320 WASHING THE BUTTER 



receive the wash water, has been found serviceable and con- 

 venient for this purpose. 



The same arrangement is useful also for transferring the 

 hot water to the empty churn, for washing and rinsing at the 

 close of the day's work and for rinsing the churn with cold 

 water preparatory to filling it with cream. 



Purity of Wash Water. It is obvious that the water used 

 for washing the butter should be pure. It should be free from 

 excessive organic and mineral matter, from undesirable bacteria, 

 yeast and mold and from grit or sand. Water from shallow 

 wells, ponds, creeks, lakes and similar sources is unsafe on ac- 

 count of the danger of contamination with organic and biolog- 

 ical impurities which may prove detrimental to the quality of 

 butter. Such water should be pasteurized or filtered, or both, 

 in order to render it harmless. In rare cases spring and deep 

 well water may contain an excess of mineral constituents, 

 such as compounds of iron, sulphur, etc., which, if used for 

 washing the butter may greatly impair its flavor; such water is 

 unsuitable for use in the creamery. Frequently the water con- 

 tains sand and grit which, when used for washing butter, is 

 incorporated in it and offends the good humor of the consumer. 

 Sand may get into the water where a new well is used, or 

 where the water supply line is being repaired, or in the case of 

 leaky underground conduits during heavy rains, or from roily 

 river water during times of freshets. In most of these cases 

 the presence of sand is temporary only and, while it lasts, it 

 may be kept away from the butter by either permitting it to 

 settle out in a storage tank, or by attaching a fine mesh strainer, 

 or tying several thicknesses of cheesecloth over the end of the 

 pipe, that discharges into the churn, or by filtration. 



Wherever the purity of the wash water is uncertain, it is 

 advisable to permanently install some form of water purifier. 

 For the removal of organic matter and grit, water filters should 

 be used. When used properly, a cotton filter may serve the 

 purpose well. Filters of the type of the "International Filter," 

 in which the water is forced under pressure through a thick 

 layer of Cotton batten, with a heavy sheet of muslin at top and 

 bottom, have been found very useful. The renewal of these 



