishments of the principal dairymen 
 have never exceeded from three hundred to 
 five hundred cows. Considerable sums have 
 been realized by the proprietors of these, 
 not, however, from vending adulterated milk ; 
 the common practice being, to sell the article 
 entire to wholesale and retail dealers ; many 
 of these go to the dairies, and milk a given 
 
LONDON DAIRIES. 155 
 
 number of cows, as agreed upon, when the 
 milk is measured by the dairymen into their 
 own vessels. In other cases, the milk is sent 
 by the dairymen to the dealers in the town ; 
 and it is among this class, and the itinerant 
 retailers, that adulteration takes place. 
 
 Such was the state of the milk trade in 
 London, when a number of Joint Stock Com- 
 panies were formed some years ago; several 
 of which, adopting the Willowbank system, 
 sent out this wholesome aliment in its purest 
 state in locked pitchers. The community, 
 however, like the '* gude folks" of Edinburgh, 
 did not sufficiently appreciate the advantage 
 of these useful undertakings ; the patronage 
 which the supply of such a wholesome be- 
 verage ought to have commanded, was denied 
 to the laudable promoters of the health of 
 their fellow-citizens, and to this, added to 
 the great expense of conducting such con- 
 cerns, may be ascribed, with one or two ex- 
 ceptions, their general failure. 
 
 Two of the Establishments, which circum- 
 
156 LONDON DAIRIES. 
 
 stances consigned to sale, have since become 
 the property of a gentleman who has about 
 three hundred cows in each ; and a third 
 was purchased by the Alderney Dairy Com- 
 pany ; this latter the Author believes to be 
 the only large concern by which the inha- 
 bitants of the metropolis are supplied direct 
 with genuine milk. The conductors appear 
 to have paid a due regard to many import- 
 ant points of the Willowbank system; but, 
 particularly to that effectual regulation which 
 relates to the sending out milk from the cow 
 to the customer in locked pitchers. The sa- 
 lutary benefit that has resulted to the public 
 by this practice is to be found in the im- 
 proved quality of the article now generally 
 sold by the retailers about town. 
 
 With the exception of the Alderney Com- 
 pany, the other dairies of any note, both old 
 and new, dispose of their milk to (what 
 may be termed) middle-men, a class of dealers 
 standing between the original venders and 
 those who retail direct to the public. 
 
LONDON DAIRIES. 157 
 
 It must be admitted there is much diffi- 
 culty in the Alderney or any other large 
 dairy concern, conducting its business in a 
 satisfactory manner by the retailing system. 
 It is well known that a practice prevails 
 among the milk distributors, as reprehensible 
 as it is difficult of detection, of receiving- 
 bribes to assign their customers to the old 
 retailers, who, in their turn, give douceurs to 
 the servants of families, and thus corrupt 
 and supplant those channels through which 
 only a reformation of the objectionable prac- 
 tice is attainable. The Author experienced 
 a little of this species of dishonesty in his 
 own Establishment at Glasgow — copper and 
 silver were there, however, the tampering 
 ores ; but in London, it seems, particularly 
 among the higher classes of domestics, no- 
 thing short of golden specifics will success- 
 fully convert integrity to its opposite. 
 
 Were the heads of families to direct their 
 sons and daughters (weekly and monthly 
 alternately) to receive and check the trades- 
 
158 LONDON DAIRIES. 
 
 men's accounts, it would not only impart a 
 knowledge of dealings that could not fail to 
 be of essential service to them in after-life, 
 but would securely obviate all attempts to 
 introduce fraudulent items. It is notorious 
 that those who offer the largest douceurs 
 always receive a preference ;— the heedless 
 family, of course, eventually paying double the 
 amount to the imposing tradesman in his 
 extravagant charges. An illustration of this 
 occurred lately to a gentleman, who furnished 
 the Author with the following instance of a 
 practice which he declared was carried on in 
 the metropolis to an incredible extent. A 
 friend in the country sent him a present of 
 some excellent potatoes ; but it so happened 
 that he could never get a mess of them 
 properly prepared for his table; they were 
 invariably either over or under-boiled. His 
 children were prejudiced against them; and 
 so general in short was the disapprobation 
 of them throughout the household, that no- 
 thing but dissatisfaction prevailed till the 
 
LONDON DAIRIES. 159 
 
 servant was permitted to return to her fa- 
 vorite green grocer. 
 
 The Author wishes it to be understood 
 that it is far, very far from his wish to be 
 considered as indiscriminately censuring that 
 necessary and useful class of society, Servants, 
 He has not adverted to the mal-practices to 
 which they are exposed by the designing 
 and the dishonest, for the purpose of black- 
 ening their fame ; his object has been purely 
 to point out that improper conduct which, 
 when detected, if it does not ruin their cha- 
 racter, must at least excite the most unfa- 
 vorable suspicions in the breasts of their 
 masters and mistresses. In conducting them- 
 selves '" not with eye service, but with sin- 
 gleness of heart," and studying the interest 
 and welfare of those whom they are called 
 upon to serve, they elicit a satisfaction gra- 
 tifying to their employers and honorable to 
 themselves. What an amiable example, for 
 instance, is exhibited to servants in the con- 
 duct of the little Israelitish captive, in the 
 
160 LONDON DAIRIES. 
 
 house of Naaman, who said to her mistress, 
 '' Would to God my lord were with the 
 prophet that is in Samaria ; for he would 
 recover him of his leprosy." 
 
 The servants of those who live in afflu- 
 ence are too apt to entertain the culpable 
 opinion, that there is no harm in pur- 
 loining a little from the abundant stores 
 with which they are surrounded, just as the 
 Infidel would enquire what sin there was 
 in our first parents eating an apple when 
 the garden was full of them? not regarding 
 the conviction that the crime consisted in 
 doing that which was forbidden. The offences 
 of servants, however, are too often traceable 
 to the negligence of masters and mistresses, 
 who do not adopt the wise man's advice of 
 ** looking well to their household;" nor imi- 
 tate the command of their Great Master, 
 who said to his servants, '' Gather up the 
 fragments, that nothing may be lost." 
 
 But to return to the Dairies, None of the 
 cow-houses, in either the old or new con- 
 
LONDON DAIRIES. 161 
 
 cerns, are properly constructed or ventilated, 
 nor are they or the cattle kept so clean as 
 they ought to be; and for want of proper 
 passages, much more time is also required 
 for feeding, cleaning, &c., than in the Wil- 
 lowbank plan. These, it appears, are defects, 
 of which the respective proprietors are sen- 
 sible; and they have confessed that in the 
 event of their building new houses, they 
 would certainly have them constructed after 
 the manner of the Glasgow Establishment. 
 
 At the village of East Acton, about five miles 
 from London, the Author has had an opportunity 
 of visiting a dairy that has been lately estab- 
 lished, and comprising from one hundred to two 
 hundred cows. The buildings are much better 
 constructed, and, in point of cleanliness, the 
 concern is certainly far superior to many he 
 has seen; indeed, it may be said to be not 
 much unlike the Dutch dairies. To the ho- 
 nour of the sex it may be added, the East 
 Acton Dairy was projected, completed, and 
 continues to be conducted, by a lady. 
 
 M 
 
162 DUTCH DAIRIES, 
 
 DUTCH DAIRIES, 
 
 In order to render the present work as 
 complete as possit)le on all matters connected 
 with Dairy Husbandry, the Author deemed 
 it expedient, before sending any of the sheets 
 to press, to visit the Dutch dairies, in order 
 to detail such parts of the systems pursued 
 there as might be desirable to be known in 
 Great Britain. With this view he proceeded 
 across to Ostend, and thence to Bruges, 
 Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp, and other towns. 
 In Brabant he found the soiling system in 
 general practice. The cows are kept in the 
 house, and the water and provender brought 
 in to them. There is a head passage between 
 two rows of cows, about ten feet wide, for 
 holding the provender, and a deep space is 
 left behind, where the dung, water, and lit- 
 ter are allowed to mix together ; this is after- 
 wards taken to a pit or hollow in the court. 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 163 
 
 Other boors (as they are termed) keep their 
 cows in a cellar without being tied ; loose 
 straw is thrown in to them, which, with the 
 dung and urine, are trodden into one mass, 
 and not removed so long as the cows have 
 room to stand. It is subsequently carried to 
 the courts, where the liquid is expressed 
 from it and applied to the fields with a 
 scoop, similar to the manner in which cloth 
 used to be watered in bleach fields in Scot- 
 land. Little or no attention is paid to keep- 
 ing the covv^s clean; the chief object seems 
 to be to obtain manure; the cattle, therefore, 
 as well as the houses, do not exhibit a very 
 pleasing spectacle ; in other respects, however, 
 the dairies are very creditably managed, the 
 milk-house and all the vessels being kept 
 remarkably clean. 
 
 The butter is made from cream ; the skim- 
 med milk is allowed to sour, and is then 
 made into cheese. The best butter in that 
 country is made to the west of Brussels. 
 The milk- houses are under ground, arched, 
 
 M 2 
 
164 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 and paved with brick; they are lighted and 
 ventilated from the north. The milk is put 
 into small earthen vessels, w^ith a w^ooden 
 hoop round the mouth of them. When the 
 cream is to be taken off, the dairymaid 
 passes her fore finger round the dish to se- 
 parate the cream from the edge, and with 
 the same finger pushes the cream over the 
 dish into tlie cream vat, and the skimmed 
 milk into another vat, or vessel ; the cream 
 is then made into butter with a barrel churn, 
 which is suspended by the axle between two 
 planks placed against a wall at an angle of 
 about forty-five degrees. 
 
 When the skimmed milk is become sour, 
 it is made into small cheeses, which are poor, 
 white, and sour; they weigh about a pound 
 each. The curd is put into a cloth, and then 
 placed in a small wicker basket, (both of 
 which are kept very clean,) about six inches 
 diameter, and an inch and a half deep, to give 
 it a shape, and dried in the open air. These 
 cheeses, as well as the butter, are daily sent 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 165 
 
 to Brussels, where they are highly valued 
 though little more than a sour curd. 
 
 The sour skimmed milk, of which this 
 cheese is made, is kept in the same cellars 
 or milk-house with the new milk ; and as 
 most of the farmers brew their own ale, many 
 of them keep the ale barrels also in the milk- 
 house, a practice of which the Author dis- 
 approved. Although the cheese in this 
 district, (as already observed,) is very poor, 
 the butter is considered superior to any in 
 the Netherlands. One of the best milk-houses 
 the Author saw, was at the farm at La Haie 
 Sainte, the scene of the memorable battle 
 of Waterloo. This milk-house was completely 
 under ground, and in an adjoining apartment 
 was an excellent ale cellar; these seemed to 
 have been the only secure places of refuge 
 for the terrified inmates during the dreadful 
 conflict. 
 
 The cattle in Brabant and Holland are of 
 the same breed, but of rather a larger size 
 in the latter country ; the colour is black 
 
 M 3 
 
166 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 well marked with white, short horns, and in 
 general of a handsome shape. They have 
 for the most part a calf at two years' old, which 
 doubles the stock in two years. They would 
 grow to a much greater size if they had not 
 a calf till the third year ; but as in that case 
 the stock would not be doubled till three 
 years, the present custom is of course more 
 profitable. 
 
DUTCH DAIllIES. 167 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 In South Holland the cattle are kept 
 constantly in the fields, and, except during 
 winter, are never taken into the house night 
 or day. When they calve, a covering of sail- 
 cloth is put over them ; they are also similarly 
 covered in the fall and spring, when the 
 weather is cold ; but great care is taken never 
 to put the cloth upon the cattle when their 
 skin is wet, as vermin will inevitably ensue. 
 Their cows form the principal object of their 
 care ; so much so, indeed, that they incessantly 
 attend them and amuse themselves with them 
 in the fields as though they were their children. 
 If by accident or disease they happen to lose 
 a cow, which is a rare thing, the loss is seldom 
 or never supplied by the purchase of another 
 
 M 4 
 
168 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 in its place ; they rather prefer to wait till 
 the parturition of one of their stock shall 
 fill up the vacancy, so careful are they of 
 their money. 
 
 In the neighbourhood of Leyden and Haar- 
 lem there are a number of farmers, and 
 landed proprietors, who keep from fifty to 
 one hundred cows each. In the neighbour- 
 hood of Delft there are also some excellent 
 dairies. In the angle from Rotterdam to 
 the Hague, the system in all the districts is 
 very different from the mode pursued at 
 Brussels, and other places in Brabant. 
 
 As soon as the milk is taken from the cows, 
 is put into large brass pans; and these are 
 placed in a cistern of water direct from the 
 pump; when cold, the milk is emptied into 
 large earthen vessels, or into oblong dishes 
 cut out of solid wood, about thirty inches long, 
 eighteen wide, and five deep ; these are placed 
 upon the floor of the milk-house. The cream 
 is taken off with a skimmer at twelve, eigh- 
 teen, or twenty-four hours, according to the 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 169 
 
 heat of the weather, and made into butter 
 two or three times a- week. The upright 
 churn is used ; there are some in the shape 
 of a puncheon, others conical, but in none of 
 them is the head of the churn-staff near so 
 broad as to fill the churn. The best butter 
 is made in May and October. 
 
 When the weather is hot, the cream is 
 cooled with cold water, and in winter it is 
 of the heat of new milk or warmer. The 
 process of churning generally takes two hours, 
 and the butter is then put into cold water 
 for about half an hour — the water being 
 changed five or six times — and the butter 
 well worked with the hand and then salted 
 with the finest salt ; it afterwards lies in the 
 vessel from two to four days before it is put 
 into the cask. It is a practice with some 
 to turn it repeatedly during that period. 
 
 It will require about two hundred and 
 forty cops of cream to make forty pounds of 
 butter, to which are added one cop and a 
 half of salt ; and about eight hundred cops 
 
170 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 of skimmed milk to make a cheese of about 
 forty pounds. The cop appears to be about 
 an English pint. 
 
 The cheese is made of the skimmed milk 
 before it is sour; one half of the quantity 
 is made as hot as the hand can bear it; 
 it is then mixed with the other half, and 
 ten cops of butter- milk are added, (some put 
 in the butter-milk before the milk is heated). 
 The thickening (rennet) is afterwards put in, 
 and when ready the whey is well pressed 
 out and a handful of coarse salt put to 
 a cheese of forty pounds. A quantity of 
 cloves, which are previously immersed in hot 
 water for forty-eight hours to soften, are 
 split into small pieces, and mixed with the 
 salt into the curd, which is then put into 
 a cheese shape, with a cloth, and pressed 
 for twelve hours with a lever power of three 
 or four hundred weight. It is then taken 
 out and turned, and at the end of another 
 twelve hours, is put under a lighter pressure 
 without any thing around it. The cheese is 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 171 
 
 subsequently taken out and laid upon a shelf 
 to dry, being turned at the end of twelve 
 hours; and at the end of another twelve 
 hours it is put into a vessel with a pickle 
 sufficiently strong to swim a potato. This 
 pickle is deep enough to cover the half of 
 the thickness of the cheese, which is turned 
 daily for fourteen days, when it is suffici- 
 ently salted, and then laid upon a shelf 
 and daily turned until dry ; it is afterwards 
 coloured on the outside and put upon planks 
 in the cow-house. 
 
