THE DAIRY. 219 



says : " Cleanliness may, indeed, be regarded as the chief 

 requisite in the manufacture of good butter. Both milk and 

 cream are so exceedingly sensitive to the air, in everything with 

 which they come in contact, as to impart the unmistakable 

 evidence of any negligence in the taste and flavor of the butter." 



The third requisite for the production of good butter, is a 

 proper separation of the same from the milk and curd mixed 

 with it when churned. Over-churning is not advisable for 

 aiding in this, for, although it may facilitate the process, and 

 slightly increase the quantity of butter, it diminishes that fine, 

 waxy, yellowish appearance so agreeable to the eye. There 

 are two methods in practice for effecting the above ; one by 

 washing the butter with cold water so long as it runs off white ; 

 the other by " working it over." By the former it can be kept 

 longer fresh ; by the latter a higher and more agreeable flavor 

 is retained. The best way generally is to knead thoroughly 

 with a butter-worker, and dry with a large sponge and dry 

 cloths. 



In the preservation of this article, great care should be exer- 

 cised. There are two substances which are changed in rancid 

 butter, — the fatty matters and milk sugar ; the two agents by 

 which this is effected, casiene, or curd, mixed with the butter, 

 and the oxygen of the atmosphere. This fact, then, establishes 

 the importance of entire freedom from the former and exclusion 

 from the latter. If the salting be seasonably done it arrests or 

 greatly retards the change which any curd which may remain, 

 would otherwise produce. Great care should be taken that the 

 packing be done in vessels perfectly tight, pressing the butter 

 as solid as possible, covering it with a brine. Butter dealers 

 prefer wooden tubs or firkins for keeping, to stone ware, and of 

 the former none is better than oak. 



Good butter depends more upon the manufacture than upon 

 all other things put together. A judicious writer upon this 

 subject remarks : " In every district where good butter is made 

 it is universally attributed to the richness of the pastures ; 

 though it is a well-known fact that, take a skilful dairy-maid 

 from that district into another, where good butter is not usually 

 made, and where, of course, the pastures are not deemed favor- 

 able, she will make as good butter as she ilsed to do. 



