STATE DAIRY ASSOCIATIOJST. 585 



contain a very high per cent, of water, some samples testing as high as 

 18 or 19 per cent. We do know that when a lot of cream is churned at a 

 time that the overrun will be much greater than when a small quantity 

 Is churned. This is possibly due to the fact that when a small 

 quantity of cream is used the fat globules are thrown together more com- 

 pactly and do not hold the same amount of water as when a large quan- 

 tity is churned. There are several other conditions that influence the yield 

 which the sliilled malier understands, and some conditions which I would 

 not care to explain here. 



The washing of butter is a far more important factor in buttermaliing 

 than is generally supposed. The keeping qualities as well as the flavor can 

 be seriously affected by undesirable bacteria being transmitted through 

 the wash water. C. Larson, one of my assistants, has been carrying on 

 experiments during the past year along this line, and he has had some 

 startling results from butter washed with seemingly pure water as com- 

 pared with butter washed with water that had been pasteurized and 

 cooled. I believe the time is not far distant when all wash water will be 

 pasteurized or sterilized. Take the question of color or mottles, thousands 

 of dollars are lost annually by l)ntter being mottled. This defect is caused 

 by an uneven distribution of salt, as many of you know. Take three lots 

 of butter from the same churning, even where no artificial coloring has 

 been added, salt one lot at the rate of a half ounce per pound, the second 

 lot at an ounce, and tlie third lot at one and one-half ounces, and the color 

 will be so strikingly high in the last lot that it could not be mixed with 

 the other lots without showing streaks. This is no doubt due to the fact 

 that salt has an affinity for water. The tendency is then to run together 

 and form a solution. When salt is used, the water collects in large beads, 

 thus giving the butter a darker shade of color. Whenever you find light 

 streaks in butter you will invariably find no salt, therefore the first con- 

 sideration in salting butter is to get good salt that will dissolve readily. 

 The butter should not be drained very dry. It is better to use a little more 

 salt if it is inclined to wash off some. Salt should always be put on the 

 butter in the churn and churn revolved a few times to thoroughly incor- 

 porate salt and butter before putting rollers in gear, thus retaining as 

 much moisture in the butter as possible. Allow butter to stand from 

 fifteen to twenty minutes before working in this condition, and then work 

 until butter has become waxy in appearance and salt ceases to be gritty. 

 If these precautions are observed, there will be no danger of mottles. In 

 the preparation of the package, tubs should be thoroughly steamed, then 

 soaked for a few hours in a weak brine solution, when they are ready for 

 a coat of paraffine. Parchment paper should be used of the best grade, 

 after it has been soaked for ten or fifteen minutes in boiling water. It 

 should then be emersed in cold water and left until used. If paraffine is 

 not used, the tubs sliould be soaked for a longer period. Parchment paper 

 should be allowed to project about an inch over the top of the butter and 



