ON AGRICULTURE TO IRELAND 91 



to economise fuel, the most notable of which are used in con- 

 nection with the heating and cooling of the milk. The new milk 

 passes from the receiving platform into the pasteuriser via the 

 outside of the regenerative heater. From the pasteuriser it passes 

 through the regenerative heater to the separator. In this process 

 the cold new milk is considerably heated before entering the 

 pasteuriser, and thus a saving of feul is effected. Subsequently 

 its temperature is considerably reduced between the pasteuriser 

 and the separator by the action of the cold new milk on the 

 outside of the heater, and thus a saving of cold water is effected. 



Separated Milk 



The pasteurised separated milk is pumped to tanks on the 

 delivery platform. Here a can is usually arranged on a spring 

 balance, and when the required quantity has been run into it, 

 a valve in the bottom is opened and it runs into the farmer's 

 can. In order to prevent any spilling of the milk, a tube of 

 canvas or other suitable material, conveys the milk from the 

 weighing can to the farmer's can. Each member is usually given 

 back about 80 per cent, of separated milk and 10 per cent, of 

 butter milk, of the weight of new milk delivered by him. 



Ripening the Cream 



After being cooled to about 60° F., or lower if possible, the 

 cream is conveyed to the ripening or souring vats, where it has 

 added to it the necessary quantity of freshly-prepared starter or 

 pure culture of the lactic acid ferment. After the cream has been 

 kept for from 12 to 24 hours, the ripening is complete and the 

 cream is ready for churning. In warm weather the ripened 

 cream is often too high in temperature to permit of churning 

 being done satisfactorily, in which case it is passed over a cooler 

 to bring it down to the proper churning temperature. If there 

 is an ample supply of cold water it is usually employed for this 

 purpose, but where such is not available, a refrigerating machine 

 may be profitably used. 



Churning 



Several patterns of churns are in general use, but the circular 

 one known as the "Anglo Hibernian," with fixed outside and 

 moving dashers inside is generally preferred, especially in the 

 larger creameries. In each end of the churn there is a small 

 window, on the glass of which the first grains of butter can be 

 seen as soon as they appear, so that there is seldom any necessity 

 to stop the churn in order to see how churning is progressing. 

 There is therefore no difficulty in continuing the churning until 

 it has reached the proper stage for extracting the largest per- 

 centage of butter, and yet have the best quality of grain. This 

 pattern of churn is usually made with a door in the top for 