 The cheese and butter form the principal 
 income of the Dutch farmers. The Author 
 remarked that they never put beasty milk 
 into the butter or cheese ; the calf gets the 
 whole of the milk for the first seven days, 
 and for a few days after that the milk is 
 made into small cheeses, which, being formed 
 and pressed, are hung up in small nets 
 suspended from the roof, and kept for fa- 
 mily use. 
 
 In these districts the butter is generally 
 
172 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 rich and sweet, but the cheese is compa- 
 ratively poor; some relish it for the flavour 
 of the cloves, and others dislike it on that 
 account; but in general it is considered the 
 cheese is improved by this infusion. 
 
 The cov^s are milked tv^ice a-day, at three 
 a. m. and three p. m. A good cov7, about 
 four years' old, will give twenty-four cops 
 of milk per day, which will yield one-eighth, 
 or three cops of cream, a proof that the 
 milk is very rich. A cop of cream is sold at 
 six times the price of new milk ; and skimmed 
 milk at half the price of new. This custom 
 corresponds to the Scotch mode ; but, in 
 London, the cream is about twelve times the 
 price of new milk ! 
 
 The Dutch farmers conceive that when a 
 cow has her first calf, she has less milk, 
 but the quality is very rich ; after the second 
 calf, a greater quantity, but not so rich ; 
 and she is considered at her best after the 
 third or fourth calf, but the milk is of course 
 not then so good. It is, perhaps, for this 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 173 
 
 reason that some dairy farmers sell their 
 cows when at their prime to those who 
 keep town dairies, the object of such being 
 to obtain quantity rather than quality. 
 
 In Holland, a calf newly dropped sells for 
 about a guilder and a half, (two and six- 
 pence English,) but when fed, from twenty 
 to fifty guilders are obtained. The veal is 
 very superior, and is considered a great de- 
 licacy. The common way of rearing calves 
 is to give them the whole of their dam's 
 milk for seven days, then butter-milk, and 
 afterwards whey. A good cow, nearly at 
 calving time, will cost from one hundred to 
 one hundred and twenty guilders, and will 
 bring about the same price when fat. A cow 
 will weigh from seven to eight hundred 
 pounds Dutch. 
 
174 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 North Holland is famed for good cheese, 
 but the butter is poor. The best cheese, 
 called Edam, is made in one of the richest 
 districts in Holland. It is about thirty miles 
 in circumference, with a high embankment 
 around, planted with trees: the soil is clay. 
 The greater part of the cheeses are made 
 of a round shape, vulgarly called ^' Dutch- 
 men's heads," and weigh about from three 
 and a half to four pounds each ; these are 
 made every morning and afternoon from the 
 warm milk as it comes from the cow. The 
 cows are milked about five in the morning 
 and evening. When the weather is very hot, 
 it is cooled a little, and when cold it is 
 made to new milk heat, or rather more. 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 175 
 
 About two spoonsful of rennet are put into 
 as much milk as will make ten or twelve of 
 these small cheeses; this thickens it in ten 
 or fifteen minutes ; it is then stirred, the 
 whey pressed out with the hand, and the 
 curd made into a ball shape. The whey is 
 afterwards put into a pan and made as warm 
 as the hand can bear it. The cheeses are 
 then put in and turned in the hot whey, 
 which hardens, and smooths the outside; 
 they are afterwards wrapped in cloths and 
 put into circular shapes, the bottom of which 
 are concave, with small holes to let off the 
 whey ; a lid is then put on, and pressed 
 with an hundred weight for twelve hours, 
 when the cheeses are taken out of the shapes 
 and the sharp arres pared off the upper side ; 
 they are then inverted and put without a 
 cloth into the shape for another twelve 
 hours, after which they are placed under a 
 weight of about fifty pounds ; that is, a plank 
 is laid over them and the weight put upon 
 the plank, from whence they are subsequently 
 
176 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 removed and put upon shelves, being daily 
 turned until they assume a proper shape, 
 when they are rubbed over vs^ith salt (more 
 is put into the curd) made sufficiently damp 
 to stick to the cheese ; they are then put 
 each, into a shape w^ithout any pressure 
 and turned once a-day for ten or twelve days, 
 and rubbed with salt daily. A trough is 
 put under the shapes to receive the pickle 
 that runs from the cheeses. When the 
 cheeses are taken out of the shapes, they 
 are put into this pickle for one day, after 
 which they are placed upon shelves and 
 turned daily till dry, which they will become 
 in five or six days ; they are then put into 
 cold fresh water for three or four hours, 
 washed and dried with a cloth, and laid on 
 the shelves to dry ; some rub them with a 
 little beasty milk, others with a little boiled 
 linseed oil, which excludes the air. These 
 processes being completed, they are ready to 
 be sold to consumers or cheesemongers. 
 
 In Rotterdam and Amsterdam there are 
 
DUTCH dairip:s. 177 
 
 many extensive cheesemongers, who have 
 large v^arehouses in those towns as well as 
 in the country districts. These buildings, 
 which are well ventilated, consist of from 
 three to five flats, or stories^ and are fitted 
 up with shelves to suit the different sizes of 
 cheese. When the cheeses are brought from 
 the farmer they are allowed to lie some time 
 in the warehouse, where they are turned once 
 in two or three days, according to the state 
 they are in. When well dried, dust or mould 
 will collect upon them ; this is clean scraped 
 off with a knife curved like the thick 
 end of a sickle. The operator sits upon a 
 stool, in the fore part of which is a small 
 hollow to lay the cheese upon ; the opera- 
 tion is quickly performed. The scrapings fall 
 into a vessel below, and are given to the 
 pigs. 
 
 After the cheeses are clean scraped they 
 get two coats of colouring, which is done by 
 boys with a brush similar to that used by 
 painters, onl}^ without a handle. The first 
 
 N 
 
178 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 coat of colouring is allowed to dry before the 
 second is put on; and when the last is dry, 
 a little boiled linseed oil is used ; this is con- 
 sidered particularly useful in the spring and 
 when the drought is strong, as effectually pre- 
 venting them from cracking. The cheeses are 
 then in a finished state, and lie in the ware- 
 house until sold or exported. They are occa- 
 sionally turned, but are considered not so 
 palatable till they are four or six months' 
 old. 
 
 These cheeses are shipped in great quan- 
 tities to the East and West Indies, South 
 America, and Great Britain. The best are 
 made in May, and sell for the highest price ; 
 the next in summer ; but the winter or hay 
 cheese is deemed the worst, as the cattle 
 get little else but hay in that season. There 
 are some who give a little oil or rape cake 
 with the hay, but green crops are almost 
 invariably neglected ; (the grass is very much 
 saturated with salt). If turnips, mangel wiirtzel, 
 &c., were given to the cattle, it would unques- 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 179 
 
 tionably improve them, and increase their pro- 
 duce. In summer they have a profusion of 
 rich grass ; and when, in winter, they receive 
 nothing but dry hay, their condition and milk 
 must fall off; but, as already stated, it is a 
 fruitless task to attempt to reason a Dutch- 
 man into a change of his customs. 
 
 The merchants exercise great caution in 
 depositing all unsound cheeses in a place by 
 themselves, and which are reserved for home 
 consumption. 
 
 After the cheeses are made, (which, as 
 before-mentioned, is every morning and even- 
 ing,) the whey is put into barrels placed on 
 end, and the cream that is cast up is 
 skimmed off daily for a week. This cream, 
 from the sour whey, is then churned ; but 
 the butter is very poor indeed and scarcely 
 brings more than two-thirds of the price of 
 cream butter ; it is generally sold fresh, for 
 as it will not keep it is of course unfit for 
 exportation. The whey is given to the pigs. 
 Considerable attention is paid to the 
 
 N 2 
 
180 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 rearing of these animals, but they are in 
 general very coarse made, long in the body, 
 legs, and ears ; nevertheless, the bacon and 
 hams made in Holland are excellent. The 
 pigs are kept very clean, and, in general, 
 have a boarded place a little higher than 
 their feeding apartment to sleep in. They 
 are washed daily, and scrubbed w^ith heather, 
 (heath) brush (or ringe), and when there 
 is any appearance of what in the North 
 would be called the "■ Scotch fiddle," rye 
 meal is given, which cools and cleanses them. 
 - The pigs, when seven or eight months' old, 
 are sold for sixteen or twenty guilders. This 
 the Author conceives the most productive part 
 of the boor's business. 
 
 The colouring liquid for dyeing the cheeses 
 is made from old coarse linen rags, which 
 are imported from France, and sold at from 
 a guilder to a guilder and a half per 
 pound : they produce from £.30 to £.40 per 
 bale. The rags are called turresel ; some say 
 !they are old bags which have been used for 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 181 
 
 pressing the grapes, and that it is that use 
 which gives them the colour ; others, that 
 the French dip them into a brown or reddish 
 liquid, and, when dried, are exported for 
 making colouring liquid. 
 
 About seven pounds of these are put into 
 a barrel, with about four gallons of cold 
 water ; after remaining twelve hours, they are 
 put into a press and the liquor squeezed out 
 and poured into the barrel ; the rags are 
 then put into a second barrel, with the same 
 quantity of water, which is similarly pressed 
 put ; a third barrel is also used, which gene- 
 rally takes out all the colouring matter. A 
 second quantity of rags is put into the first 
 barrel, and undergoes the same process. The 
 first barrel, of course, will be the strongest 
 liquor ; this is emptied into a barrel with a 
 stop-cock for the purpose of drawing it off to 
 colour the cheese. The liquor has the ap- 
 pearance of port wine. 
 
 - The first barrel is then filled with the same 
 quantity of cold water, and put last, or in 
 
 N 3 
 
182 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 the third place; the second barrel is then 
 brought forward, into which new rags are 
 pttt; this goes through the former process, 
 and the liquor, when sufficiently strong, is 
 put into the store barrel. The liquid is fit 
 for immediate use ; but it will keep for months 
 without injury. 
 
 The next best cheeses to Edam are those 
 made at Gouda, a village situated between 
 Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and celebrated 
 also for its manufacture of tobacco-pipes. 
 These are also made from new milk, and 
 manufactured and coloured in a similar way, 
 but the colouring of all the Dutch cheese is 
 on the outside; no cloves or any other seeds 
 are put into them, as in the skim-milk cheese 
 of South Holland. The Gouda cheeses (which 
 are thought by some to be superior to the 
 Edam,) weigh from ten pounds and upwards, 
 and are similar in shape to the Scotch and 
 English. 
 
 Very little cream cheese is made in Hol- 
 land, it not being an article of trade ; but 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 183 
 
 when merchants receive orders to supply 
 their correspondents in London, Edinburgh, 
 &c., the boors and farmers are directed to 
 make the necessary quantity. The usual way 
 of making cream cheese is, to allow the new 
 milk to stand till it thickens a little, but 
 not to be sour; then to take off the cream. 
 The cheese is made by the same process as 
 that from new milk. 
 
 There is a fifth kind of cheese made in 
 Frieseland, but which is very poor, called 
 " canters;" these are made from skimmed 
 milk. The Frieseland butter is also very good. 
 It may be received as an universal fact, that 
 wherever good rich butter is made, the cheese 
 is poor, and ?;ice versa. The Author did not 
 think the best cheese made in Holland equal 
 to what is produced in many districts in 
 England, or the Dunlop cheese of Scotland, 
 for, although it is made from new milk, it 
 has occurred to the Author that this arises 
 from part of the fat going off with the whey 
 and the process of making, and part afterwards 
 
 isr 4 
 
184 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 extracted by rolling the cheese so long in hot 
 whey : he is, nevertheless, persuaded, there is 
 no butter to be got equal to, or even so good 
 as, the Dutch cream butter. It does not ap- 
 pear that they make any butter from the new 
 or whole milk, which the Author thinks would 
 be an improvement, and more profitable, as in 
 general the milk is very rich ; the butter, too, 
 would not be so strongly flavoured, and would 
 keep better. Cheeses might be made from 
 the butter-milk similar to those manufactured 
 in Brabant from sour skim milk. 
 
 In some districts, at the season when the 
 milk is richest, they allow the morning's 
 milk to stand till the evening, when it is 
 skimmed, and mixed with the evening milk 
 as taken from the cows ; this is made into 
 cheese. By removing the cream, they say, 
 the cheese keeps better, especially when sent 
 into hot climates; but the Author strongly 
 suspects there is another reason, namely, to 
 get some rich butter for themselves, as that 
 made from the whey is very poor indeed. 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 185 
 
 In North Holland, neither the water of the 
 cows or pigs is kept, but is allowed to run 
 to waste. In South Holland, the water from 
 both is conducted into barrels, or tanks, and 
 covered over to exclude it from the atmosphere. 
 It is applied to grass lands in the fall, winter, 
 and spring; but this is performed in a 
 slovenly manner by means of scoops. It is 
 seldom or never applied to the garden, either 
 for the trees or green crops; and as the 
 cows are in the house during the winter 
 months only, the pigs' water is all they get 
 throughout the year. The cattle are never 
 taken into the house night or day, till the 
 cold weather sets in; and when taken in, 
 the cloths are removed from them, and they 
 remain there until the spring, when they are 
 turned out for the season. During winter 
 great pains are taken to keep them and the 
 cow-house clean. In many cases their tails- 
 are tied to a rod, or stick, and drawn up to 
 prevent their coming in contact with the dung, 
 or water; when turned out, all the stakes 
 
iSG DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 and yokes by which they are tied are removed 
 into the loft, or to an out-house, and the 
 groove is covered with planks, the litter com- 
 pletely taken away, and fine dry sand put 
 into the fore part of the stall. Those who 
 wish to be more particular, cover the sand 
 with nine-inch square brick, or tile, so that 
 the stalls may be compared to the hall of a 
 gentleman's house ; rows of planks are put 
 along the house, one tier above another. The 
 cow-house is thus turned into a cheese-house 
 during the season, so that it has scarcely any 
 appearance of its former purpose. The roof is 
 generally pretty lofty, being from ten to twelve 
 feet high; the ceiling is plastered, and in 
 some of the better sort of buildings, the loft, 
 or apartment above, is also plastered and used 
 as a cheese store and granary. There is 
 generally a handsome trevice or partition which 
 divides the length of the house into three or 
 four stalls. 
 
 In some of the cow-houses there is no head 
 passage, but a semicircle hollow formed of 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 187 
 
 brick-on-edge about four or five inches deep, 
 into which the water is let at one end, and 
 runs all along, and what is over is let off at 
 the other end. Other houses have a head 
 passage of from four to six feet beyond the 
 hollow alluded to ; but all of them have a 
 passage from four to six feet behind the 
 grooves; each groove is about eighteen inches 
 lower than the stall, and nine inches lower 
 than the passage behind, so that the cows 
 stand high and dry. The bottom of the groove 
 is inclined a little towards the cow as well 
 as towards the centre, or ends, to allow the 
 water to run into the reservoir. 
 
