COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF BUTTER 543 



tions and is in the best position to know how to go about under 

 his particular conditions. 



Attempts to reduce moisture control to a fixed method, by 

 reducing the moisture content of butter by means of preliminary 

 draining and working to a figure below the percentage desired, 

 then testing for per cent moisture and adding the mathematically 

 calculated correct amount of water to increase the moisture con- 

 tent to the desired per centage in the finished butter, have not 

 proven entirely successful. 



In the absence of the availability of a more specifically exact 

 method, the following procedure is recommended : 



1. Have the churning temperature of the cream sufficiently 

 low to complete the churning process in 40 to 60 minutes and to 

 produce butter of a good firm body. Do not overload the churn 

 and run the churn at about 30 revolutions per minute. 



2. Hold the cream at the churning temperature not less 

 than two hours. 



3. Wash with water at a temperature the same, or nearly 

 the same, as the temperature of the buttermilk, drain well and 

 give the churn a revolution or two to bring the butter up on 

 the shelves. 



4. If the butter happens to be unexpectedly soft, use wash 

 water several degrees colder than the buttermilk. This condi- 

 tion, however, tends toward a leaky body. 



5. If the butter happens to be excessively firm, use wash 

 water a few degrees warmer than the temperature of the but- 

 termilk. 



6. Trench the butter, distribute the salt uniformly over 

 the entire trench, wet the salt with a small amount of water 

 and close the trench. In the case of a tendency toward excessive 

 moisture, omit wetting of the salt. 



7. Give the butter from 12 to 20 revolutions in a four-roll 

 churn, or 25 to 35 revolutions in a two-roll or one-roll churn, 

 according to needs, and test for moisture. 



8. If previous experience has shown that there is a tendency 

 for butter to take up excessive moisture, stop the workers after 

 every few revolutions of the churn and allow the butter to drain, 

 with churn doors down and ajar and the churn swinging freely. 



