350 [Senate 



tin pailsj and placed in a cool cellar. In warm weather we churn' 

 all the cream we have on hand every morning. We use the dog 

 churn. 



When the butter is thoroughly formed, it is taken out and worked 

 with a ladle, (or by hand if you please,) in order to get out all the 

 milk we can before salting. It is then salted with the fine salt which 

 comes in half bis., and put in a cool place till next morning, when 

 the operation of working is performed; and this is done with a sim- 

 ple machine, of which I will give a brief description. It is an in- 

 clined plane 2h feet wide at one end, 3 inches wide at the other, and 

 3i feet long, standing on 3 legs. On each edge of the sides of this 

 plane and at the lower end, are fastened narrow pieces of boards 

 which come up 4 inches above the surface of the plane. Then there 

 is a lever 2| inches square, 4h feet long, made small and round at 

 one end, which passes through the board at the narrow end of the 

 plane, and by taking hold of the other end and moving it back and 

 forth, it fits exactly to the plane and also to each side. 



With this machine my butter is worked, and if it is not sufficiently 

 cool to work out all the milk and brine at this time, the operation is 

 repeated again next morning, and sometimes again the third day, be- 

 ing careful not to work it too much at either working, lest it become 



oily. 



And here I would hazard an opinion, contrary to what many dairy 

 people entertain. I think it as detrimental to the flavor of butter to 

 wash it, as it is to beef to wash that before salting. 



When the butter is ready for packing, we put it into firkins, previ- 

 ously filled and saturated with strong brine, (^the same brine will an- 

 swer for a number of firkins.) As soon as filled, the butter is sprink- 

 led with fine salt, and the firkin well headed, so as to exclude all 

 the air. 



We use no seasoning for our butter except salt, and of the quan- 

 tity of that, the taste is the test. A great deal of care and close at- 

 tion is requisite in keeping every thing in the room sweet and pure, 

 the pans, the shelves, (my shelves are painted, so are the floor and 

 ceiling,) the churn and reservoirs for holding the cream. No milk 

 should be suffered to stand till the cream becomes slippery or mouldy. 

 A little leaven leaventh the whole lump, and a little buttermilk or a 

 little sour curdled milk sours all the rest. My butter-worker is well 

 scalded, and then rinsed with water from the well both before and 

 after using. 



My number of cows is 17. They were kept to bay in winter and 

 also were fed a little meal during the latter part. Between hay and 

 grass, fed potatoes. In summer, range in upland pasture; have free 

 access to salt both summer and winter. 



Have made 3,060 lbs. of butter, or an average of 180 lbs. to the 

 cow, besides raising six calves and supplying our family, consisting 

 of six persons, with milk and butter. 



The above account of the product of my dairy, is mentioned, not 

 in the spirit of boasting, but because it was urgently requested. 



Melas Adams. 



Martinsburgh, Dec. 24, 1842, 