 At first it appeared that the deepness of 
 the groove would be dangerous for the cows ; 
 but as they never go out till the spring, and as 
 the place is kept clean, and sanded, and the 
 back part of the stall laid with small clinker 
 brick, no accident ever happens. The place 
 for the fore feet is either filled up with fine 
 dry sand, which abounds in Holland, or litter ; 
 
188 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 SO that the cattle stand very easy, and their 
 knees are not hurt in lying down. 
 
 There are some cow-houses in double rows, 
 having passages in front and rear. Some of 
 the more ingenious boors have small holes 
 near the ceiling, to afford ventilation ; but in 
 general there is little or no attention paid 
 to this essential point either in the cow- 
 houses or milk-houses. The neglect of this 
 necessary precaution cannot fail to make the 
 change very hurtful to the cattle, when taken 
 from the cold fields in the fall, to the house; 
 and again, when removed from the house to 
 be exposed to the nocturnal atmosphere. 
 The cloths with which they are covered may 
 in some measure prevent any bad effects from 
 such transitions, but were the houses to have 
 ventilators so constructed as to open and shut, 
 according to the state of the weather, it 
 would certainly be a desirable improvement. 
 The Dutch are so sensible of their long- 
 acknowledged superiority in dairy husbandry, 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES, 189 
 
 as to be indifferent to any advice, however 
 advantageous might be its adoption; and are 
 at all times most reluctant to make even the 
 slightest change in their old established prac- 
 tices, be they ever so objectionable. 
 
 The whole of the interior of the cow-houses, 
 as well as the stables, with the exception of 
 a space for the fore feet, are all neatly laid 
 with small brick, and daily washed and sanded. 
 The milk, churn, and cheese-house, are kept 
 beautifully and almost indescribably clean ; 
 the floors are of marble slabs, or Dutch tiles ; 
 the milk tables, too, are of finely polished 
 marble. These latter, however, are not much 
 in use, the milk vessels being generally placed 
 upon the floor, which is the coldest part of 
 the house. 
 
 There were very few thrashing machines in 
 the dairy districts from which a power might 
 be taken for churning; but all the respect- 
 able farmers have the churning apparatus 
 drawn by a horse, or mule ; most of them 
 have a pump well in the apartment, for 
 
190 DUTCH DAIRIES. 
 
 washing the dishes, and also in or adjoin- 
 ing the Gow-house. The most scrupulous 
 attention is paid to keep every vessel and 
 utensil as clean as hands can make them ; 
 many of the vessels are made of brass, 
 and give such evidence of their polished 
 purity as to well supply the purpose of a 
 mirror. 
 
 The wooden vessels are generally painted 
 both inside and out, even to the milking 
 pails ; but this the Author did not think well 
 of. The Dutch, however, contended that, 
 when properly dried, they impart no un- 
 pleasant taste to the milk, are easily cleaned, 
 and do not imbibe any milk or liquid. 
 
 So careful are the Dutch to preserve all the 
 cream for butter, that that article is scarcely 
 to be seen in use for tea or coffee, either 
 in private families or at hotels. 
 
 The general habits of the Dutch people are 
 characteristic of sobriety and industry. Of their 
 energy or inventive powers the Author, nor, 
 he believes, scarcely any one else, is enabled 
 
DUTCH DAIRIES. 191 
 
 to say much ; not one step will they move 
 out of the old beaten path unless they are 
 doubly sure of a better footing. 
 
 As water is so abundant (which, by the 
 bye, is somewhat brackish) the pumping a 
 little daily into the milk-house and then 
 drying it up, and also having a proper ven- 
 tilation, would be a very great improve- 
 ment. 
 
 The particular attention paid to cleanliness 
 in every thing, as well as the mode adopted 
 of salting their butter, the Author presumes 
 to be the reasons why the Dutch butter is 
 so good. 
 
 Most of the boors, it was observed, had 
 egg-racks in their milk-houses, where the 
 eggs were deposited, the small end under- 
 most ; they conceive that this mode of stowing 
 them makes the eggs keep better. 
 
192 CANALS, ETC 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 Canals abound every where in the Nether- 
 lands. The trade in the interior, as well as 
 in all the towns, is carried on by navigable 
 canals ; but the largest and most magnifi- 
 cent is the one from Amsterdam to the 
 Texel, which is sufficient to navigate a line- 
 of-battle ship. The different properties are 
 also separated by canals, which in general have 
 rows of trees on each side. The farms are 
 subdivided by smaller canals into separate 
 fields connected with draw-bridges or gates 
 upon the bridges. The Author did not hear 
 of any instance of the cattle going into these 
 canals, or sinking or lairing in the mud; 
 they are contented and quiet, and never at- 
 tempt to go from one field to another but 
 
CANALS, ETC. 193 
 
 when the gates are opened. At the hours 
 of milking they assemble at the place where 
 they are to be milked; this is generally 
 shaded from the sun; and some of these 
 places are paved with brick, and regularly 
 cleaned, otherwise they would be miry and 
 dirty in wet weather. All the water in these 
 canuls is brackish ; the pastures must, there- 
 fore, be flavoured with salt ; this is, perhaps, 
 one reason why the cattle enjoy such good 
 health, and some think that it has a good 
 effect both upon the butter and cheese ; it 
 is certain that cattle are fond of, and im- 
 prove by, salt. In some countries where salt 
 is mixed with the earth, wild animals resort 
 to it, and often make deep holes or pits by 
 licking the salt ; it is in these that they 
 are often destroyed. The huntsmen secrete 
 themselves in the neighbourhood, and shoot 
 them as they go to their saline repasts. 
 
 There are great quantities of new milk sold 
 in the towns, and some of it is brought a 
 considerable distance along the canals. A 
 
 o 
 
194 CANALS, ETC. 
 
 number of boors have generally a boat 
 amongst them, and the farthest from town 
 sets off very early. As the boats come 
 along the canal each farmer has his milk 
 ready to put on board ; they then proceed 
 to the town, where officers are appointed by 
 Government to examine the quality of the 
 milk ; and if it be under the fixed standard, 
 it is confiscated and given to the Orphans' 
 Hospital. This regulation is of very great 
 importance to the community, not only 
 because the milk is examined as soon as it 
 reaches the town, but because those who are 
 deputed to this office occasionally try its 
 quality when the retailers are going about 
 distributing it. Indeed, a great part of the 
 milk is sold by the farmers to dealers, who 
 retail it to the inhabitants. None of the 
 milk vessels are locked up ; there is less 
 need of this salutary check, as the smallest 
 quantity of water can be detected by the 
 Government Tests. Most of the farmers, 
 or extensive dealers, have an instrument by 
 
CANALS, ETC. 195 
 
 which they examine their milk before it is 
 exposed to sale. The Author was desirous of 
 purchasing one of these Tests, but unfortunately 
 he could not find one ready made : they cost 
 from ten to twenty-five guilders each, ac- 
 cording to the size ; the larger they are the 
 more accurate they are considered. 
 
 At and near Rotterdam the cows are fed 
 with the draff and dreg from the gin dis- 
 tilleries ; but the milk from this is not so good 
 as the grass milk, or even as that from hay or 
 oil-cake ; neither is the butter or cheese so 
 good, and which consequently sells at a lower 
 price. Both the draff and dreg are carried 
 a considerable distance in boats along the 
 canals, the draff in one part of the boat and 
 the dreg in the other. These are pumped out 
 into vessels upon the banks of the canal for 
 the use of the farmers. 
 
 o 2 
 
196 GENERAL REMARKS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 The following General Remarks may not 
 be deemed an inappropriate termination to 
 the Author's continental tour. 
 
 The King of the Netherlands is said to 
 have the largest private fortune of any mo- 
 narch in Europe. He rises early in the 
 morning, and has a levee before breakfast to 
 all who call. The name of each applicant 
 desirous of an audience is entered in a book, 
 and the royal attention is conferred upon indi- 
 viduals in the rotation in which they are 
 written, withoujt any respect of persons. After 
 breakfast, his Majesty is closeted with his 
 Ministers : the rest of the day is devoted to 
 public and private business. 
 
 The King of the Netherlands is a general 
 
GENERAL REMARKS. 197 
 
 favourite, and certainly not the less so for 
 the deep interest he is known to take in 
 the welfare of agriculture and the commercial 
 affairs of the nation. 
 
 The Court resides one year at the Hague, 
 and another at Brussels alternately. 
 
 The canals and highways in the Netherlands 
 are made and kept in repair by Government, 
 for which a tax is levied upon the inhabitants. 
 The roads are tolerably good from Ostend to 
 Antwerp ; some parts are made chiefly of sand, 
 others are causewayed with whin-stones brought 
 from France. In South Holland the roads are 
 paved with clinker brick and covered with 
 fine sand, which makes travelling very pleasant. 
 The Author saw no metal roads in North Hol- 
 land ; they are formed like a ridge, with the 
 soil, which is chiefly clay ; this makes a very 
 agreeable road when the weather is dry, but 
 when otherwise all communication upon them 
 is stopped, as in many places, carriages will 
 sink up to their axle. When drought sets in, 
 these roads are levelled with a mattock and 
 spade, and a pair of horses draw a large 
 
 o 3 
 
198 GENERAL REMARKS. 
 
 harrow along upon which the driver stands ; 
 this makes good travelling while the drought 
 continues ; but the canals form the chief mode 
 of communication, by boats, when opened, 
 and, when frozen, the inhabitants walk or 
 skate upon the ice. 
 
 Holland, from the ground being low and 
 damp, does not aiford good pasture for sheep ; 
 the mutton is, therefore, inferior. Beef is tole- 
 rably good, and the veal excellent. 
 
 In Brabant the established religion is the 
 Roman Catholic ; and in Holland the Na- 
 tional Church is Presbyterian ; but in both 
 countries^ there is a free and full toleration. 
 The King is a Protestant. Each parish has 
 a church, and a parochial school where even 
 the poorest may receive a good plain edu- 
 cation. In this respect Holland resembles 
 Scotland, and the manners and habits of the 
 people seem somewhat a-kin to the Scotch. 
 They are sober and industrious, civil and 
 obliging, but not much given to hospitality, 
 except to those who are in the habit of 
 paying them money. In many cases where the 
 
GENERAL REMARKS. 199 
 
 inhabitants receive large sums, the purchaser 
 is not even asked either to eat or drink; but 
 from this general rule the Author found some 
 grateful exceptions, as the following instance 
 will testify. 
 
 The Author had a letter of introduction 
 to a boor about fifteen miles north-west 
 of the Hague, where he arrived about nine 
 in the morning. The dairy- work (making but- 
 ter and cheese,) was just finished, and the 
 premises, furniture, and utensils, in fine order, 
 and beautifully clean. The boor and his wife 
 were sitting in the kitchen. The farmer read 
 the letter, and then handed it to his wife ; 
 both gave the stranger a hearty welcome. 
 The boor then set about dressing himself, in 
 which he was assisted by his wife, who put 
 on and adjusted his neck-cloth; during the 
 performance of which the boor smilingly said, 
 " Po woman in England do so to their hus- 
 bands?" adding, '' bad woman make poor 
 boors, good woman rich boors." He stated 
 that his woman rose at three, p. m., and 
 
 o 4 
 
200 GENERAL REMARKS. 
 
 superintended the milking of the cows and 
 making the butter and cheese. When the 
 boor had finished dressing he took the Author 
 over the fields to see his cattle, and through 
 all the premises, and returned to the house 
 entering by the principal door into a spacious 
 dining-room, elegantly furnished ; a profusion 
 of glass and china was exhibited upon the 
 tables and sideboard. It was remarked that 
 although the shoes of the boor were quite 
 clean, he took them off before entering the 
 room, and carried them in his hand, until 
 he reached the parlour, where an excellent 
 breakfast was prepared ; this was succeeded 
 by a plentiful supply of Schiedam and Cognac. 
 Previous to commencing breakfast the boor 
 and his wife covered their face with their 
 hands, and, in a devout manner, seemed to 
 implore a blessing upon their repast. 
 
 Breakfast being over, the Author then put 
 a string of queries, which he had previously 
 prepared, and to all of which he obtained 
 the most satisfactory answers. 
 
GENERAL HEMARKS. 201 
 
 Piety, industry, mutual affection, and libe- 
 rality, appeared conspicuous in this happy 
 pair. The Author was informed that the prin- 
 cipal room of the boors' houses is seldom or 
 never used, except on occasions of marriage or 
 birth. 
 
 At the Hague the Author met with a Swiss 
 gentleman, who related the following anecdote 
 relative to lucern. His grandfather, he said, 
 was the first who cultivated that perennial 
 plant : he had seen some of it growing wild 
 in the fields, and was induced to gather a 
 small quantity, which he offered to his horses 
 and cows, both of which ate it with avidity. 
 This tempted him to collect a little of the 
 seed for the purpose of sowing a small patch, 
 which succeeded beyond his expectation. 
 Hence ensued the general circulation of this 
 choicest of all fodders. The Author was also 
 farther informed of the mode practised in 
 Switzerland, when there happens to be a 
 failure of provender. It is this : in winter, 
 the cattle are put into a warm house, where 
 
202 GENERAL REMARKS. 
 
 the water is carried in to them, but is given 
 in small quantities ; by which means, they 
 will be satisfied with less provender than if 
 they had their full desire of water, and in 
 the spring-time they will be found in good 
 condition. 
 
 In Waterland (North Holland) there is a 
 beautiful little village, called Brook; the 
 streets and lanes of which are tastefully 
 paved with brick, and are kept as clean as a 
 parlour. The houses are also very handsome, 
 both inside and out ; the exteriors are painted 
 with oil paint of the most brilliant colours. 
 No horses or cattle are allowed to go into 
 the village ; the cow, however, is a special 
 exception, — she is an universal favourite, and 
 is therefore permitted to go along through the 
 streets to and from her pasture unmolested ; 
 and when any spot is defiled by her progress, 
 the ordure is removed and the place immedi- 
 ately washed. 
 
 The inhabitants of this delightful village 
 are .. principally rich merchants, who have 
 
GENERAL REMARKS. 203 
 
 retired from business. They have little or no 
 intercourse with the neighbouring inhabitants. 
 When this little district was desolated by 
 flood a few years since, which ruined many of 
 its residents, the inhabitants of Rotterdam and 
 Amsterdam proffered their assistance to sub- 
 scribe money for their relief; the wealthy na- 
 bobs of Brook, however, declined the aid. 
 
204 VENTILATION OF STABLES, ETC. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 There can be but one opinion of the essential 
 truth, that the breathing of fresh air is the 
 primary improver and preserver of health, 
 whether in the human or brute species. 
 
