10 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



There is so much time misspent, and labor lost, in the making 

 of poor butter, that we feel it to be an imperative duty to endeavor 

 to impress the minds of farmers, and of their wives and daugh- 

 ters, with the importance of giving heed to this subject. There 

 are some things in relation to it so well settled, as to be univer- 

 sally known by all those who have any knowledge in the mat- 

 ter. There are others on which there remain great differences 

 of opinion, and variance of practice. As for instance, in the 

 statements before us, we find some of the makers of butter ap- 

 ply cold water freely to the butter, both before it is taken from 

 the churn, and afterwards, " to aid in extracting the butter 

 milk, and to harden the butter," as they say. Others bring it 

 into form without the use of water, and say that its use impairs 

 the flavor, and essentially injures the quality of the butter. 

 How shall it be determined which of these is right ? This is 

 a practical question, applicable to every churning ; quite too im- 

 portant, therefore, to be left in doubt. Probably, most persons 

 do as their mothers used to do, without inquiry whether there 

 is any better mode of proceeding. In an intelligent article up- 

 on this subject, from one of the most successful makers of but- 

 ter, in this county, (see Transactions for 1840, p. 72,) we find 

 this sentence : — " More depends on this than any part of the pro- 

 cess in making good butter. If our dairy women would apply 

 double the labor to half the quantity of butter, and thereby 

 thoroughly remove all particles of buttermilk, this one half 

 would be worth more than the whole, in the condition it is 

 usually sent to the market."* 



The churning process is an essential part of the making of 

 butter. At our request, Mr. Felton, who has for several years 

 obtained the first premium on butter, has annexed to his state- 

 ment an account of his mode of churning. We looked in vain 



* I am informed by a lady, who was instructed by her motlior, who for a period the mem- 

 ory of man runneth not to the contrary, had the reputation of making the very best of butter, 

 that she never applied cold water, or anj' other water, to the butter, after it was churned. 

 She considered such application injurious ; — especiall}' if the l)utler was intended to be put 

 down, as she said, — that is, to be preserved for future use. That it would not keep so well 

 when soaked in water ; was not so fine flavored ; and more likely to become rancid. [Per- 

 haps my respect for this lady, (who is my mother,) influences my opinions ] In a matter of 

 this kind, I should place more confidence in the practical experience of a sensible woman, 

 than in all the chemical analyses of all the Davys and Liebig's combined. 



