THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 379 



at first be imagined. It has always been remarked, 

 that a person who has naturally a warm hand never 

 makes good butter. 



Preserving Butter. 



After washing the butter, it should be cut and sliced 

 in every possible direction, with a serrated or rough- 

 edged knife, in order to bring out from it the smallest 

 hair, bit of rag, strainer, or any thing that may have 

 chanced to fall into it. It is then to be spread in a 

 bowl, and such a quantity of salt added as may be 

 judged proper. 



If the butter is to be used immediately, or kept only 

 for a short time, a small proportion will be sufficient ; 

 and in this state it is usually denominated /re^^ butter; 

 iut if it be intended to be long kept, or transported to a 

 distance, an ounce or two of salt will be required to 

 the pound of butter. The salt used in curing butter 

 should be of the purest kind, well dried, and broken 

 down, but not completely pulverised ; and it must be 

 so thoroughly worked in, as to be equally incorporated 

 with the mass. 



When butter is to be sold on the spot, or in the 

 neighbouring markets, it is divided into rolls of a 

 pound or half a pound ; or into lumps of twenty-four 

 ounces, called dishes in some parts of England ; but 

 when it is to be kept or carried to a distance, quantities 

 of eighty-four, fifty-six, or twenty- eight pounds, are 

 put up together in casks, usually called tubs, firkins, 

 and half firkins. When the butter has been suffi- 

 ciently impregnated with the salt by lying spread out 

 in thin layers sprinkled with it, and thoroughly 

 wrought, it is to be then gently pressed into the tub or 



