THE JERSEY, ALDERNEY AND GUERNSEY COW. 1 29 



milk, or of keeping it in a moist atmosphere and in a 

 light room. Moisture prevents the cream from drying 

 on the surface and making flacky butter, while light is 

 essential to develop the color so much desired. 



The temperature, it is asserted, may be allowed to go 

 lower for butter than for cheese. We would not allow 

 It to go below 55° for butter, and believe it would be 

 better to keep it at 60°. The best temperature for 

 churning is admitted to be between 60° and 65° — the 

 latter for cold and the former for hot weather, making 

 a mean temperature of 62° to 63° as the proper point. 

 Possibly different dairies may require a slightly differ- 

 ent temperature. The cream should be allowed to 

 become slightly sour if a good keeping article is re- 

 quired, but care should be taken that the cream does 

 not get too old and seriously Injure the flavor. Sweet 

 cream makes the best-flavored butter, but the yield is 

 smaller and it does not keep as well. 



The best method of churning has not yet been de- 

 termined. Many patent churns have been presented 

 to the public, but none of them have been any real Im- 

 provement on the old-fashioned dash-churn. There is 

 some dispute as to what causes the separation of the 

 butter from the milk. Some say it is the concussion ; 

 some that It is the incorporation of the air with the 

 cream. Certain It is that agitation is necessary. Forc- 

 inor air through the cream while ao^Itatino- It makes the 

 butter separate quicker, but It Injures the quality. 

 What is wanted Is some method that will agitate every 



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