STATE DAIRY ASSOCIATION. 623 



defects resulting from impure milk, quality and kind of feed, stage of 

 lactation, etc., can be covered up, or, in other words, neutralized, oy 

 the system practiced in ripening and the degree of acid developed. 



Let us then draw a brief comparison between old and new methods. 

 The prime factor is thought. Thought must precede action in any pursuit, 

 if success would be attained. Thought, then, may be justly considered the 

 first distinguishing feature between past and present methods of cream 

 ripening. The old-time butternuiker did not think towards expressions; 

 the modern buttermaker does. The one performed his work without 

 regard to conflicting conditions; the other regulates every detail in accord- 

 ance with scientitic trutli. The old-time buttermaker knew nothing of 

 bacterial life, or its influence upon milk or cream; his cream was gathered 

 from milk infected with various germs, and set at various temperatures. 

 It Avas held until a prescribed quantity had been collected before it was 

 cliurncd. without regard to the stage of development reached. The mod- 

 ern buttermaker does not do this. Me has learned the secret of germ 

 infection, and the results attending it. This knowledge has broadened his 

 conceptions and brought to light other facts. It has taught him the im- 

 portance of keeping cream pure and free from contamination; but it 

 seems as though some of our creamery managers have not learned that 

 important fact yet, for they go around in the factory smoking a cigar 

 as though it were some old smoking-room and not a creamery; and they 

 will come in the factory and tell you where to put this cream and that 

 cream. l)ecause it is sweet or sour. It is not a ditlicult matter to deter- 

 mine whether cream is sweet or sour. Anjijody with the sense of taste 

 unimpaired can detect sour cream, but there are other and far more 

 objectionable conditions that are not so easily detected, and for that 

 reason I say the buttermaker should have the privilege of putting the 

 cream where it belongs. 



The influence of temperature on germ development is also under- 

 stood by him and so regulated as to bring satisfactory results.. The 

 finer points of grain, flavor, etc., were quite unknown to the buttermaker 

 of the past. His modern successor, however, realizes that these are prime 

 (lualities, consequently his aim is to regulate conditions so a« to insure 

 tiicir pi-esence in the butter he produces. To do this he must possess a 

 knowledge of the many details leading up to the desired result, and just 

 how to rgulate and apply them. The buttermaker of long ago was an un- 

 skilled laborer. He brought into exercise no higher talent in handling 

 milk or cream and transforming the same into butter than he did in 

 digging a post hole. What are today recognized as the more important 

 factors entering into the production of high grade butter were wholly un- 

 known to him; and the results of his achievements usually correspond 

 with his want of knowledge. All this has changed, however. The 

 Ijuttermaker of today must be a skilled artisan, able to bring an expert 

 judgment to bear upon every detail of his work. He must not only know 



