DAIRY PRODUCTS. 213 



In cool weather, the milk may stand longer, so that it may be a 

 little deeper in the vessel. "We hope none of our farmers will 

 deride this proposed accuracy. "We say to you that shallow 

 SETTING produces the most cream. If you don't believe it, try 

 it and you will be convinced. 



Time to Skim. 

 "When the milk has become somewhat thick at the bottom, it 

 is time to skim it. Some let it stand too long ; and, although 

 this does not diminish the cream, yet, if you wait till the milk 

 has begun to turn to water, it will produce a bitter taste in the 

 butter, which no washing will destroy. 



Temperature of the Dairy. 

 It is well to have a thermometer in every room where milk is 

 set for cream. As near to sixty-five degrees of our common 

 thermometer as the room can be kept the better. To be sure, 

 in winter it will be somewhat below, and in summer something 

 above ; but a well-located room, and well protected, may be 

 kept so that it will not vary more than eight degrees. In win- 

 ter, when this temperature cannot be got, it is a great help to 

 the rising to set the milk-pan inside of a larger one, and pour 

 into the outside pan some scaldin'g water, and so increase the 

 warmth. 



Churning. 

 In churning, it is desirable to have the temperature of the 

 milk and churning-room at about sixty degrees at starting. In 

 hot weather this can be produced by ice. By agitating the 

 milk in a warm atmosphere it will become a degree or two 

 warmer and about right. 



The Butter. 

 Here comes the nice part for the dairy woman to perform. 

 She can do this in clean pans, with " clean hands and a pure 

 heart," with a snow-white apron and her hair brushed neatly 

 and every filament secured so that not one will fall into the 

 sweet and agreeable mass which she is about to manipulate ; or 

 she can come to her work with dirty finger-nails, and a mop- 

 head, and a filthy dress, and greasy utensils. To the one 