 The most eminent of the faculty tell us, 
 and the experience of every moment of our 
 lives confirms the remark, that Air, when it is 
 fresh, cool, and wholesome, has a most invi- 
 gorating influence on the lungs, the skin, and 
 the stomach. In short, '' if we have it not^ 
 we die." 
 
 Were any illustrations necessary to demon- 
 strate the necessity of this vital principle, we 
 may find them in the cases of individuals 
 whose daring experiments in diving bells 
 
VENTILATION OF STABLES, ETC. 205 
 
 show how frequently fresh air must be re- 
 newed to render their immersions of any 
 duration ; and in the appalling effects which 
 resulted from the memorable and fatal incar- 
 cerations in the Black Hole at Calcutta. 
 
 So soon, indeed, does air, when inhaled by 
 many, become unwholesome, that various con- 
 trivances have, from time to time, been invented 
 hj ingenious individuals, for either admitting a 
 fresh supply of pure air, or partially renewing 
 a portion of the exhausted. The celebrated 
 Dr. Hales recommended Ventilators, of a par- 
 ticular construction, for the convenience of 
 dwelling-houses; but the Author does not re- 
 member to have heard of any similar contriv- 
 ance for effectually accomplishing the same 
 benefit in stables. 
 
 It will be the * object, therefore, of the 
 present Chapter, to inform the reader of the 
 means which have occurred to the Author's 
 experience, as the best calculated to promote 
 this end. 
 
206 VENTILATION OF STABLES^ ETC. 
 
 VENTILATION OF STABLES, &c. 
 
 Of late years, very great improvements have 
 been made in the fitting up of stables. Many 
 of these, however, are not much better ven- 
 tilated than the old stables, and none that 
 the Author has seen are ventilated as they 
 ought to be, not even his Majesty's new 
 stables. 
 
 It is well known that the urine of horses 
 produces much ammonia gas ; and when 
 this is not let off it becomes injurious to their 
 eye-sight. When stables are kept dark, the 
 effect of the ammonia together with the horses 
 being brought from a dark and close abode 
 to a clear and cold atmosphere, necessarily 
 injures the health and eyes of the animal, 
 and sometimes even causes blindness. In 
 proportion as the stable is substantially built, 
 and well finished, the heat is the greater 
 during night; and in the morning the horses 
 will frequently be found in a profuse sweat. 
 
VENTTLATTON OF STABLES, ETC. 207 
 
 When taken out in this state, the animals will 
 consequently be liable to catch cold. To prevent 
 this, some make openings in the walls, or 
 a space at the bottom of the door; but this 
 is only increasing the evil ; for these apertures 
 and spaces merely let in a current of cold air, 
 and thereby expose the animal to a similar 
 affection in the house ; it is therefore of the 
 last importance that stables should be so 
 constructed as to enable the horse to breathe 
 a pure and refreshing atmosphere, without 
 suffering from cold. Such is the object 
 aimed at in this Chapter; and to obtain 
 which the Author suggests that there should 
 be no loft above the horses, but instead thereof 
 ventilators should be introduced through the 
 ridge of the house, and at the top of each 
 gable: or if there be a hay-loft, it ought to 
 be from twelve to fifteen feet above the floor 
 of the stable. Between each joist, and both 
 side walls, there should also be a space close 
 to the flooring, twelve inches long by six 
 inches deep, which should be occupied by a 
 
208 VENTILATION OF STABLES, ETC. 
 
 strong wire grating, to keep out vermin. 
 Each of these openings should have a board, 
 or shutter, inside, to slide up and dovs^n, so 
 that one or all of them might be opened in 
 full, or in part, according to the state of the 
 weather. Venetian blinds might supply the 
 place of boards at the pleasure of the owner. 
 
 There should be no ceiling of lath and 
 plaster in stables, for a very obvious reason, 
 that it is invariably a harbour for vermin. 
 If gentlemen are desirous of having their 
 stables finished in that way, there might be 
 small handsome openings made in the ceiling 
 between the joists, so that the current of air 
 passing from the windward to the leeward, 
 would, in its longitudinal direction between 
 the joists, draw up and carry off the foul air 
 from the stable ; but this will not be complete 
 unless atmospheric air be introduced into the 
 stable below, which ought on no account to 
 be obtained from under the door, or from any 
 other opening that would admit a current. 
 
 In stables of single rows, and where tlie 
 
VENTILATrOX OF STABLES, ETC. 209 
 
 horses are at a considerable distance from 
 the door and front wall, openings should be 
 made at the bottom of the wall, twelve inches 
 long by four deep, and eighteen inches apart, 
 to be filled with cast-metal plates perforated with 
 small holes ; this will so apportion the air (in 
 the same manner as the rows of a waterinav 
 pan distribute water) as to prevent a current 
 coming in contact with the horses ; it will at the 
 same time imperceptibly mix with, and force 
 off, the hydrogen gas, by the openings above. 
 
 The ventilation of stables will also be 
 farther promoted by having vents (flues) carried 
 up in the gables and side walls of the build- 
 ing, and also boards for the purpose of damp- 
 ing or shutting them at pleasure. 
 
 There are some who have tubes to go up 
 through the ceiling, hay-loft, and roof; but 
 frequently there is a blow down through these 
 upon the horses, which can scarcely fail to 
 give them cold. Where these tubes are used, 
 a board should be attached to them a few 
 inches from the ceiling, and six inches broader 
 
210 VENTILATION OF STABLES, ETC. 
 
 all around in the mouth of the tube, with 
 a cap turned up on all sides, to spread the 
 wind that might blow down along the ceil- 
 ing ; or when the weather is very cold, these 
 tubes may be shut up altogether. 
 
 If the stables have a double row of horses, 
 such as the Author has witnessed in some 
 of His Majesty's stables at Pimlico, the at- 
 mospheric air cannot be admitted by the 
 side walls; but an opening from one to five 
 feet high, and five or six inches wide, might 
 be made through the gable walls and brought 
 out on each side of the doors, and cast-iron 
 plates with small holes, as mentioned above, 
 placed at the mouth of these openings; the 
 air would then blow into the space for the 
 door, and mix with the air of the house, 
 without blowing upon the horses. An iron 
 grating would require to be placed outside, 
 to prevent vermin from getting into the flue ; 
 wooden shutters should also be made to fit 
 the openings inside, to allow more or less. air. 
 to come in as wanted. 
 
VENTILATION OF STABIKS, ETC. 211 
 
 In a stable of single rows, where the house 
 is narrow and the horses near the front 
 wall, air should be admitted as above, by 
 the sides of the door, and also by the sides 
 of the windows. 
 
 In addition to the injury which horses and 
 cows receive from close houses, the breath 
 condenses upon, and is imbibed by, the tim- 
 bers, which naturally cause them to rot and 
 give way much sooner; besides, it soils the 
 paint, plaster, &c. But to render the atmas- 
 phere of the stables perfectly sweet and plea- 
 sant, there ought to be a drain under every 
 horse at the place where he stales, the 
 mouth of which should be covered with a 
 piece of cast -metal hollowed a little in the 
 centre, and perforated with holes ; under this 
 plate should be a cesspool (stench trap) to 
 prevent the foul air or cold coming up. All 
 wet litter, and dung, should be immediately 
 removed. 
 
 The drains frbm each stall should be collected 
 in a common ^ewer, corriniuriicating with the^ 
 
 p 2 
 
212 VENTILATION OF STABLES, ETC. 
 
 dunghill. A little water should be daily poured 
 into each cesspool to prevent any disagreeable 
 odour, as well as to clear the drain. 
 . A dunghill should be sunk in the most 
 suitable part of the yard, and should be 
 tightly built round and covered with a door 
 to prevent vermin getting in. The water 
 that comes from the drain, will tend to pre- 
 vent the dung from heating ; and if that 
 be not sufficient, soap-suds or plain water 
 might be added, which would prevent the 
 dung from wasting and turn it into liquid 
 manure; it might then be drawn up by a 
 pump, and applied with great advantage to 
 the gardens, grass lands, &c. 
 
 The straw, or litter, will be found excel- 
 lent manure for potatos ; it will make them 
 dry, and early. 
 
 . If hay is kept in the loft there should 
 be a small aperture with a door to fit tightly, 
 and this should never be opened but when 
 hay is put down for the horses. In many 
 stables these openings have no cover, and 
 
VENTILATION OF STABLES, ETC. 213 
 
 hence the provender becomes impregnated 
 with the foul air of the stable, which ren- 
 ders it both unwholesome and unpalatable. 
 Where stables are not properly ventilated, 
 and where post-boys are in the habit of 
 keeping their clothes in the stable, or in an 
 apartment adjoining, an offensive effluvia 
 resulting from their daily avocations, (whether 
 on the dickey or saddle,) will be exhaled 
 from the apparel. The want of ventilation 
 is also very injurious to the harness, tending 
 to decay the leather and tarnish the metal. 
 
 The Author is aware that these recom- 
 mendations may not probably receive the 
 approbation of grooms, who wish to keep 
 their stables warm, the better to give the 
 skin a fine pile; and dark, the better to 
 make the horses frisky when brought out 
 to the light : but this unnatural beauty of 
 the skin, and sprightly appearance of the 
 animal, it is well known, will soon go off, 
 whereas a fine skin, produced by that useful 
 furbisher elbow grease, and a well- lighted and 
 
 p 3 
 
214 VENTILATION OF STABLES, ETC. 
 
 properly ventilated stable, will do more to 
 improve the health and add to the energy 
 of that valuable animal, the Horse, than 
 any thing else with which the Author is 
 acquainted. 
 
 It would be well, too, were grooms to 
 take an example from the boors, who, as 
 ruentioned in the account of the Dutch dai- 
 ries, always take off the cloths when they 
 put their cattle into the house, and only 
 cover them when the weather is cold ; whereas 
 horses are generally kept not only in a hot 
 stable, but are clothed (and many of them 
 yjBry thickly) night and day; and when 
 turned out, have no covering but the har- 
 ness. 
 
 Of the importance wtiich the subject of ven- 
 tilation is beginning to be regarded, the Author 
 ought not, perhaps, to deny himself the grar 
 tification of quoting the following remarks, 
 (which have been pointed out to him by a 
 fi-iend since this treatise was written,) con- 
 firmatory of his own opii^ions. They form 
 
VENTILATION OF STABLES, ETC. 215 
 
 the portion of a Chapter from a recent and 
 deservedly popular work* on the subject. 
 
 The Author havmg, in the preceding Chap- 
 ters, pointed out the arrangements necessary 
 for an establishment of public training stables, 
 proceeds to treat on a very important point, 
 that of Ventilation. ** One of the principal 
 objects," says he, *' to which grooms should 
 pay the most scrupulous attention, is that 
 of the health of their horses; indeed, they 
 have discovered that this object is, in a great 
 measure, to be attained by keeping their 
 stables much cooler than they formerly did; 
 yet, as there may be some of the old school 
 who still adhere to the former practice, (that 
 of hot stables,) I shall make a few observa- 
 tions on the impropriety of their so doing. 
 
 " It was formerly the common practice 
 among grooms in the winter and spring, to 
 regulate the temperature of the stables agree* 
 
 * A Treatise on the Care, Treatment, and Training 
 of the English Race-horse. By R. Darvil), V. S. 7th 
 
 HussarSi 
 
 p 4 
 
216 VENTILATION OF STABLES, ETC* 
 
 ably to their own feelings; and it was their 
 custom (at least with those I lived under), if 
 the weather was at all cold, to have the 
 long dung laid at the bottom of the stable 
 door, and to have every aperture in the 
 stable closed ; this, together with the heat 
 from the breath of the horses, and the fumes 
 arising from the wet dung under them, made 
 the stables, what was called by the groom, 
 
 * comfortably warm ;' for in those days it was 
 the custom (to use the language of the stable,) 
 
 * to muck out only twice a- week.' This tem- 
 perature, I should say, if allowed to speak 
 from my own sensations, far exceeded, in all 
 probability, that of a hot-house, to say nothing 
 of the impurity of such air. Indeed, at the 
 time I am alluding to, I could mention many 
 proofs, in a variety of instances, of the incon- 
 sistency of a number of grooms in the manage- 
 ment of horses, but I have great satisfaction 
 in stating that the generality of these men 
 now understand the thing much better than 
 they formerly did. 
 
VENTILATION OF STABLES, ETC. 217 
 
 '^ It is now pretty clearly understood, and 
 indeed almost universally admitted by them, 
 that a constant supply of fresh, pure air, is 
 not only beneficial, but absolutely necessary 
 for the preservation of all horses taken from a 
 state of nature, and placed in an artificial 
 atmosphere." 
 
APPENDIX. 219 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 No. I. 
 
 About a mile north of the Glasgow cathe- 
 dral the Author purchased a farm called 
 Sight Hill, so named, perhaps, from the cir- 
 cumstance that the highest point commanded 
 a view of fifteen counties. 
 
 The high part of the farm was a hard 
 cold tilled bottom, and scarcely produced 
 any vegetation. The Author also acquired 
 from Blytheswood that lot of ground called 
 Garnet Hill, a part of which he sold for 
 the Glasgow Observatory ; this hill was also 
 a cold barren till. There were no roads 
 through either of these lands ; an improve- 
 ment desirable to be adopted, and to ac- 
 complish which the Author obtained a quan- 
 tity of ashes and rubbish from iron founderies 
 
220 APPENDIX. 
 
 and other public works which he had 
 screened. The coarse parts were excellent 
 materials for making roads. The harped or 
 screened ashes, sand, &c., were carted to, 
 and laid thick upon, the barren hills. The 
 cow urine was also carted to them in large 
 casks, and emptied upon the highest parts, 
 which ran down towards the bottom : as the 
 highest parts were the barest, the urine being 
 applied to these first, saturated them com- 
 pletely, and such portion as was not retained, 
 descended towards the bottom or low grounds. 
 Part of the land was trenched with the 
 spade, and the rest ploughed three times as 
 deep as possible ; first up and down, second 
 across, then up and down, and forward, 
 into ridges ; it afterward received a good top 
 dressing with lime. The mixture of the 
 sand and ashes with the till, when saturated 
 with urine, produced excellent crops of wheat, 
 barley, turnips, clover, rye grass, &c. 
 
 During the fall in winter or spring, a por- 
 tion of cow urine was put on, and also some 
 
APPENDIX, 221 
 
 more of the fine rubbish as just described. 
 The weight of the crops that were raised in 
 these high lands was almost incredible. 
 
