THE DAIRY. 227 



The Grain of Butter. The description of the &quot;grain&quot; of butter is given by Wil- 

 lard, as follows: 



&quot; What is meant by the term grain as applied to butter, is a waxy appearance, and the 

 more it resembles wax in its appearance the better the grain. When properly churned, both 

 as to time and temperature, the butter becomes firm with very little working, and is tenacious. 

 It then may be easily molded into any shape, and may be drawn out a considerable length 

 before breaking. It has a smooth and unctious feeling on rubbing a little between the finger 

 and thumb. When the grain is injured the butter spreads like grease, and the more it 

 resembles grease the more is the grain injured. Good butter that has not been injured in 

 the grain will not stick to the knife that cuts it. Butter that has no grain is brittle, and 

 when broken presents a jagged surface and will not spread with that smooth, waxy appear 

 ance belonging to good butter. It is only when butter has this waxy consistency that it pre 

 serves that rich, nutty flavor and smell which impart so high a degree of pleasure in eating 

 it. So it will be seen that there is very good reason for consumers rejecting butter that has 

 been overworked into grease, even though it may have all the essentials of the best quality 

 when taken from the churn. 



A great deal of good butter is spoiled in the working. There are vast quantities of 

 butter to be found in the markets, of good color, properly salted, the buttermilk expelled, 

 and yet it has a mussy look and lardy taste. Consumers are often at a loss to account for it. 

 The butter is not rancid nor has it any disagreeable odor, but it is poor nevertheless. This 

 butter may have been made from the nicest cream, with the utmost attention to cleanliness 

 in every branch of its manufacture, from the drawing of the milk to its packing in the firkin. 

 The maker perhaps has expended all her knowledge and every resource within reach to get a 

 prime article, hoping for a name in the market, and an advanced price for a really &quot; tip-top &quot; 

 article. And when the expert affirms that the butter is inferior, and must be classed as second or 

 third rate, it is very disheartening, and some give up in despair of ever learning the &quot;knack &quot; of 

 manufacturing a strictly nice grade of goods. They cannot imagine why butter, upon which 

 so much care and attention has been bestowed, should be condemned as having a greasy look 

 and taste. If .inquiry be made concerning the fault in manufacture, the dealer, if he be an 

 expert, will be very likely to say, &quot;My dear sir, or madam, your butter has no grain.&quot; 



Coloring Butter. A rich golden color renders butter more marketable, as well as 

 attractive for table use. As a general rule, good grass butter needs no coloring; but it is 

 generally found necessary in winter to color butter, unless cows are fed largely on carrots, 

 pumpkins, yellow corn meal, etc. Annatto is the substance most generally employed for this 

 purpose. The pure article should be used, and when so, it adds nothing to the flavor of the 

 butter, is free from sediment, and is quite harmless. It may be obtained in liquid form, pre 

 pared especially for dairy use. The quantity to be used must be determined by experiment, 

 according to the season, conditions, etc. It should be put into the cream before churning, by 

 which means it becomes uniformly mixed, giving the entire mass the same shade of color. 



When the dry annatto is used, it should first be dissolved in warm milk or water, and 

 strained through a cloth, to prevent the mixture of sediment. Deep yellow carrots are fre 

 quently used for coloring butter. The carrots for this purpose should be thoroughly 

 cleansed, and the outside portion (which is of the deepest yellow color) grated and soaked in 

 boiling milk for ten or fifteen minutes, and afterwards strained through a fine cloth and 

 added to the cream. Carrots are thought by many to impart a sweetness of flavor to butter, 

 resembling that obtained when cows feed upon grass, besides giving it a natural color. 



Packing Butter. When butter is to be kept for a considerable length of time, or 



transferred to a distance, it will be necessary to pack it in jars, firkins, or boxes. Stone jars 



are the best for this purpose, when the butter is to be used at home; but would be liable to 



become broken by transportation. When boxes and tubs are employed for packing, such 



VOL. 1114. 



