APPENDIX. 305 



the butter-washing machine then is, to squeeze out any 

 extra water in it, and so make the butter firmer. I 

 have no doubt washing in this way is the best plan for 

 us. If we are still to use barrel churns, as the French 

 do, a small wooden dish or scoop, with holes in the 

 bottom, could easily be contrived to lift the butter out 

 of the churn without handling, or a larger hole to the 

 churn will do it. There is an impression that washing 

 with water hurts the flavour of butter, by washing out 

 the volatile oils, etc., that are in it. I can only doubt 

 if this is so. 



The Schwartz system of setting the milk in deep tin 

 pails in iced water, so as to have the cream rise when 

 quite sweet, was shown at this dairy. How to get the 

 iced water is the only difficulty. The water must be 

 below 40 degrees, wliilst in Ireland, even in winter, 

 spring water is not below 50 degrees. It answers well 

 in countries where a great heap of snow, covered with 

 earth like mangolds, will last through the summer. So 

 it is common in such Northern countries. There are 

 few places with us where the plan can be used economi- 

 cally. Happily, it is Dr. Voelcker's opinion that skim- 

 ming the milk, when still quite sweet, will make as good 

 butter. This we can all do, and as sweet milk makes 

 rather more butter than the same quantity of sour milk, 

 it is mere folly not to skim the milk sweet. About 

 Aylesbury they skim the milk after 1 2 hours for the 

 very best butter, and skim it again after another 12 or 

 24 hours for less good quality. Each, of course, is 

 churned separately. With the habits of our people, this 

 probably is the best plan for us, namely, to skim the 

 milk sweet after 12 or 24 hours ; let it still stand, and 

 skim it again sour. Send the good butter from the first 



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