596 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



The problem of a perfect butter package yet remains to be solved; 

 that is, a package which is strong, light in weight and air-tight. 

 Packages made of crockery, glass or metal are heavy atid liable 

 to be broken. Tin and iron packages rust easily in the presence of 

 the brine. Wooden packages are seldom air-tight. It appears to 

 be the general impression that wooden packages are in all respects 

 the most available. The materials most commonly used are probably 

 ash, spruce and oak. Wooden packages are subject to the disad- 

 vantage of imparting their flavor to butter when it is kept in them 

 long. Therefore, great pains must be takeii to remove the odor of 

 wooden packages as far as possible before they are used. This may 

 be done by steaming the packages thoroughly and then filling them 

 with hot water, containing some salt. After standing twenty-four 

 hours thev are steamed a second time and then filled with cold water. 



For direct consumption, butter may advantageously be packed 

 in moulds or prints. The popular demand for this style of package 

 has increased greatly within a few years and its popularity appears 

 to become greater all the while. Prints in pound and half-pound 

 sizes are found in every grocery. The standard size for pound prints 

 is 4f by 2^ by 2f inches, and the shape is rectangular. Each print 

 is wrapped separately in parchment paper and special packiog boxes 

 are furnished for carrying them. 



40. Qualities of Butter. 



Certain points have been adopted by common consent to use as 

 a basis or standard in judging of the value of butter. The qualities 

 that have been selected for this purpose are, (1) flavor, (2) texture, 

 (3) color, (4) salt and (5) general appearance. To these may be added 

 (6) moisture and (7) solidity. 



(1.) Flavor. — Butter is said to have a good flavor when it possesses 

 the characteristic taste and odor of good butter in a well-marked 

 degree. It is difficult to describe in words what this flavor is, but 

 it is commonly described as a nutty flavor, clean, aromatic and 

 sweet. It should be entirely free from any rancidity or any other 

 unusual flavor. Personal preference forms a very large factor in 

 judging the value of butter in so far as it depends upon flavor. High 

 flavor, for some persons, means sour milk or buttermilk flavor, while, 

 for others, such a flavor must be absent. The real flavor of high- 

 grade butter can be produced only under most favorable conditions 

 of manufacture. Every operation must be conducted with care, 

 and extreme pains must be observed at all times in respect to clean- 

 liness. The one step in the operation of butter-making that has 

 most influence directly upon the flavor of butter is the ripening of 



