Sept., 1909.] A STUDY OF FARM BrTTER-MAKING. 265 



the cream a small quantity of fresh l)uttermilk with a clean sour 

 taste, obtained from a neighboring farm. 



The commercial starter or butter culture differs from a natural 

 starter principally in its origin or the manner in which the first 

 batch of sour milk is obtained. In the former the desirable bac- 

 teria are selected, propagated and put up in small packages in 

 special laboratories and bought by the butter-maker, while in 

 the latter the butter-maker is doing his own selection, depending 

 on Nature to furnish under normal conditions a large number 

 of desirable bacteria. As it is considered impractical, with a few 

 exceptions, to recommend the use of commercial cultures in farm 

 butter-making, and since a full description of handling can be 

 obtained from the manufacturer, it would seem needless to fur- 

 ther discuss their use at this time. 



Methods of Ripening. — There are two common methods of 

 cream ripening in vogue among New Hampshire farmers. 



1. Kipening during the entire period between churnings. 



2. Cooling the cream at once after separations and ripening 

 for a period of from 12 to 36 hours. 



To saj' which of the two methods gives the better results is 

 quite difficult, as it depends somewhat upon the frequency of 

 churning, the facilities and the equipment on hand. More im- 

 portant than the method is the man, as it Avas noticed that both 

 good and bad results were obtained with both methods. It is 

 believed where churning is done every other day or oftener a 

 slow, continuous ripening is most desirable, while in case churn- 

 ing is done only once or twice a week better results are obtained 

 by cooling the cream immediately after each separation and 

 ripening it just before churning. 



The Ripening Temperature of Cream. — On most of the 

 farms visited the ripening temperature was entirely a matter of 

 chance. Sixty-eight per cent, reported the temperature as vari- 

 able, depending on that of the room or cellar in which the cream 

 was pipened; 6.3% preferred a temperature between 55° and 

 60° F.; 22% a temperature of from 60^ to 70°; while 3.7% 

 wanted a temperature between 78° and 80°. Altogether too 

 little attention is paid to the ripening temperature. Many 

 farmers did not even have a thermometer and some of those who 

 had did not use it often enough. When sufficient acid can be 



