Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 2, 1802).djvu/138

118&#93; n8] DAI during the' summer ; and all the utensils, here employed, be kept ■with unremitting attention to clean- liness. Nor should the churns be at anytime scalded in the dairy;- as the steam arising from hot water, tends greatly to injure the milk. For similar reasons, neither the cheese and rennet, nor the cheese- press, mustbe suffered to taint the atmosphere ; as the whey and curd will diffuse their acidity over die wijole building; Ali the utensils of the dairy should be made of wood, in pre- ference either to lead, copper, or cast-iron • for these metals are easily soluble in acids; the solu- tions of the two first are in a high degree poisonous : and, though the lafter is in itself harmless, the taste renders the productions of the dairy very disagreeable. The cream-* dishes, when perfectly clean and cool, ought to be rilled with the 'milk, as soon as it is drawn from the cow, and has been carefully strained through a cloth, or cloth- sieve made of hair or silver-wire ; the latter of which, as Dr. Ax- DF.KiON justly remarks, is more wholesome than those of other me- tals. These dishes should never exceed three inches in depth, but may be so wide as to contain a gal- lon, or a gallon and a half of milk: — v. hen filled, they ought to be placed on shelves, to remain there till the cream be completely sepa- rated. Now it is to be taken off with nicety, by a skimming-dish (without lifting or removing the milk, or she dding any of it on the floor, which would soon corrupt air ot the room), and then de- posit cl iii a separate vessel, till a proper quantity be collected for churning. A firm, neat wooden barrel; which is open at one end, DAI and has a lid closely fitted to it, ap* pears to be well calculated for this purpose j a cock or spigot, ought also to be fixed near the bottom, to draw off the thin, or serous part, that may drain from the cream ; and the inner side of the opening should be covered with a piece ot fine silver wire-gauze, in order to prevent the latter from escaping, while the former is allowed to pass. But, if notwithstanding the fatal consequences arising from the use of metallic utensils, or of eardien vessels glazed with lead, farmers still persist in employing them, it ought to be a constant and indis- pensable rule, to scaid and scour them properly with salt and water, every day, and to dry them tho- roughly, before the milk is depo- sited in them. Lastly, it is sin- cerely to be wished, that all the utensils employed in the dairy, of whatever materials they may con- sist, should be cleaned with simi- lar care, previously to their being used; and, as long as the least acid smell is perceptible, they ought to undergo repeated semir- ings, tiil they are completely sweetened. — See Ii ilk-House. DAISY, the Common, or £ pcreiuus, L.a perennial, indigenous plant, which abounds in meadows and pastures,' and is in flower from March to September. Theieavesof the daisy, though slightly acrid, may be eaten as early spring- sal ad, or boiled like 'spinach ; its roots have a pungent taste, and are in high repute abroad as an excellent vulnerary, attenu- ant, cooling and astringent medi- cine : yc t no attention is paid to it iii this countiy, except what it claims from the, beauty of its flowers; on account of which it has been introduced into gardens. It