550 HANDY-BOOK OF HUSBANDRY. 



*' ingredients, especially the chlorides of calcium and magnesium. 

 " This rank, we believe, it has assumed in the estimation of all 

 " who have given it a fair trial. The brand ' Onondaga Factory 

 " Filled Dairy Salt ' corresponds closely with Dr Muller's de- 

 " scription of the best salt for removing buttermilk. It is seen 

 " by the microscope to consist very largely of their shallow, 

 *' hopper-shaped crystals, or thin lamina, probably resulting from 

 " the fracture of such crystals. In dimensions the crystals are 

 " perhaps a trifle finer than Dr. Miiller recommends. By sifting 

 *■'■ on meshes of one-thirtieth of an inch, the coarser parts would 

 " leave nothing to be desired in working butter, and the finer 

 *' portion would be perfectly adapted for its putting down." 



It cannot be too strongly impressed on the mind of the dairy- 

 man that his success in the manufacture of butter for market will 

 depend on scrupulous cleanliness in every operation, more even 

 than upon the quality of the milk which his cattle yield. Every 

 pail, pan, stick, and cloth used in any part of the whole operation, 

 should be thoroughly washed in boiling hot water, perfectly dried, 

 and as often as possible exposed to the sun and air. The least 

 neglect in this particular will inevitably result in such a tainting 

 of the cream or butter as must unavoidably affect its quality, and 

 in still greater degree the reputation of his dairy in the market. 

 A little expenditure of time and labor in attention to these details 

 will be better rewarded than will any other equal outlay in the 

 whole course of the business. 



The golden rule of agriculture, — that whatever is worth doing 

 at all is worth doing well, applies with greater force to the opera- 

 tions of the butter dairy than to those of any other department of 

 farming. Probably a neat and attractive mould tor putting up 

 butter for table use is worth, in the long run, fully five cents tor 

 every pound of butter made j and in like manner the wrapping of 

 the prints in cloths, and the sending them to market in the most 

 carefully prepared condition, adds also to the value of the pro- 

 duct ; — and it is in many cases to these little details, which con- 

 duce to the securing of fancy prices, that we must look for almost 

 the sole profit of butter-making. During periods when butter is 



