2o6 



AGRICULTURE OF MAINE). 



There are fifteen points allowed the color of the butter, and 

 this is something that must be taken into consideration. The 

 normal color of butter is a straw color. The various markets 

 allow a different gradation of colors. Sometimes we get a cream 

 which naturally is rather darker than the straw color and the 

 butter ought not to be scored off in natural coloring; but if but- 

 ter is very, very light, this should be taken into account. It 

 is the dairyman's business to endeavor to have his butter uni- 

 form in color throughout the year. Those are the things which 

 help to keep up your market. The butter should be of the same 

 color all the way through. It should not be yellow in some 

 places and white in others, or mottled, as we commonly term it. 

 Sometimes this occurs when the butter makers have been care- 

 less in washing the butter and particles of the buttermilk have 

 been left in it and when the salt was added the casein portion 

 was precipitated, with the result that we get a mottled or 

 streaked butter. Sometimes it is the result of the cream not 

 being carefully strained after it has been ripened. There are 

 several reasons why we get this mottled butter. If you find but- 

 ter of that kind you must score it off, it is not perfect. 



Now in regard to the salt. Salt is put into butter to give it 

 flavor, not as a good many people think, because of its antisep- 

 tic properties. The amount of salt that you will add to the 

 butter will not help very materially in keeping it. If you put 

 in enough salt to do that, it will be salter than the average mar- 

 ket demands. So if you get a good medium butter, so far as the 

 salt is concerned, so that the crystals do not stand on the out- 

 side and when you take the butter into your mouth you get no 

 granular results, you might say it is all right. The salt usually 

 imparts to the butter a desirable flavor, but if it has been care- 

 lessly stored and has become musty it will give the butter one of 

 those undesirable taints which has to be scored off in scoring 

 the butter for flavor. 



Under general appearance, of course you must take into con- 

 sideration the way the butter appeals to you, the way it looks; 

 whether it is in a nice condition to put on the market, or whether 

 it has crystals of salt or water on the outside, is poorly printed 

 or is unattractive in various other ways. 



In the judging of milk and cream you will see that 15 points 

 are allowed for acidity and ten points for bacteria. Of course 



