242 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



flavors in cream that do not come from the development of acid. 

 Just what these are is not known at the present time, but the rich 

 creamy flavor, or as it is sometimes described, the nutty flavor, of a 

 fine quality of cream is a combination of acid and other flavors. The 

 butter maker quickly recognizes this fine combination of flavors 

 when he has once become familiar with it, and always looks for its 

 development in his cream. 



Onions, leeks, turnips, and all similar strongly scented plants 

 impart their flavors to the milk. It is commonly thought that the 

 fine clover and timothy pastures common to some sections give a 

 peculiarly fine flavor to milk. Before the science of ripening cream 

 was developed to its present stage these ideas had more influence 

 than they have now. Onions, garlic, and plants of this character 

 still are very troublesome and often ruinous. About the only effect- 

 ive way to combat troubles from this source is to rid the pastures of 

 them, which is easier said than done. Pasteurization of the cream 

 will help to overcome this difficulty, but this adds to the expense. 



The Acid Test. The only standard that has been applied in 

 measuring the ripening of cream is the determination of the acid 

 present. The acid test, as it is called, gives a fair idea of the quality 

 and stage of ripeness. It is true, however, that two lots of cream 

 may have exactly the same amount of acid and one of them be 

 good and the other bad; so, after all, the acid test is not infallible. 

 There is no step in the whole process of making butter where the 

 judgment of the maker is so much needed as in ripening the cream. 

 He must cultivate his taste for the desirable flavors and must know 

 when the point is reached where further ripening must be checked. 

 Neither the butter maker who depends entirely upon the sense of 

 taste and smell, nor the one who depends entirely upon the acid 

 test, will get the best results. 



Methods of learning to taste and smell, or judgment in their 

 use, can not be given in a book. The ability must be developed 

 through experience. The acid test, however, is a mathematical cal- 

 culation capable of exact determination. 



The Principle and Its Application. As already stated the meas- 

 ure of ripeness of cream can be determined in a general way by the 

 amount of acid it contains. For the purpose of determining the 

 amount of acid, different methods have been devised, but all are 

 based on the principle that an alkaline substance in solution will 

 neutralize an acid solution. The manipulation of the different tests 

 is practically the same although the apparatus differs somewhat in 

 character. In every instance an alkaline solution of known strength 

 is used. This is added to a definite quantity of cream until it exactly 

 neutralizes the acid in the cream. The amount of alkali necessary 

 to do this measures the quantity of acid present. In order to tell 

 just when the right point is reached and all of the acid is neutralized, 

 a coloring matter, called an indicator, is added, which is pink in an 

 alkaline solution and colorless in an acid solution. Sometimes this 

 coloring matter is added to the alkaline substance used to make a 

 test, as in the case of certain alkaline tablets. As the solution con- 