 There were about five acres of Garnet Hill 
 in front of the Observatory, planted with 
 strawberries of assorted kinds ; the ground was 
 prepared as stated above, and the strawberries 
 v/ere planted in rows, which were trenched 
 between every fall or winter. The field was 
 divided into sections; across the hill, and at 
 the top or head of each of these sections 
 there was a small trench made; the cow 
 urine was carted along the top of the field, 
 and by turning the stop-cock the urine ran 
 into the trench at the top of the highest sec- 
 tion. A small opening was made between 
 every row of the strawberries to admit the 
 urine which saturated the first section; the 
 remainder then went into the second trench, 
 &c., to the bottom. The highest sections were 
 the poorest; but from their being more richly 
 saturated with the liquid they soon became 
 as fertile as the lowest. The mode of irrigating 
 
222 APPENDIX. 
 
 was then changed, viz. a small cut was made 
 from the top to the bottom of the field, and 
 the urine made to run down that cut and fill 
 each respective trench; allowing a larger 
 quantity to the sections that stood most in 
 need of it. This mode produced abundant 
 crops of strawberries, very rich in quality, 
 and, having a southern exposure, most delicious^ 
 in flavour. 
 
 The urine destroyed worms and almost 
 every kind of vermin, and there was little 
 difficulty in applying it, during frost, to hills 
 and inclined planes, and where the ground 
 was flat. The fields were irrigated by attach- 
 ing rones to the barrels, similar to those used 
 in watering streets. 
 
 When this liquid was applied to gardens 
 where the ground was level, it was brought 
 to the nearest point that the cart could reach, 
 and from thence carried with stalls and spoked 
 to the interior, from which it was taken with» 
 pails and watering cans, and applied to the. 
 roots of cabbages, &c. 
 
APPENDIX. 223 
 
 As there were several carts with urine bar- 
 rels, two or more were employed according 
 to the distance ; one was left in the field, and 
 the others were plying in rotation. Two men 
 carried the stalls, and two or more applied 
 the liquid to the ground or crop ; by this system 
 a great extent was watered in a short time. 
 Morning or evening was the time generally 
 chosen for these operations. 
 
 In a former part of this work notice is 
 taken of the application of the urine to fruit 
 trees. Besides the general advantage of it 
 when applied to all trees, it was found a com- 
 plete cure for the scale; this is an insect 
 (very much resembling the paring of the nail 
 of the thumb or finger,) which grows upon 
 the tree, and sticks as closely as sea shells 
 to the bottom of a ship or rock; they stunt 
 the growth and prevent the fruitfulness of 
 the tree. Various methods were tried to de- 
 stroy or disengage them; nothing however 
 proved effectual except the application of oil, 
 but this, it was found, shut up the pores of 
 
224 APPENDIX. 
 
 the tree, and was thereby detrimental to its 
 growth; at last the cow urine was applied, 
 which proved a most complete remedy : it 
 was thrown on the trees by an engine in 
 the evening during frost; next morning they 
 appeared quite chrystalized, and when thaw 
 came, the scales (as they were called) were 
 loose, and easily washed off with the first 
 heavy rain. In a short time the trees recovered 
 their appearance, and became vigorous and 
 fruitful. 
 
 The urine was also of great advantage to 
 gooseberry and currant bushes ; besides nou- 
 rishing them it kept the stem and branches 
 clean, and tended, in some degree, to pre- 
 vent the attack of caterpillars : the urine, 
 however, did not operate as an effectual re- 
 medy, for neither the bushes nor fruit-trees 
 entirely escaped. 
 
 Amongst his numerous undertakings, the 
 Author laid down an extensive bowling green, 
 and although there was a great depth of gravel 
 and sand put above the soil, and no mould 
 
APPENDIX. 225 
 
 but the little earth attached to the sod, 
 the earth worms came from the soil be- 
 neath, and threw up mould on the surface ; 
 in this case the urine was applied by the 
 engine during the night, which killed all the 
 worms that were upon the surface, and running 
 down into their holes, nearly extirpated these 
 vermin ; indeed, it had a similar effect where- 
 ever applied. Besides the nourishment it 
 afforded to grass lands, it killed almost every 
 species of vermin that fed upon grass, and 
 hence its almost universal importance. 
 
 The many valuable purposes which were 
 thus served by the application of urine, was 
 the cause of the Author preserving it with so 
 much care. 
 
 Many years before the Willowbank Dairy 
 was established, the Author formed a cess- 
 pool in the parterre at Willowbank House, 
 into which all that came from the water- 
 closets, &c., was conducted ; the mouth was 
 covered with a flag stone, and gravel was 
 laid above it ; when full, these were removed 
 
 Q 
 
.226 APPENDIX. 
 
 early in the morning, and the contents taken 
 out and applied to the kitchen garden ; the 
 stone and the gravel were replaced, so that 
 the cesspool was not seen, nor any unplea- 
 sant odour emitted. There was a similar 
 cesspool or tank in the court where the 
 wash-house and byre were placed, for col- 
 lecting the cows' urine and soap suds, which 
 were also applied to the garden ; this kept 
 the whole of the premises clean, and free 
 from impure air. 
 
 It may, perhaps, appear to some readers, 
 that too much has been said upon a subject 
 which may not seem worthy of such par- 
 ticular remark. The Author, however, is 
 anxious to publish a full and explicit detail, 
 not only because he has experienced the 
 great utility of what he is recommending, 
 but because he wishes to convey his know- 
 ledge of the subject in such a clear and 
 intelligible manner as shall enable any person 
 to adopt similar experiments, which he assures 
 them will not fail to yield both advantage 
 
APPENDIX. 227 
 
 and satisfaction. Whilst the Author studied 
 system in all things, he also thought it 
 essential never to lose sight of that useful 
 maxim, that '^ nothing should be lost." 
 
 Q 2 
 
228 APPENDIX, 
 
 ■No, IL 
 
 Great care at all times was taken to preserve 
 the dung from exposure to the atmosphere, 
 which was effectually accomplished by the dep6t 
 b6ing made in the cellar under the cow-house, 
 as before mentioned ; and when the dung was 
 carted to the farm or gardens, there was an 
 embankment of earth thrown up all around 
 it; a sufficient quantity was also put upon 
 the top to prevent the action of the atmo- 
 sphere, and this was never laid out or spread 
 upon the fields until it was ready to be 
 covered up immediately with the spade or 
 plough, when it was then put down as deep 
 as possible, so that in the decomposition the 
 juices and vapours arising from it might satu- 
 rate the earth above, and nourish the crop. 
 
APPENDIX. 229 
 
 instead of being wasted in the atmosphere, 
 which is uniformly the case with dung when 
 exposed upon, or put in, near the surface of 
 the ground. Besides, when the dung is well 
 covered, it is more efficacious, and lasts longer, 
 and in dry seasons the ascending gas affords 
 moisture to the plants. 
 
 As the cattle were high fed at the Willow- 
 bank, Establishment, and a great quantity of 
 salt was used after the duty was taken off, the 
 dung was very rich and much more profita- 
 ble when applied by the Author, or sold to 
 others, than poor dung at one-third of the 
 price. The advantage of using rich dung 
 does not seem to be generally understood. 
 
 For instance, suppose a ton of the best qua- 
 lity cost six shillings, and that three tons of 
 inferior dung at two shillings did not yield more 
 nourishment than the one ton of rich quality ; 
 and suppose that the cartage, tolls, &c., cost 
 the farmer two shillings per ton more before it 
 could be laid out on the field for manure; 
 the rich ton would thus cost him only eight 
 
 Q 3 
 
230 APPENDIX. 
 
 shillings, whilst the three inferior tons would 
 stand him in twelve, thereby showing a saving 
 of four shillings, or one-third in favour of the 
 rich dung ; and if we suppose a farmer to pur- 
 chase five hundred tons per annum, the saving 
 that would accrue to him by using the best 
 quality, would amount to £100. sterling an- 
 nually. 
 
APPENDIX. 231 
 
 No. Ill 
 
 It has been noticed in a former page that 
 fruit trees, when washed with cow urine, are 
 not only thoroughly cleaned, but are ren- 
 dered more luxuriant and fruitful, and are 
 less liable to be injured by the caterpillar; it 
 is generally such trees as are weak or of a 
 slow growth that suffer most from that insect. 
 The eggs that produce them are deposited at 
 an early period in the bud, as the insect was 
 generally discovered when the buds began to 
 open. The best method which occurred to the 
 Author for destroying them or marring their 
 progress, was to water the fruit branches, or 
 rather the buds, with tobacco juice ; but this 
 method was both tedious and expensive, as it 
 took a considerable quantity of juice to go 
 over a large tree, and it was also found to be 
 
 Q 4 
 
232 APPENDIX. 
 
 much more difficult to collect that portion of 
 the juice that fell to the ground, (which was 
 generally considerable,) than when gooseberry 
 or currant bushes were watered with it; but 
 when trees upon esplanades or walls were 
 sprinkled with the juice, the vessels which 
 were made for the gooseberry bushes were 
 placed alongside the bottom of the walls and 
 esplanades, and the juice was thrown upon 
 the trees in a longitudinal direction with a 
 syringe, and what the trees did not retain, 
 fell down into the tin vessels, so that there 
 was little or no waste. A little snufF put 
 into the bud is also successful in destroying 
 the caterpillar. 
 
 There can be no doubt, if the duty were 
 taken off tobacco used for these purposes, it 
 would be an essential benefit to the orchardmen, 
 without producing any injury to the revenue. 
 
 The caterpillars that were most injurious 
 to the small fruit at Willowbank, particularly 
 to the gooseberry bushes, were of two kinds, 
 namely, a large one about an inch long, of 
 
APPENDIX. 233 
 
 a black or dark greenish colour, and a 
 small green one. 
 
 The former destroyed both the leaves and the 
 fruit, and left nothing but the bare stem, which 
 rendered the bushes unfruitful for a year or two 
 after ; it was discovered that these caterpillars 
 were produced by a fly about five eighths of 
 an inch long, of a brown colour. Previous 
 to depositing their eggs they were observed 
 hopping or hovering about the root of the 
 bushes, and were so full and heavy that 
 they could scarcely fly. When these were 
 first noticed, it was supposed that they were 
 the female parents of the insect, which was 
 demonstrated by pressing them betwixt the 
 finger and thumb, when a great quantity of 
 eggs protruded; this led to an examination 
 of the bushes, and it was found that the 
 young and tender leaves at the bottom and 
 in the centre of the bushes, were indented 
 with the eggs of the fly in a regular and 
 beautiful manner, resembling the appearance 
 of tamboured work, or the stitching in the 
 
234 APPENDIX, 
 
 wristband of a shirt. In a short time the 
 eggs became animated, when they quickly 
 devoured the leaves upon which they were 
 bred, and then proceeding upwards, as rapidly 
 destroyed all the young and tender leaves 
 of the interior. During this injurious activity, 
 there was no appearance of any mischief going 
 on upon the outside of the bush ; they would, 
 however, suddenly spring out as from ambush, 
 and in a day or two not a vestige of verdure 
 was to be seen. The same work of destruction 
 was commenced upon the next bush, if not 
 already destroyed, and failing that, they fed 
 upon turnips or any other vegetable nearest, 
 leaving nothing but the stems. These ravages 
 upon green crops were never, however, to any 
 great extent at Willowbank; at no time, 
 indeed, did the ravages extend to more than 
 a quarter of an acre in one place ; but so 
 completely were these portions eaten up as to 
 verify the sacred text, " Before them was 
 like Eden, and behind them a wilderness." 
 The most complete cure for, or rather pre- 
 
APPENDIX. 235 
 
 ventive of, this desolating insect, was to 
 examine and pick off the leaves at the bottom 
 of each bush where the eggs were deposited, 
 and put them in a vessel, in which was a 
 little water. The taking away these leaves and 
 the young shoots, instead of being injurious to 
 the bushes was rather beneficial, and, even- 
 tually, preserved them from destruction. 
 
 The extraordinary instinct of these as well 
 as other insects, is strikingly demonstrative 
 of the wisdom of the Supreme Being, and 
 of the tender regard displayed in the forma- 
 tion of every work of his hands. The sagacity 
 of the caterpillar in choosing the tenderest 
 leaves, and the warmest part of the bush for 
 its nourishment and the comfort of its brood, 
 furnishes to parents of the human race a re- 
 flection not unworthy of frequent remembrance. 
 
 Athough the anticipation of the destructive 
 effects of these insects was painful, it was 
 far from uninteresting to mark the instinctive 
 solicitude which they manifested for the suc- 
 cession of their tribes — a solicitude which. 
 
236 APPENDIX. 
 
 while it is doubtless intended to answer some 
 valuable purpose beyond the finite ability of 
 man to discern, ought to impress us with the 
 conviction that nothing was created in vain. 
 
 The other species of caterpillar was a small 
 green one, which made holes in the fruit 
 and leaves ; and, although it did not destroy 
 the foliage, it rendered the crop of little or 
 no value. The Author could not discover 
 how or where these were bred, but when 
 they appeared upon the bushes many attempts 
 were made to destroy them; one tolerably 
 successful way was to go to the gooseberry 
 fields (there being a great extent planted,) 
 early in the morning, and spread a linen 
 sheet under the bush ; then to strike the 
 stem smartly with a stick, which was 
 sure to bring down the caterpillars by thou- 
 sands ; these were emptied into a pitcher 
 with water, and the rest of the bushes gone 
 over in the same way. The most complete 
 and effectual mode of preventing these insects 
 from destroying the fruit and injuring the 
 
APPENDIX. 237 
 
 bush, was, as has been already observed, by 
 the application of tobacco juice ; which could 
 always be obtained from tobacconists. When 
 very strong, this liquor was diluted with 
 water, and applied to the bush with a syringe, 
 similar to what is used in hot-houses ; and 
 in order that the bushes might be properly 
 washed, and none of the juice lost, there were 
 tin plate vessels made of a semi-circular form, 
 with a ledge or chain about an inch deep 
 turned up, and a small semi-circular opening 
 made in the straight side where the two 
 semi-circles met, to encompass the stem of the 
 bush. A pair of these semi-circles was 
 placed upon the ground, close to, and under, 
 the bush, for the purpose of receiving all the 
 juice which the bush did not retain; this 
 was emptied into a pail carried by the person 
 that used the syringe; the other took the 
 semi-circular tins to the next bush, so that 
 in a short time a great number of bushes were 
 gone over with little trouble and expense, 
 and none of the juice was wasted. 
 
238 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. IV. 
 
 Fruit trees, it is known, will not thrive upon 
 land where the bottom is gravel, or till, un- 
 less flags are put under the roots when planted ; 
 these may be thin, but should be of a con- 
 siderable diameter ; this will give the roots a 
 horizontal direction and make them spread 
 all around, thereby promoting their growth. 
 
 If the roots are properly covered, the nearer 
 they are to the surface the better, as they will 
 derive more nourishment from the manure 
 applied to the soil, and the genial rays of 
 the sun, than when they get deep into the 
 earth ; besides, when the roots have a wide 
 spread, the trees are not so easily blown 
 from their upright position by the wind. 
 
APPENDIX. 239 
 
 Young trees, particularly apple trees, are 
 often much injured by hares peeling off the 
 bark; various preventives have been used, 
 such as rolling the stem with a straw rope, 
 or anointing it with oil ; the latter mode, by 
 stopping up the pores, is found to be injurious 
 to the trees; and the former is attended with 
 considerable trouble and expense, and is rather 
 hurtful, inasmuch as it intercepts the salutary 
 influence of the atmosphere. 
 
