PROPER TEMPERATURE FOR CHURNING. 167 



have been any very decisive experiments upon this 

 point. 



The excellence of butter is greatly influenced by the 

 temperature of the milk or cream, at the time of 

 churning; if this be either too hot or too cold, it is 

 difficult to get butter at all, and when got, it is usually 

 of poor quality. A large number of experiments have 

 been made with regard to this point, and the result 

 arrived at is, that cream should be churned at a 

 temperature, when the churning commences, of from 

 50 to 55 deg. of Fahrenheit's thermometer. If whole 

 milk is used, the temperature should be about 65 deg. 

 F. at commencing. In summer, then, cream would 

 need cooling, and sometimes in winter a little warmth. 

 It is surprising how the quality of the butter is im 

 proved by attention to these points. I have seen 

 churns made double, so that warm water, or some 

 cooling mixture, according as the season was winter 

 or summer, might be put into the outer part. It will 

 be seen, that in whatever way the temperature is regu 

 lated, a thermometer is a most important accompani 

 ment to the dairy. 



The time occupied in churning, is also a matter of 

 much consequence. Several churns have been ex 

 hibited lately, which will make butter in from 3 to 10 

 minutes, and these are spoken of as important im 

 provements. The most carefully conducted trials on 

 this point, have shown that as the time of churning 

 was shortened, the butter grew poorer in quality; and 

 this is consistent with reason. Such violent agitation 

 as is effected in these churns, separates the butter, it 

 is true, but the globules are not thoroughly deprived 

 of the casein which covers them in the milk; there is 

 consequently much cheesy matter mingled with the 

 butter, which is ordinarily soft, and pale, and does not 

 keep well. Until the advocates of very short time in 

 churning, can show that the butter made by their 



