122 THE CHURN. 



to their possessors an important measure of 

 their food. That of cows is chiefly used in the 

 United States, as being more palatable, and 

 better adapted for those changes into solid 

 forms, which we require in butter and in cheese. 

 It is the process of transformation into those 

 substances of which I am now to speak. 



The oily and thicker parts of milk naturally 

 separate, on being left undisturbed for some 

 time. The cream, as we then call it, forms a 

 yellow coat at the top, which is easily skimmed 

 off and placed in separate vessels ; but this, 

 without further operations, would never become 

 either butter or cheese. To make butter, a 

 violent mechanical agitation is necessary; to 

 accomplish which, various simple machines, 

 called churns, have been invented. I believe 

 the oldest sort used both in England and the 

 United States, is the common upright churn, 



