Book VII. BUTTER. 985 



butter is undoubtedly obtained, the quality and flavor of which will depend a good deal on the peculiar 

 properties of the milk. The milk of Galloways, Ayrshires and Alderneys, so treated, makes excellent 

 butter. 



6322. In the jnocess of churning great nicety is required ; a regular stroke in plunge 

 or pump churns, and a regular motion in those of the barrel or turning kind, must, if 

 possible, never be deviated from. A few hasty irregular strokes or turns has been 

 known to spoil what would otherwise have been excellent butter. Twamley [Essays on 

 the Dairy) recommends the selection of a churner of a cool phlegmatic temper, of a 

 sedate disposition and character ; and advises never to allow any individuals, especially 

 the young, to touch the churn without the greatest caution and circumspection. To those 

 who have been accustomed to see cream churned without being properly prepared, churn- 

 ing may, perhaps, appear to be severe labor for one person in a large dairy : but nothing 

 is more easy than the process of making butter, where the cream has been duly prepared. 



6323. The best time for making butter, during summer, is early in the morning, before the sun acquires 

 much power : awd if a pump churn be used, it may be plunged a foot deep into a tub of cold water, where 

 it should remain during the whole time of churning ; which will very much harden the butter. During 

 winter, from the equality of temperature, which (if it be properly managed) will generally prevail in a 

 dairy, it will very rarely, if ever, be necessary to churn near the fire. Should any circumstance, how- 

 ever, require this, care should be taken not to churn so near the fire as to heat the wood ; as it would 

 impart a strong rancid taste to the butter. As soon as the butter is made, it must be separated from the 

 milk, and be put into a clean dish ; the inside of which, if of wood, should jireviously be well rubbed 

 with common salt, to prevent the butter from adhering to it. The butter should then be pressed and 

 worked with a flat wooden ladle or skimming-dish, having a short handle, so as to press out all the milk 

 that may be lodged in the cavities of the mass. A considerable degree of dexterity, as well as of strength, 

 is requisite in this manipulation : for, if the milk be not entirely removed, the butter will infallibly spoil 

 in a short time; and, if it be much worked, the butter will become tough and gluey, which greatly 

 debases its quality In some places it is the practice to beat up the butter with two flat pieces of board", 

 which may, perhaps, answer very well. In this operation, some persons pour cold water upon the butter, 

 for the purpose of washing it : this practice, however, is not only useless, for the butter can be perfectly 

 cleared of the milk without it ; but it is also pernicious, and debases the quality of the butter in an 

 astonishing degree Nothing is so detrimental in a dairy, as water improi)erly used ; which, if mixed in 

 any way, either with milk or butter, tends greatly to debase the quality of the latter. 



6324. IVie making tip of butter is the next process. Before being sent to table or 

 market, sweet or fresh butter is made up into various forms, sometimes in rolls or 

 cylinders, six or eight inches long, and from half an inch to two inches in diameter, at 

 other times in small round figures, or casts, with impressions in relief from butter 

 moulds. When the butter is too soft for the last purpose, it may be put into small 

 wooden vessels, which may be allowed to swim in a tub or cistern of cold water ; or 

 they may be set in an ice-house for an hour or two, or the water in which the small 

 vessels float may be iced. At all events, whatever mode is adopted, no water ought to 

 be allowed to touch the butter. When formed into the desired shapes it may be placed 

 in dishes, and set in the margin of the central cistern of water till wanted. 



6325. In saltiyig or curing butter the use of wooden vessels is preferable. These 

 should previously be rendered as clean and sweet as possible, well rubbed with salt, 

 and the cavity between the bottom and sides filled in with melted butter. An excellent 

 composition for preserving butter may be made, by reducing into a fine powder, and 

 carefully mixing together, sugar and nitre, of each one part, and two parts of the best 

 common salt. Of thfs composition, one ounce should be thoroughly mixed with every 

 sixteen ounces of butter, as soon as the latter has been freed from the milk ; and the 

 butter must be immediately put into the firkin, being pressed so close, as to leave no 

 air-holes, or any kind of cavities within it. The surface must be smoothed ; and, if a 

 day or two be expected to elapse before more can be added, the vessel must be closely 

 covered up with a piece of clean linen, upon which should be laid a piece of wetted 

 parchment, or (if this be not procurable) with a piece of fine linen dipped in melted 

 butter, that is exactly fitted to the edges of the vessel, all round, so as to exclude the air 

 as much as possible. When more butter is to be added, these coverings are to be re- 

 moved ; the butter is to be applied close upon the former layer, pressing it down, and 

 smoothing it as before, till the vessel be full. The two covers are then to be spread 

 over it with the greatest care ; and a little melted butter is to be poured all round the 

 edges, so as to fill up every part, and effectually to exclude the air. A little salt may 

 then be strewed over the whole, and the cover be firmly fixed down. Butter thus cured 

 does not taste well till it has stood at least a fortnight after it has been salted ; but after 

 that period, it acquires a rich marrowy taste, and will continue perfectly sweet in this 

 climate for many years. As, however, its quality is liable to be impaired by being im- 

 properly treated while it is using, it will be necessary, when the firkin is opened, first to 

 pare oft" a small portion of the whole surface, especially near the edges, in case the air 

 should, by any accident, not have been entirely excluded. If it is to be quickly con- 

 sumed, it may be taken up as it is wanted, without any other precaution than that of 

 keeping it carefully covered up ; but, on the contrary, if it is to be used very slowly, and 

 if the person employed to take it up, be not very careful in closing it up each time with 

 the covers, the part M'hich is thus exposed to the air, will be liable to contract a small 

 degree of rancidity. To prevent the occurrence of this inconvenience, when the vessel 