 In the Willowbank Orchard (which ex- 
 tended to several acres) an effectual remedy 
 was used. Mozie (privy dung) and soot were 
 mixed together in a pail to the consistency 
 of paint, and then applied with a painter's 
 brush in the fall, or beginning of winter, to 
 the stem of the trees. In a short time, a 
 person may go over a considerable quantity; 
 and if the weather be dry, one coat will 
 serve during winter; but when washed off 
 with rain, the process must of course be 
 repeated. 
 
 The hares, it was remarked, never touched 
 
240 APPENDIX. 
 
 any tree to which this preventive was ap- 
 plied. When the mixture was occasionally 
 washed down with rain, the ground derived 
 an excellent manure from what it received. 
 
APPENDIX. 241 
 
 No. V. 
 
 The mode of planting thorns for fences has 
 been long known, and in general well exe- 
 cuted ; but, from either partial or total neglect 
 afterwards, most of these hedges become in- 
 ferior fences. They are frequently too open at 
 the bottom, and from not being protected by a 
 ditch and paling, slaps (gaps) are frequently 
 made which are seldom or never properly 
 filled up. A breach in a stone wall or dyke, 
 can be easily repaired, but not so with a 
 thorn hedge. 
 
 The Author's practice in planting quicks 
 was to form a ditch, and raise the bank or 
 face of it about one-third of the intended 
 height; then to put a good layer of dung, 
 but none of it to be nearer than within six 
 
 R 
 
242 APPENDIX^ 
 
 inches of the front of the ditch ; a few inches 
 of clean mould was laid upon the dung, 
 and smoothed with the spade. The tops of 
 the thorns were cut, leaving only three or 
 four eyes; they were then laid horizontally, 
 but the point was not allowed to project, 
 but to be flush with the front of the ditch; 
 good mould was put over the thorns, and 
 the remainder or inferior stuff from the bot- 
 tom of the trench was laid uppermost. The 
 more weight that was put over the roots, 
 the more luxuriant the plants grew. All 
 weeds, particularly quickens, and such as 
 spread their roots in the soil, should be 
 carefully taken out before planting, otherwise 
 it will be almost impossible afterwards to 
 disentangle them from the plants ; and they 
 will, besides, absorb the juices which should 
 go to nourish the hedge. 
 
 If the soil and season are favourable, 
 thorns thus planted will grow to a consi- 
 derable height the first year. In the fall, 
 the hedger should carefully examine the 
 
APPENDIX. 243 
 
 hedges, and if it is discovered that any plant 
 has failed or is weak, a thriving shoot of 
 the adjoining plant should be laid hori- 
 zontally across the defective one. The whole 
 hedge should then be cut down to within 
 three or four inches of the ground ; this will 
 make it spread and grow thick at the bottom, 
 which is essential to make a good fence. 
 In the ensuing fall, the weak places should 
 be examined and repaired, as stated above ; 
 the sides and top of the hedge should be 
 dressed with a hedge-bill and scissars, and 
 the above process repeated annually. The 
 greatest care should be taken to clean and 
 dress the hedges, and free them of weeds, 
 and to let no grass or any thing grow within 
 a foot or two of the hedge. Hedges thus 
 treated will soon become beautiful and secure 
 fences. 
 
 But there is a mode of making thorn 
 hedges a much more substantial and secure 
 fence, than by the common practice; which 
 is to allow only one shoot to grow from 
 each plant; all the others to be broken off, 
 
 R 2 
 
244 APPENDIX. 
 
 (rather than cut,) as soon as they appear. 
 In a very few years, say two or three, the 
 shoots will grow to the height of five or six 
 feet; they should then be pruned as bare 
 as a walking cane, and cut to the same 
 length, and plaited in an angular direc- 
 tion across each other, which will form dia- 
 mond openings or squares. When plaited 
 in this way to the top, the point should be 
 tied with a piece of bass, (matting,) and if 
 there is any hollow or projection in any 
 part, these may be made straight by driving 
 a stake perpendicularly into the ground, and 
 fastening the bend to the stake with a piece 
 of bass ; this operation should be performed 
 in the fall, winter, or early in the springs 
 before the buds break. A profusion of shoots 
 will grow up perpendicularly from the an- 
 gular or horizontal parent plant, and will 
 closely fill up all the diamonds ; if, however, 
 there should be an opening in any part, it 
 should be filled up by a sprig from the ad- 
 joining plant, as recommended in the common 
 hedge. 
 
APPENDIX, 245 
 
 This fence is peculiarly adapted for a gar- 
 den or pleasure ground, and should not be 
 allowed to grow broader than from eight to 
 twelve inches ; when full grown, it will resist 
 any encroachments by animals. 
 
 In common hedges if a bullock gets in his 
 head between the main stems, he will make 
 his way through ; but plaited hedges may be 
 considered impregnable. 
 
 The Author had some fences done in this 
 way at Willowbank by a transplanted hedge, 
 about twelve years old, which was taken up 
 by the roots ; the plants were pruned and cut 
 to the same length ; part of the roots were 
 also cutoff; they then resembled shinty clubs. 
 They were planted four or five inches apart ; 
 good mould was put round the root and 
 plenty of dung applied under them, but not a 
 particle was allowed to touch the root; they 
 were then plaited and treated as above, and 
 in one year a fence was formed which effec- 
 tually excluded hares, poultry, &c. 
 
 The plaited or net-work thorn hedges were 
 
 R 3 
 
246 APPENDIX, 
 
 used for outside fences to the orchard and 
 gardens at Willowbank ; but the interior fences 
 which separated the walks from the fruit gar- 
 dens, were made of horn-beam and beech, alter- 
 nately, and plaited the same as the thorns. 
 At the crossings, they frequently became 
 grafted into each other. There were privet,, 
 and other evergreen shrubs, planted close by 
 the roots of the beech and horn-beam ; as all 
 these kept their leaves during winter. The 
 contrast of the foliage presented by the green 
 and brown was very beautiful, and the shrubs 
 formed an excellent shelter from the cold and 
 bleak wintry blasts. 
 
 Sweet-briar, which exhales the most grate- 
 ful odour, was also planted alongside these 
 hedges, especially such as were near the 
 dwelling house ; but it was found that the 
 briar tended to canker the horn-beam and 
 beech, so that the regalement it imparted to 
 one of the senses was marred by the pain of 
 witnessing the injury sustained by the fence ; 
 ^d which brings to memory the poetical 
 
APPENDIX. 247 
 
 illustration of what too frequently happens 
 in ordinary life^ 
 
 ** Hence still my joys with sorrow meet, 
 And all my tears are bitter sweet." 
 
 There was a great extent of gravel and 
 grass walks surrounding the fruit gardens, 
 with flowers and ornamental shrubbery on 
 each side; these were between the thorn and 
 fancy horn-beam and beech hedges, and were 
 united along the low grounds across the ponds 
 by Chinese bridges, which led to the summer- 
 house upon the top of the hill, whence was 
 a better view of the city, and the country 
 around, than could be obtained from any 
 other point. From this site the Author could 
 witness, by a telescopic view, the distant ope- 
 rations of his servants in the garden and farm, 
 which was found to be of great advantage. 
 
 Previously to building the Glasgow Obser- 
 vatory, Dr. Ure had the use of this summer- 
 house for making his astronomical observa- 
 tions , 
 
 a 4 
 
248 APPENDIX 
 
 No. VL 
 
 A LEARNED Writer tells us, that '* Know- 
 ledge is power," Let us then turn whatever 
 knowledge we possess to a good account. 
 The divine goodness that pervades the universe 
 presents an abundant field for its exercise ; 
 and a peculiar bounty is constantly exhibited 
 to us in the advantages that one spot pos- 
 sesses over another. A particular instance of 
 this may here be mentioned. In early life, 
 when the Author resided in the Ochels, he 
 observed by the sides of the mountains, 
 several wallees, (water springs,) where the 
 grass was luxuriant and ever-green, (as the 
 springs did not freeze in winter,) whilst all 
 around was bleak and barren. To these 
 green patches the cattle resorted, and some- 
 
APPENDIX. 249 
 
 times laird (sunk) in the swamp, and would 
 often have perished had they not got assistance. 
 
 Now, if the husbandmen had made trenches 
 on each side of these well-springs in the form 
 of a semi-herring bone, the w^ater would have 
 irrigated the barren ground adjoining, drained 
 the bogs, and protected the cattle from acci- 
 dents. 
 
 Many mountain rills might be sent along 
 these hill sides, by trenches or furrows cut as 
 described above, which, by the distribution 
 of the liberal bounty which Providence sends 
 forth, would turn barren ground into good 
 pasture. This might be done (at least in part) 
 by the shepherds, in place of loitering their 
 time in useless inactivity. 
 
 The importance of irrigation is now generally 
 known and valued, but it is by no means carried 
 to the extent it ought to be; whilst other 
 liquids, possessing the most valuable qualities 
 for vegetation, are almost neglected. Amongst 
 these may be mentioned urine, soap-suds^ 
 kitchen water, &c. In the country these are 
 
250 APPENDIX. 
 
 generally thrown out in front of the dwelling 
 house, to the great nuisance of the inmates and 
 passengers. This remark applies equally to 
 villages, farm houses, and the habitations of 
 the poor. 
 
 In cities these valuable manures go into 
 the common sewers, where they accumulate 
 and run into and pollute the streams, banish 
 the salmon, &c. 
 
 The Author, when passing over the bridges 
 across the Clyde, could never witness the 
 copious flow from the common sewers without 
 deeply regretting that so much valuable ma- 
 nure (the common '' guid" of the town) should 
 go to worse than waste. This suggested to his 
 mind a plan by which the contents of the sewers 
 might be rendered valuable to the city, and 
 beneficial to the country ; namely, by construct- 
 ing a large common sewer to run parallel with 
 the river, as far down as was necessary, and 
 thereby consume the whole in irrigating the 
 soil. At suitable distances, the water might 
 be raised by a common pump or steam engine, 
 
APPENDIX. 251 
 
 and made either to run into trenches, or carted 
 away with barrels, or both. 
 
 Tanks might be formed at the sides of the 
 sewers at proper distances from each other, 
 to collect the sediment ; and by a sluice the 
 communication of the sewer with the tank 
 could be cut off when the manure was to be 
 carried away. 
 
 Previous to laying out money for the above 
 purpose a trail might be made by sinking a 
 well alongside one of the sewers, and placing 
 a filtering board perforated with small holes 
 at the mouth of the well, to keep out the 
 sediment, which otherwise would choke the 
 pump. The water might then be pumped 
 into barrels and carted to the gardens or farms 
 in the neighbourhood. This would give em- 
 ployment to many carters who have little to 
 do in consequence of fewer buildings being 
 now carried on. 
 
 In order to cover the expense of the well, Scc.^ 
 the carters might be charged a trifle for each 
 barrel, or so much for a day's drive; or if 
 
252 APPENDIX. 
 
 the well was made adjoining a steam engine, 
 a cistern might be fitted up, and the water 
 pumped into it by the engine and let off into 
 the barrels by a valve, as was done when the 
 Willowbank water was sent into the city. 
 
 The indefatigable and efficient superin- 
 tendant of public works might irrigate the 
 public green with water from the sewers, 
 during fall, winter, or spring; or in place of 
 carting it, a pipe might be laid, and the 
 water forced from the lowest part of the 
 Moleander-burn into the highest part of the 
 green, and let off by a stop-cock into long 
 perforated wooden rones, which would spread 
 it along the surface ; or the carts and barrels 
 that water the streets might be employed for 
 that purpose. 
 
 The Author is confident that this would 
 produce a great weight of grass, and by per- 
 severance might ultimately rival mild Reekie^ 
 (Edinburgh,) the common sewers of which 
 are said to produce annually grass worth £50, 
 per acre. 
 
APPENDIX. 253 
 
 A small portion of what is collected in 
 the common sewers would be sufficient for 
 this purpose ; the remainder might be let 
 down on either side of the river, and, by 
 irrigating the lands, would tend materially 
 to promote the growth of corn, grass, 
 and vegetables. This continued action and 
 reaction would be productive of the most 
 beneficial effects ; for while it was accom- 
 plishing a desideratum for the town, it would 
 at the same time impart increased capabilities 
 to the country, and confer the most flourish- 
 ing prospects on both. 
 
 In towns and villages where there are neither 
 common sewers nor scavengers, the ingredients 
 alluded to are thrown out into the street, 
 where they are allowed to putrify and pollute 
 the atmosphere until a visitation from above 
 shall carry them away. They are then con- 
 ducted into the nearest stream, and thus 
 rendered extremely injurious both to the 
 human species and to fishes. 
 
 Were a dam or reservoir foraied at the 
 
254 APPENDIX. 
 
 lowest part of these towns or villages, all 
 the manure would be washed from the streets 
 and carried into them by the rain ; the 
 villagers might then apply it to their gar- 
 dens, or the farmers to their fields o 
 
 Some villages in Scotland, it is known, 
 have small rills that run along the main 
 street; these should be also applied to the 
 purposes of irrigation. A Cockney in a con- 
 versation with Sandy was once running down 
 his country, and sneeringiy contrasting its 
 magnificence with boasted London, and the 
 bridges over the Thames. Sandy replied, 
 that if he would visit the despised country of 
 the North, he would show him a town where 
 there were more than one hundred stone 
 bridges; referring to Auchterarder, a village 
 west of Perth, where every family has a 
 flag-stone laid over the little rill opposite their 
 door. 
 
 The Author submits to the consideration 
 of those who are better qualified than him- 
 self, an investigation of the ideas he has thus 
 
APPENDJX. 25 
 
 r 
 
 feebly pointed out ; but he humbly conceives 
 that were his suggestions to be acted upon, 
 incalculable advantage would result to every 
 city, town, and village, where such nuisances 
 and neglect at present exist. Much increase 
 of the earth's products would also as certainly 
 ensue, and the result might be similar to 
 that derived from the common sewers of 
 Edinburgh just alluded to. 
 
256 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. VII 
 
 As the stock contained in the Harleian Dairy 
 was composed of cattle of the Ayrshire breed, 
 of whose excellence the Author, from long 
 experience, entertained a very high opinion ; he 
 has thought this work might be deemed in- 
 complete, were it to omit furnishing the 
 reader with a brief history of the qualities of 
 those valuable cows. He had at first intended 
 to sketch such history from his own informa- 
 tion ; but, as the subject has been so ably 
 treated by Mr. Aiton, in his popular work 
 on Dairy Husbandry, it would be an act of 
 injustice to the reputation of that much- 
 respected and useful writer not to take ad- 
 
APPENDIX, 257 
 
 vantage of this opportunity to introduce his 
 own interesting and very accurate 
 
 HISTORY OF THE AYRSHIRE DAIRY 
 
 BREED. 
 
