852 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



longer time to churn, and if too warm, the butter will be soft 

 and white. 



Firm, solid butter can be made in the hottest weather if the 

 milk is quickly cooled and the temperature kept uniform. Food 

 also will affect the texture of the butter, and a feed of grain 

 each day will soon improve the butter, when the cows are on 

 pasture and the quality is not satisfactory. 



Washing and Working. All the buttermilk must be 

 removed or the butter can not be kept sweet for any length of 

 time. Some wash with cold water, while others are of the 

 opinion that butter will keep better that has never had any 



water about it. Either method will 

 leave the butter in good condition if 

 the buttermilk is all removed. The 

 hands should never be used in work- 

 j n g ? an( j jf a ] ar g e amount of butter is 

 to be worked the butter ladle is not sufficient, and a butter- 

 worker will be needed. 



The worker shown in the cut is perhaps as good as any, and 

 is simple and cheap, and can be made by any carpenter. It can 

 be made of any size to suit, but should be two feet wide at the 

 upper end and taper to four inches at the lower end. It should 

 not be less than three feet long. It should be made of hard 

 wood and planed and polished till perfectly smooth. A beech 

 slab will answer for the bottom. The sides should be three 

 inches high and leaned or flared out a little, and the legs should 

 be so made that it will slope towards the narrow end, where 

 there should be an opening for the buttermilk to run off. The 

 lever can be made six or eight sided, and should be hung with a 

 swivel hinge. 



One method of washing the butter is to place it on the but- 

 ter-worker after it is gathered, and as it is worked apply 

 water from a sprinkler until it runs off clear. Another way to 

 wash it is to stop churning as soon as the butter granulates and 

 before it has gathered ; remove the buttermilk by pouring it off 

 through a hair sieve, so as to save any butter that runs off 

 with the milk. When the buttermilk has all drained off, take 



