CATTLETHE DAIRY. 849 



water drips down on the cans, but as the lids fit over the can, 

 none of it can enter. The upper part among the ice can be used 

 for butter, fruit, meats, and vegetables, which can be set on or 

 between the cakes of ice in tin-pans or other vessels. 



When the box needs cleaning, by taking out the slats and 

 opening the doors, it is easy to get at every part of it. Such 

 an ice-box can be used in an out-building, or a small room can be 

 made adjoining the ice-house, which will save work in carrying 

 the ice. If this ice-box is to be used in the house, proper 

 arrangement should be made for conveying the waste water to a 

 tub or drain. If the weather is very hot, or a large amount of 

 milk is put in warm from the cows, it is best to set a cuke of 

 ice on edge between the cans in the lower part in addition to 

 that placed on the slat floor. 



Causes of Bad Flavor in Butter. There are butter- 

 makers who know that every thing used in their dairies is sweet 

 and clean, and that their cows are properly fed, who yet fail to 

 make good flavored butter, but do not perhaps know the reasons. 

 There may be several, for milk and cream are so sensitive that 

 they can easily be damaged at any stage of the process of manu- 

 facture. One common cause of " off-flavor," is allowing the milk 

 to stand too long before skimming. What is gained in quantity 

 will not compensate for the loss of quality, for the first cream 

 that rises is the richest, and each successive layer becomes 

 poorer. I would not, under any circumstances, allow the milk 

 to stand more than thirty-six hours, and think there is more 

 loss than gain after twenty-four hours. 



Another cause of bad flavor is keeping cream too long before 

 churning ; this is more common when but one or two cows are 

 kept than in a larger dairy. Cream should be thoroughly stirred 

 every time any is added to it, and should be churned before 

 becoming so sour as to begin to separate, or " whey off," as 

 our dairy maids express it. Perhaps the most common cause of 

 bad flavor is failure to get rid of the buttermilk, for no butter 

 can long remain sweet unless this is thoroughly removed. 



Skimming. When the deep cans are used for setting the 

 milk, a ladle with a rather long handle is better to take off the 



54 