 ** The dairy breed of cows in Ayrshire," 
 says Mr. Aiton, *' now so much and so 
 greatly esteemed, are not an ancient ot 
 indigenous race, but are a breed begun to 
 be formed, first by the inhabitants of the 
 bailliary of Cunningham in that county, within 
 the last forty, and chiefly within the last 
 twenty years.* It appears from an adage in 
 the county of Ayr,t that dairy husbandry 
 had not only been practised in Cunningham^ 
 but that the making of butter and cheese 
 
 * Mr. Alton's work was commenced in 1816. 
 t Kyle for a man, 
 Carrick for a cow, 
 Cunningham for butter and cheese ; 
 And Galloway for woo*. 
 
^5S APPENDIX. 
 
 iiad become the peculiar and distinguishing 
 boast of the district at a very remote period ; 
 and the last and present generations of the 
 inhabitants have shown that they still attend 
 to that branch of industry, and have greatly 
 improved on the favourite practices of their 
 ancestors. 
 
 ** But though dairy husbandry has for 
 many ages past been more attended to in 
 the bailliary of Cunningham than in any 
 other district in Scotland, it was only 
 during the present generation that any ma- 
 terial improvement was begun to be made, 
 or even attempted, on the breed of cows in 
 that district; and it is only within the last 
 twenty years or thereby, that that improve- 
 ment merited notice. 
 
 c—'* Every person now of fifty years of age 
 or upwards, who has paid attention from 
 their youth to the cattle in that district, 
 will remember that the cows in the bailliary 
 of Cunningham, and in that of Kyle, were 
 generally, till after the year 1780, a puny, 
 
APPEXDIXv 116$ 
 
 unshapely, and inferior breed of cattle, not 
 superior in size, shapes, or qualities, to those 
 still met with in the higher parts of Clydes- 
 dale, Peebleshire, or those in the islands of 
 Arran and Bute. They were even inferior to 
 these, from not being nearly so well fed as 
 cattle generally now are in every district, 
 except in some parts of the North Highlands. 
 " The cows then kept in the districts of 
 Kyle and Cunningham were of a diminutive 
 size, ill fed, ill shaped, and yielded but a 
 scanty return in milk, — they were mostly of 
 a black colour, with large stripes of white 
 along the chine or ridge of their backs, 
 about their flanks, or on their faces. Their 
 horns were high and crooked, having deep 
 ringlets at the root; the plainest proof that 
 the cattle were but scantily fed. The chine 
 of their back« stood up high and narrow, 
 their sides were lank, ^hort, and thin, their^ 
 hides thick^ and adhering to the bones ; their 
 pile was coarse and open, and few of them 
 yielded more than three or four Scots' pints^^ 
 
 s 2 
 
260 APPENDIXi 
 
 of milk per day, when in their best plight; 
 or weighed when fat more than from twelve 
 or sixteen, to twenty stones avoirdupoise, 
 sinking offal. 
 
 i *' It was impossible that these cattle, fed 
 as they then were, could be of great weight, 
 well shaped, or yield much milk. Their 
 only food in winter and spring was oat- 
 straw, and what they could pick up in the 
 fields, to which they were turned out almost 
 every day ; with a mash of weak corn and 
 chaff daily for a few days after calving. And 
 their pasture in summer was of the very 
 worst quality, and eaten so bare that the 
 cattle were half starved. The land was then 
 under such barbarous courses of cropping, 
 and so much overcropped, that when turned 
 to pasture, it yielded little else but weeds, 
 and a few natural grasses of the worst qua- 
 lity; and that coarse pasture was so much 
 overstocked, and eaten so bare, that the 
 cattle were half starved, and had the aspect 
 of starvelings. 
 
APPENDIX. 261 
 
 ** A wonderful change has since been made 
 in the condition, aspect, and qualities of the 
 Ayrshire dairy stock. They are not now the 
 meagre unshapely animals they were about 
 forty years ago ; but have been completely 
 changed into something as different from 
 what they were then, as any two breeds in 
 the island can be from each other. They are 
 almost double the size, and yield about four 
 times the quantity of milk that the Ayrshire 
 cows then yielded. Formerly they were not 
 of any specific breed, nor uniformity of shapes 
 or colour, neither was there any fixed standard 
 by which they could be judged. But now 
 they are generally of a brown and white 
 colour, in mixed patches; and rules have 
 been adopted for determining the purity of 
 the breed and excellence of their quality. 
 
 *' These alterations, although they are ex- 
 tensive, have not been made by merely 
 selling the farm stock, and replacing them 
 with a different breed; but the changes have 
 been effected upon the former breed, partly 
 
 s 3 
 
%^Z .4PPEXDIX. 
 
 by skilfur breeding, and still more by better 
 feeding and treatment. 
 
 . ** But though these improvements in the 
 dairy stock of Ayrshire were begun and 
 brought to its present advanced state v^ithin 
 the recollection of thousands who are still 
 alive ; and though I kept a dairy stock for 
 some time in the centre of the district where 
 these improvements were first introduced, and 
 about the time that they began to be im- 
 proved; I have not been able to trace the 
 commencement of them to any particular 
 person or family. 
 
 '* About the year 1760, or between that 
 and 1770, some noblemen and gentlemen 
 who resided in the eastern and southern 
 counties of Scotland, procured cows of some 
 English or Dutch breed, who were much 
 larger in size than any other then in Scot- 
 land; and when these were well fed, on the 
 sheltered and improved lands round the seats 
 jof their owners, they yielded far more milk 
 th^n t|ie native cows. It was their greater 
 
APPENDIX. 2165 
 
 size, and the superior quantity of milk they 
 yielded, that induced these noblemen and 
 others to purchase them; and wherever their 
 feeding in Scotland corresponded to what they 
 had been accustomed to eat, their owners 
 were not disappointed. But when these large 
 cows were turned into pasture that was much 
 inferior to that on which they had been 
 reared, they fell short in milking, as all 
 cows that are not well fed will do. 
 
 *' I am really uncertain as to the district 
 or country from which these stranger cows 
 were brought. They certainly were deno- 
 minated Dutch cows when first introduced 
 into Ayrshire. But from their being of a 
 brown and white colour, I am disposed to 
 believe they were of the Tees water breed. 
 
 *' Neither have I been able to discover 
 who it was that first introduced them into 
 the bailliary of Cunningham, nor to point 
 out all those who did so. John Dunlop, 
 Esq., of Dunlop, brought some of these Eng- 
 lish or Dutch cows to his byres at Dunlop 
 
 s 4 
 
!S!64 APPENDIX* 
 
 House in Cunningham, soon after the year 
 1760. As they were there provided with 
 the best of pasture, as the dairy was much 
 attended to in that neighbourhood, and as 
 the improved breed of the mixed brown and 
 white colour came into vogue about Dunlop 
 and Stewarton sooner than in any other part 
 of Cunningham, it is likely that Mr. Dunlop's 
 were among the first of the stranger breed 
 that reached Cunningham. 
 
 " The Earl of Marchmount, about 1750, 
 purchased from the Bishop of Durham several 
 cows and a bull of the Teeswater or some 
 English breed, all of a brown colour spotted 
 with white, and his lordship kept them 
 some time at his seat in Berwickshire. 
 Bruce Campbell, Esq., then factor on his 
 lordship's estates in Ayrshire, carried some 
 of that breed to Sornbeg in Kyle, where 
 they were kept some time, and their progeny 
 spread over different parts of Ayrshire. A 
 bull of that stock, after coupling with many 
 cows on the estate of Cessnock, was by 
 
APPENDIX, 265 
 
 Mr. Campbell sold to John Hamilton, Esq., 
 of Sundrum, and raised a numerous offspring 
 in that quarter of Ayrshire. 
 
 ** John Orr, of Borrowfield, Esq., about 
 the year 1767, sent from Glasgow, or from 
 some part in that neighbourhood, to his 
 estate of Grougar, Ayrshire, several fine milk- 
 cows of a much larger size than any then 
 on that estate. One of these cost six pounds, 
 which was more than twice the price of the 
 best cows then in that quarter. As these 
 cows were well fed, they yielded a good 
 return in milk, and the farmers in that 
 neighbourhood were eager to procure their 
 calves, in hopes of obtaining similar returns. 
 Cattle of the same appearance were about 
 that time brought to Eglinton, Loudon, and 
 to the seats of other noblemen and gentle- 
 men in Ayrshire : and as most of those 
 were of the same colour, brown, spotted or 
 freaked with white, — as all of them were 
 larger, and when duly fed yielded much 
 more milk than the native breed, — their 
 
266 AP.PENi)i^v 
 
 calves were reared by such as could procure 
 them, and bulls of that breed, or even of 
 their colour, were preferred to all others. 
 From these, or from crosses of them with the 
 native cows, the whole district has been 
 stocked; and the breed has attained such 
 celebrity, that they have not only supplied 
 the counties of Ayr, Renfrew, and greatest 
 part of Lanark; but, for about twenty years 
 past, colonies of the improved breed have 
 been carried from Ayrshire to every county of 
 Scotland, and to many counties in England." 
 
 From a subsequent section in the same 
 work, the Author gives Mr. Alton's interesting 
 account 
 
 Of the manner in which the City of Glasgow was 
 supplied with Milk, 
 
 ** It has been mentioned," says Mr. A., " that 
 the whole milk of cows kept within about two 
 
miles of Glasgow is carried there twice every- 
 day, and sold new; and by far the greatest 
 part of that produced from about two, to more 
 than twelve miles from that city, is manufac- 
 tured into butter and sour milk, and sold in 
 the streets of Glasgow to its inhabitants. 
 But so great is the demand there for milk, 
 that generally from 800 to lOOO milk-cows 
 are kept within the city, where they are fed 
 in the stall, and their milk sold fresh as it is 
 taken from the cow. 
 
 '^ As the total number of cows in Glasgow, 
 and its neighbourhood, whose milk is sold 
 sweet to the citizens, may probably amount 
 to two thousand ; as these cows are the very 
 best of the dairy breed, collected from all parts 
 of the country, when they are in their best 
 plight, as they are highly fed, both to procure 
 milk and to render them fat; and as they 
 are always sold to the butcher whenever they 
 are fatted, and are replaced in a few months 
 with other cows that are lean and newly calved, 
 fi^it may be reasonable to suppose that each 
 
268 APPENDIX, 
 
 COW will yield, on an average, about twelve 
 Scots' pints of milk every day, or that the 
 whole will yield from 24,000 to 30,000 Scots' 
 pints of sweet milk per day, which is almost 
 a pint English to each inhabitant of the city, 
 old and young. Such an ample supply of 
 that wholesome food must contribute greatly 
 to the comfort and health of the inhabitants ; 
 and the quantity of buttermilk used in that 
 city far exceeds that used in any other town 
 or city in Britain. 
 
 *' The method of feeding the dairy cows 
 kept within the city, is similar to that prac- 
 tised in other towns in Scotland. Rye-grass 
 hay is almost the only fodder given them. 
 Grains or draff from the breweries, burnt ale 
 or other refuse from the distilleries, the refuse 
 of flour usually termed hen's-meal, oats, 
 beans, &c., are provided for them in abun- 
 dance. Green clover and rye-grass are sup- 
 plied to them in summer, with the offals of 
 gardens. Turnips and potatos are served up 
 to them in winter, both raw and boiled,, with 
 
APPENDIX. 269 
 
 grain, chaiF, infusions of hay, &c. ; but oil- 
 cake, so much used in' England, is little known 
 in Glasgow." 
 
 In speaking of the accommodation paid to 
 the cattle in their byres in Scotland, Mr. Alton 
 is pleased to give the following flattering 
 account of the Willowbank Establishment : 
 
 " The most extensive and masterly un- 
 dertaking of this kind ever known in Scot- 
 land, is that of William Harley, Esq., at 
 Willowbank, in the vicinity of Glasgow ; and 
 as it is conducted in every respect equal, or 
 superior to any thing of that nature to be met 
 with in any part of Great Britain, some 
 account of it falls to be given in this Treatise. 
 
 " Like many other useful Establishments, 
 Mr. Harley's dairy proceeded more from acci- 
 dent,, than original design. It was begun at 
 first on a very limited scale, and has been 
 gradually extended and improved to its present 
 refinement. Mr. Harley, who had long been 
 engaged in manufacturing cotton goods, hap- 
 pening to discover in a field which he had 
 
270 APi^EXBixA 
 
 purchased near Glasgow, a copious spring of 
 excellent water, he not only converted that 
 spring to public use, by supplying the city 
 better than ever it had been before, but he 
 erected cold and hot baths, — the first, and 
 still the only thing of the kind provided for 
 public use in or near that city. Some of the 
 people who took the benefit of these baths 
 having expressed a wish to be provided with 
 warm milk after bathing, Mr. Harley procured 
 a cow for that purpose, and the baths soon 
 became a place of general resort." ***** 
 *' Mr. Harley has displayed great taste and 
 judgment in the construction of his byres, and 
 in every thing connected with his dairy; and 
 the superior degree of cleanliness with which 
 the byres, cattle, and whole apparatus, are 
 kept, do him much honour, and cannot fail 
 to prove exemplary to others in that branch 
 where it was of late so much neglected." * * * 
 ** In the construction of his byres Mr. Har-- 
 ley has made no great sacrifices to external 
 show, but every thing that can contribute to^ 
 
APPENDIX. 27 i 
 
 Utility has been duly attended to. The interior 
 of these byres is constructed equal, or superior 
 to any building of the kind in Britain, or 
 Ireland; and in point of cleanliness they far 
 surpass all other byres. They have not only 
 attracted the notice of the inhabitants of 
 Glasgow, but are beginning to be surveyed 
 by the philanthropist, and the lovers of agricul- 
 ture. Milk, which is one of the most whole- 
 some and nutritive species of food, is too apt 
 to be neglected where luxuries prevail ; and 
 many have rejected it from a belief that it 
 was seldom obtained free of impurities. The 
 atmosphere of a byre not duly ventilated, and 
 especially in the stenching lanes of a large 
 town, the nastiness of the cows, want of clean- 
 liness in those who fed and milked them, and 
 the nature of the milk itself, so apt to become 
 impregnated with foul air and every impurity, 
 have often driven people who entertained a due 
 sense of cleanliness, as well as those of delicate 
 constitutions, who most needed that excellent 
 restorative, from the use of milk with disgust. 
 
272 APPENDIX^ 
 
 Mr. Harley has done more than any other 
 man ever did to remove the causes from which 
 these aversions proceeded, and to furnish the 
 citizens of Glasgow with milk free of any 
 admixture whatever." * * * «« The sight of 
 the byres, cows, milk-vessels, &c., instead of 
 disgusting those who survey them, and creating 
 an aversion at milk, have the most powerful 
 tendency to reconcile every person who sees 
 them to the use of that most wholesome and 
 valuable food." pp. 67, 70. 
 
APPENDIX. 273 
 
 No. VIII. 
 
