416 FARMING FOR LADIES, [chap. xxi. 



tough or stringy. The " steens" in which the 

 cream is kept until churned, are, indeed, not 

 unfrequently exposed to its current, as these 

 vessels are seldom filled, and are too deep to 

 allow the wind to act more than partially up- 

 on the surface ; but it is better not to expose 

 it to the risk, for, if it renders the cream hard, 

 it will injure the butter. 



The steen contains from two to four gallons, 

 narrower at the bottom than at the top, and 

 about 12 inches deep. These steens are fre- 

 quently made of different kinds of metal, but 

 complaints are often made of their imparting 

 an unpleasant flavour to the butter, and we 

 still hold to the use of earthenware, as being 

 easier cleaned and consequently sweeter. 



The churn is a closed vessel, into which 

 either the cream, or the whole milk, is put ; 

 and the vessel being furnished either with a 

 piston, or a revolving fan turned by a wheel, 

 and regularly moved either up or down, or 

 by turning — according to its form — sepa- 

 rates from the whey those oily particles of 

 which the butter is to be formed. It is ge- 

 nerally made of the best oak, and of various 

 sizes, according to the quantity of milk or 



