AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS AND RURAL ECONOMY. 59 



The sack carries the butter between the fluted rollers, said rollers, as the butter passes 

 between them, effectually operating upon it, and working it to the state desired. E is a hop- 

 per arranged above the fluted rollers, as represented ; through this hopper the salt is intro- 

 duced between said rollers, which work it into the butter as the sack feeds it between them. 

 The sack F has two openings d d for the insertion and removal of the butter ; the butter 

 cannot escape out of said openings while the working and washing is being performed, as 

 the cloth forming the bag is made to over and underlap at the places where the openings are 

 formed. There is cog-gearing for turning the fluted rollers in opposite directions, and a 

 crank for turning the same. 



This invention has certainly the merit of novelty, and, we understand, gives good satisfaction 

 when used practically. — Editor. 



Dickey's Patent Butter-mould. 



This is a small square form, resting upon a block, the face of which has the impression or 

 pi'int to be transferred to the butter. Into this form it is pressed, after being weighed, by a 

 small square wooden spatula, made for the purpose. The doors of the butter-form are then 

 opened by hinges, leaving the butter on the print block, which is then turned up, leaving a 

 good impression on its face. The square form is also a great improvement as regards conve- 

 nience for packing for market. 



Method of Testing Butter. 



The method of examining butter here described is only for use in the determination of its 

 commercial value. It is calculated to enable a comparison of several samples of butter to 

 be effected at the same time. The following instruments are required : — 



1. For measuring the butter, a cylindrical glass tube, about two and one-half inches long, 

 and two lines (two-tenths of an inch) wide, open at both ends, is employed. It is ground in 

 a conical form at one end, and flat at the other. Into this is passed a cork, attached to an 

 iron wire, which closes the tube almost air-tight, but so that it can be readily pushed through 

 it. When in use, the cork is drawn back to the fiat end of the tube, which is then filled by 

 sticking it into a mass of butter ; care must be taken to prevent the intrusion of air between 

 the portions of butter. A mark is made on the tube, to indicate the quantity of butter to be 

 employed in the examination. 



2. A graduated tube, five and one-half inches long, two and one-half lines wide, closed at one 

 end, and ground off at the other, is divided at the lower portion into ten equal parts, in such 

 a manner that these ten parts may represent exactly the volume of butter contained in the 

 other tube to the mark. In order to find this volume, the butter-measure is to be filled with 

 water, while the stopper is placed exactly at the mark ; the water is then poured into the 

 tube to be graduated ; and after waiting for half a minute, to make sure that all the water 

 has collected, its level may be marked with a file, the height of water being taken to its lowest 

 point in the middle of the tube. The space below this mark is then divided into ten equal 

 parts, and marked with a file. Another file-mark is made three and one-half inches above 

 the graduation. 



To test butter by means of this instrument, the measure is to be filled, as above described, 

 by inserting it to a little above the mark. This is effected with thin pieces of butter, by in- 

 serting the tube perpendicularly into the butter on a plate, until the edge of the tube comes 

 in contact with the plate. The tube is then drawn back, and the stopper pushed down until 

 the butter projects a little beyond the edge of the tube; and this operation is repeated until 

 the tube gradually fills up. The mouth of the tube is then closed with the finger, and the 

 cork pressed upon the butter until it is completely united ; the cork is then pushed exactly 

 to the mark, and the projecting portion of the butter scraped off. In this manner the pre- 

 sence of air is avoided. The butter-measure is then put over the open end of the graduated 

 tube, and the butter pushed out of it by the stopper. The latter is then filled up to the mark 

 with pure anhydrous ether, in which the butter is dissolved by shaking, the open end of the 

 tube being closed by the finger. In about half a minute all the fat dissolves in the ether, 