 It has been suggested by those to whom the 
 Author submitted particulars of his various 
 undertakings, as embodied in the Introduction 
 to this work, that no mention had been made 
 of one public effort which had cost much 
 application to accomplish. Without intending 
 to obtrude any matters upon the reader which 
 may be deemed irrelevant to the ostensible 
 character of the present work, the Author 
 hopes he shall be excused by his patrons 
 generally for bowing with deference to the 
 well-meaning counsel of intelligent friends, 
 and publish, in this place, a brief sketch 
 of an endeavour anxiously pursued, at one 
 period of his life, to improve the moral 
 
274 APPENDIX. 
 
 condition of the lower classes of the Glasgow 
 community. 
 
 Before the existence of a Police Establish- 
 ment in Glasgow it was usual for the citizens, 
 in rotation, to patrol the streets nightly. In 
 the Author's turn to perform that duty, it con- 
 stantly occurred to him to be a witness of 
 such deplorable scenes of vice and depravity 
 as to impress upon him the conviction that if 
 some feasible plan were devised, and followed 
 up with resolution of purpose, much of this 
 dissoluteness might be reclaimed. With a 
 view to attain this desirable end, and with 
 the co-operation of others in advice and assist- 
 ance, a number of Sabbath schools were 
 opened in the city and neighbourhood for 
 imparting religious instruction to the children 
 of the poor ; the Author's clerk keeping an 
 account of the number of schools, scholars in 
 each, books distributed, &c. 
 
 Though the Author exercised a general 
 superintendance over these schools, his prin- 
 
APPENDIX. 275 
 
 cipal attention was directed to the one formed 
 in the Merchants' Hall, Bridgegate Street, 
 where, as well as in the vicinity, the shoals 
 of neglected children might be compared to 
 so many lambs in the midst of wolves, without 
 the protecting presence of a shepherd. 
 
 After it was resolved to make an attempt 
 upon this ^' Billingsgate" of Glasgow, the prin- 
 cipal impediment that presented itself was the 
 want of an appropriate accommodation; and 
 the only place that could be so converted 
 was a garret in which, during summer, the 
 town lamps were deposited, a sorry conve- 
 nience for a school-room, and at first as dark 
 and miserable as the understandings of those 
 it was intended to enlighten. At this period, 
 (1797,) the late John Lawrie, Esq. was Dean of 
 Guild, to whom application was made for per- 
 mission to occupy the room as a Sabbath 
 Evening School. It is but justice to this 
 worthy magistrate to state, that he not only 
 assented to the request in the most courteous 
 manner, but regretted that the place was so 
 
 T 2 
 
276 APPENDIX^ 
 
 ill calculated for such a praiseworthy purpose. 
 He also accorded permission for sky-light win- 
 dows being introduced in the building; and 
 thus, by receiving the light of heaven into 
 an abode where it had never shone before, 
 led the way for the diffusion of that divine 
 light which enlightens the understanding 
 and turns darkness into light. The object, 
 indeed, sought to be accomplished was the 
 fulfilment of that patriotic and christian wish 
 expressed by his late Majesty, '' that every 
 child in his dominions might have a Bible, 
 and be able to read it." 
 
 The room having been supplied with fornis 
 for the children, a very tolerable attendance 
 of the indigent and uneducated continued 
 during the winter. The return of the season, 
 however, when it was customary to take 
 down and deposit in their usual place the 
 street lamps of the town, compelled the sur- 
 render of the garret, a circumstance much 
 regretted by the worthy Dean of Guild be- 
 fore alluded to, who felt a deep interest in 
 
APPENDIX. 277 
 
 perpetuating an attempt which had already 
 commenced with such favourable hopes ; he 
 even offered, rather than the children should 
 be dispersed, to defray the rent of any suit- 
 able accomm.odation that could be obtained. 
 Permission w^as eventually given to occupy 
 the Merchants' Hall ; this concession was 
 hailed with much satisfaction, and the Hall 
 was for several years the means of congre- 
 gating not less than four hundred children 
 every Sabbath evening. 
 
 The method which in the first instance used 
 to be adopted to collect this large assemblage, 
 was to tempt by kind entreaties, and the 
 promise of trifling douceurs, any of the 
 loitering groups which were generally to 
 be seen in the streets ; these endeavours sel- 
 dom failed of success, and frequently stimu- 
 lated the voluntary attendance of others. The 
 novelty, in short, of poor children getting 
 admission to the Merchants' Hall soon attracted 
 a multitude, till the difficulty at length be- 
 came how to secure or^er and silence amongst 
 
 t3 
 
278 APPENDIX. 
 
 SO many, the greater part of whom, too, had 
 never been present at the performance of di- 
 vine service. These desiderata, however, were 
 soon attained, by a proper observance of system ; 
 as the multitude that were fed in the wilder- 
 ness by Him who desired that they should sit 
 down by hundreds and fifties, the easier to 
 facilitate the distribution of the food, and the 
 gathering up of the fragments. 
 
 At one end of the Hall a chair was placed, 
 next to which the little children from three 
 to five years' old were made to sit down upon 
 the floor in a circle. Those a little older were 
 placed in a second circle, and so on till 
 all were seated. The oldest children and 
 adults were seated upon forms, or stood be- 
 hind ; by this arrangement all were in full 
 view of the teacher. Many of the youths, 
 it was remarked, were from fifteen to eighteen 
 years of age; few of these could read, and 
 still fewer had a bible. Those who happened 
 to have this book were desired to stand up in 
 their places; and instead of reading by rota- 
 
APPENDIX. 279 
 
 tion, the rule was to single out such as were 
 not intent upon their bible ; this had the 
 desired effect of making all attentive. Instead 
 of attempting to rivet the children to a long 
 discourse, the time was chiefly devoted in 
 rehearsing their knowledge of the catechism, 
 or of the portion of Scripture which had just 
 been read ; this was pursued in the same 
 manner as in the reading, namely, by putting 
 a question to the one that seemed most in- 
 attentive. 
 
 The simplicity of this mode produced a 
 silence and attention almost incredible. The 
 catechising generally commenced with the 
 youngest children, by asking '' Who made 
 you?" Very few, it was found, could re- 
 ply to this question; but when any one gave 
 the proper answer, it was remarked to them 
 generally, ** that that poor child knew more 
 than many nations of men and women." Such 
 observations tended to encourage even the least 
 of the children. 
 
 Questions were occasionally put to the chil= 
 
 T 4 
 
280 APPENDIX. 
 
 dren which it was not expected they could an- 
 swer ; and a short pause was then made in order 
 that every one present might form an answer 
 in their own minds : when the teacher an- 
 swered the question, it was intended to convey 
 instruction to those that were grown up, and 
 to spare the agitation and embarrassment 
 which their ignorance might raise by being 
 in the presence of children. 
 
 As there were so few that could read, the 
 next attempt was to teach that useful branch 
 of education ; and those that were of an age 
 to acquire more, were requested to come to 
 the Hall on Sabbath morning, at seven o'clock, 
 at which hour a number of assistants, provided 
 by the superintendants, were in attendance 
 to divide the children into classes. It was 
 found, however, that one lesson in the week was 
 insufficient for the purpose of improvement. 
 There were then four apartments obtained — 
 two for boys, and two for girls. In each 
 apartment about fifty children attended ; and 
 
 for the accommodation of those who were 
 
APPENDIX. 281 
 
 engaged at the public works, the hours of 
 teaching were from eight to ten in the evening. 
 ■ The teachers were warpers, or other ser- 
 vants of the Author, who were allowed two 
 and six-pence a- week. Books and oil were 
 purchased at the wholesale price. Each 
 teacher had an oil- vessel and lamps. 
 
 In the course of two years, about four 
 hundred children and adults were taught to 
 read the bible who did not even know their 
 alphabet when they first attended the school ; 
 and, except those who actually resided in the 
 district, scarcely any one knew of these 
 anxious endeavours to supplant ignorance, 
 and engraft knowledge ; but it sufficeth that 
 it is recorded in *' the annals of the poor." 
 
 The children of these schools continued 
 to make rapid improvement in the acquisi- 
 tion of those truths which, it is hoped, 
 have directed and prospered the undertakings 
 of their more mature years. To the Author the 
 reflection has frequently afforded indescribable 
 satisfaction that he was an humble instru- 
 
282 APPENDIX. 
 
 ment in setting afloat this accessible chan- 
 nel to virtuous knowledge ; a satisfaction 
 that has been not a little heightened in 
 after years by the grateful confessions of 
 many, that their first seeds of useful instruc- 
 tion were sown in the Merchants' Hall at 
 Glasgow, on a Sabbath evening; and to 
 whom the Author may justly apply the words 
 of a much-esteemed English poet: — 
 
 *' Knowledge was proud that they had learn'd so much ; 
 *' Wisdom was humble that they knew no more." 
 
 It was about this period that Mr. Thomas 
 Bewley (who was taken away in the midst of 
 his growing usefulness,) took an active part 
 in getting the Lancastrian system of education 
 introduced in Glasgow ; in furtherance of 
 which, a number of respectable inhabitants 
 were invited to a meeting which was held 
 in the Chapel of Ease Session House. The 
 scheme was opposed by some as unnecessary 
 in Glasgow, where there were already so 
 many schools with able teachers. When 
 the proposal was near being rejected, Baillie 
 
APPENDIX. 283 
 
 John Tennant, the only individual present 
 who knew what was doing at Bridgegate, 
 opened the way for a brief account of what 
 had been achieved in that quarter, and how 
 much was yet required to impart to all 
 the poor children of the city the inestima- 
 ble gift of an useful education. This announce- 
 ment silenced any further opposition, and 
 the proposal was adopted ; though, unfor- 
 tunately, some of the gentlemen who opposed 
 the scheme were elected managers. The 
 expectation that the Lancastrian plan would 
 prove successful, caused the Bridgegate Schools 
 to be given up, which has since often fur- 
 nished a source of real regret. 
 
 The Author will pass over the result of 
 the above appointment by merely stating that 
 the greater part of the money subscribed for 
 two Schools was expended upon one; and 
 in a short period of time the scheme was 
 abandoned and the subscriptions lost. 
 
 The picture which the Bridgegate School 
 exhibited of the deplorable state of ignorance. 
 
284 APPENDIX. 
 
 vice, and wretchedness, that prevailed in many 
 districts in the city of Glasgow, suggested 
 the necessity of some more general and ef- 
 fective means being adopted. To accomplish 
 this, a plan was conceived, but which was 
 never publicly announced, as it was expected 
 the Lancastrian School would have compassed 
 the object. The following are the outlines: — 
 
 1 . To divide the city into twenty-four or 
 thirty departments, and to choose a respectable 
 housekeeper to act as the head of each de- 
 partment. 
 
 2. To divide each department into sections 
 of from twenty to fifty families, and to choose 
 an overseer from the householders of each 
 section. 
 
 3. To have a clerk or inspector for each 
 department, who should make up a complete 
 list of every family, the number of their 
 dwelling, and a list of inmates, distinguishing 
 those who could not read ; also, in a sepa- 
 rate column, a list of the sick and deceased. 
 The clerk of each department to have an 
 
APPENDIX. 285 
 
 account opened for each section, and an ab- 
 stract of this copied into a small book and 
 given to the respective overseers. 
 
 4. When the survey should be completed, 
 a general meeting to take place of the heads 
 of all the departments, and their overseers, 
 for the purpose of devising means for erect- 
 ing Week -Day and Sabbath Schools sufficient 
 to accommodate all that required instruction^ 
 and to appoint suitable teachers. 
 
 5. A library to be established supplied with 
 books and tracts suitable for the children; 
 such books to be circulated through the 
 different departments in rotation. 
 
 6. The clerk, with the assistance of the 
 overseers, to see that every uninstructed 
 child should attend School. 
 
 7. Where the parents did not co-operate 
 with the overseers in causing the children to 
 attend regularly, both children and parents 
 to be deprived of all civil privileges. It might, 
 also, in addition, be proper for the legis- 
 lators to enact a law compelling parents 
 to give their children a suitable education. 
 
286 APPENDIX, 
 
 or if unable to do so, to order them to be 
 sent to a Free School. No interference what- 
 ever to be exercised towards religious opinions ; 
 these to be as free as air. 
 
 8. The clerk to make a monthly survey, 
 noting the removals by death or otherwise, 
 and inserting new in-comers. 
 
 9. Quarterly meetings to be held of the 
 heads of the departments, and their overseers, 
 for the purpose of examining into the state 
 of the Schools, &c. 
 
 10. An annual public meeting to be held, 
 to which the magistrates and ministers of all 
 denominations should be invited; the Ho- 
 nourable the Lord Provost to be chairman : 
 the Reports, to be previously drawn up by a 
 committee of the heads of the departments, 
 to be read at such meetings. 
 
 Such is an outline of what was imperfectly 
 devised when the Author superintended the 
 Week- Day Evening and Sabbath Schools in 
 Bridgegate, from 1797 to 1802. It is sub- 
 mitted now that the city has such an effective 
 police established, the minor and minuter 
 
APPENDIX. 287 
 
 parts of the above plan might be carried into 
 
 effect with little difficulty. 
 
 This scheme, it may be urged by some, 
 
 would occasion additional expense for clerks 
 
 and surveyors; but an abundance of these 
 
 might be got on moderate terms from that 
 
 class of the community who are unfit for hard 
 
 labour ; besides, the prevention of crime that 
 
 might be effected by this mode would be but 
 
 a trifle compared to the immense sums which 
 
 are expended in punishing delinquencies. 
 
 Another advantage, too, would result in a 
 
 complete census of the community being kept 
 
 up monthly. 
 
 To those who may object to the plan as 
 
 being impracticable, the Author will merely 
 
 refer them to a recollection of the efficient 
 
 measure adopted by the police of Paris under 
 
 the dynasty of Bonaparte. This stated — 
 
 and every one who has visited that capital 
 
 must have heard confirmation of its truth — 
 
 that the plan was so effective no person could 
 
 enter Paris or leave it without the knowledge of 
 
 the Police, We may even refer to a much 
 
*i88 APPENDIX. 
 
 more ancient example, and consider what 
 must have been the difficulties with which 
 the rulers of Judah had to contend in re- 
 building the wall of Jerusalem, after the 
 Babylonian captivity; neither the taunts nor 
 threats of their adversaries disheartened them. 
 The rulers and the people united cordially 
 and firmly together, each building his own 
 part ; " With one hand they wrought in the 
 work, and with the other hand held a weapon." 
 Let the magistrates and community of 
 Glasgow adopt a similar plan of co-operation, 
 or devise a better; and by ** a strong pull, 
 a long pull, and a pull altogether," keep 
 in the yoke until ignorance, the fruitful 
 mother of vice, shall be banished from their 
 streets and lanes. Then may the unceasing 
 prayer of the City Arms be indeed verified— 
 
 " LET GLASGOW FLOURISH." 
 1305 10 
 
 Tilling, Printer, Chelsea, 
 
NORTHEAST ' 
 
 LIBRARY BINDING CO. INC. 
 
 FEB 1980