BUTTER. 103 



alone, or by churning the milk and cream together. Taking 

 it for granted that the milk-dishes are kept religiously clean, 

 and scalded as soon as the milk is removed with boiling water, 

 that the milk is taken from a healthy, well-fed cow, and is 

 not impregnated with garlic or turnip flavor, we proceed at 

 once to the operation of making butter. 



Cream makes the richest butter, though of course the 

 larger quantity is obtained when the milk is also used. Milk 

 may be skimmed after standing undisturbed in the milk-room 

 twenty-four, and in cool weather thirty hours. Put it in a 

 stone vessel until a sufficient quantity of cream is collected 

 to churn. Milk-pans should be of tin, the enamel of earthen- 

 ware often containing poisonous matters, whose properties are 

 disengaged by the acid of milk. 



Many experiments have been instituted, particularly in 

 England and Scotland, by both practical and learned socie- 

 ties and individuals, to demonstrate the desirable temperature 

 of cream to bring butter of the best quality and greatest 

 quantity. Accepting the results of these experiments, we 

 find that butter produced from cream at a low temperature 

 is superior both in quality and quantity ; that, put into the 

 churn at 52, it may be raised to 60 before the operation is 

 finished, but on no account can, with impunity, exceed 65 ; 

 and that 60 is the desirable mean, while if it be under 50 

 the labor will be increased without any proportional benefit 

 being reaped. 



When the butter has gathered, put it into cold water, and 

 beat it with the hand or a wooden butter-spaddle until the 

 buttermilk is entirely out, and the water freshly poured over 

 comes off colorless. When the buttermilk is thus worked 

 out, take half the salt you intend to use for your butter, and 

 work it in with your hand, keeping your hand cool by dip- 

 ping it in*ice-water or very cold water. Salt should be thor- 

 oughly incorporated as soon as the butter is relieved of but- 



