BUTTER AND CHEESE-MAKING. 



395 



tub or pail, unless covered with a cloth so the butter cannot 

 come in contact with it. If this caution is not observed 

 when sold, four or five pounds of butter is thus rendered 

 comparatively worthless. Never pack a poor " churning " 

 with the good butter, thinking it will not be found out. The 

 sale of many a good firkin of butter is spoiled by a few 

 pounds of poor butter becoming rancid in the centre or bot- 

 tom, which taints the whole package. If there is any but- 

 ter that is even suspicious put it by itself. 



Select neat pails, tubs, or firkins made of white oak, and 

 cleanse them by placing in each about a pound of the 

 common bicarbonate of soda, and then filling with boiling 

 water, letting the water remain for twenty-four hours. Great 

 care should be used in cleansing pails that are to be re-filled,* 

 as they are usually bedaubed to a greater or less extent with 

 rancid butter. A neglect of this precaution will often cause 

 great loss. Butter until the first of June should be packed 

 in pails or tubs and shipped as soon as made. This butter 

 will keep sweet only a short time. As soon as the 

 weather becomes too warm to ship without risk, pack in 

 firkins, being careful to exclude the air as far as possible 

 while packing. When the firkin is filled to within an inch 

 of the top, dissolve two tablespoonfuls of white coffee 

 sugar, and a piece of saltpetre about the size of a common 

 bean, in sufficient strong brine to cover the butter and 



* Pails or tubs after being once used, if properly cleansed, are preferable 

 to new ones. 



