DAIRY, the name usually given to the place where the milk of cows is kept, and converted into butter or cheese. The occupation is sometimes called dairying ; and the land hich is chiefly appropriated to feed coos for this purpose, is called a dairyfirm.
" A observes a writer in the Penny Cyelo ptedia, "should be situated on a dry spot somewhat elevated, on the side of a gentle declivity. and on a porous soil. It should be on the west or north-west side of a hill, if possible, or at least sheltered from the north. eat, and south, by high trees. In some countries, where there are natural caverns ith an opening to the %, est, and springs of water at hand, the best and coolest dairies are thus prepared by nature. Artificial excavations in the sides of freestone rocks are sometimes formed for the purpose of keeping milk, and more frequently wine. Where no such natural advantages exist, the requisite coolness in summer, and equal temperature in winter, which gre essential in a good dairy, may be obtained by sinking the floor of the dairy some feet under ground, and forming an arched roof of stone or brick. In cold climates flues around the dairy are a great advantage in winter ; and an ice-house in warm summers is equally useful. But these are only adapted to those dairies a hich are kept more as a luxury Ulan as an object of profit. In mountainous countries, such as SW itzerland, where the summers are hot in the valleys, and the tops of the mountains or high valleys between them are covered with fine pastures, the whole establishment of the dairy is removed to a higher and cooler atmosphere, where the best butter and cheese are made. Coolness is also produced by the evaporation of water, an almndant supply of which is essential to every dairy. It is also a great advan tage, if a pure stream can be made to pass through the dairy, with a current of air to carry off the effluvia, and keep the air continually renewed." The dairy, in farm building, should be so situated, with respect to other offices, as to be convenient, and to prevent unnecessary labour.
A milk dairy requires at least two good rooms, one for the reception of the milk, and another for the purpose of serving it out, and for scalding, cleaning, and airing the different utensils.
The entrance to the dairy should communicate with the sealding-room, which should have a copper, for heating water and other purposes, placed in a shed adjoining, in order that the heat may be kept at as great a distance as possible from the milk. In the bottom of the copper is fixed a cock, for conveying the hot water through a trough or pipe, across the scalding-room, in which another cock should be fixed, for the convenience of washing smaller utensils ; the heated water passes through the wall into the milk-leads for the purpose of scalding the whole range of pans, trays, or coolers, and may be retained at pleasure. The trough fin- the passage of the water through the walls of the dairy, should be of sufficient dimensions to admit the discharging a pailful of milk into it with safety, having a hair-sieve so placed in it, that the whole of the milk of the cows may be made to pass through it into the necessary trays or coolers, in which it is to stand in order to keep it clean. A trough, pipe, or some other contrivance, should be introduced, for the purpose of conveying the waste milk, whey. &c,, from the dairy-house to the cisterns containing the wash for the pigs.
The temperature may be regulated either by double walls and roofs, or by means of hollow walls ; and for common purposes, by having 8 or 10 inches in width from the wall to the lath and plaster, as is suggested by Mr. Loudon, in his Treatise on Country Residences.
The size of milk-houses should he regulated by the number of cows. The usual dimensions in the Gloucester dairy houses, for 40 cows, are 20 feet by 16, and for 100 cows, 30 feet by 40. To accomplish the objects of convenience, the situation of the dairy should be near the cow-standings, so that the milk may be readily conveyed to them. See Dr. Young's Calendar of Husbandry, and Mr. London's Treitise on Country Residences.