Sept., 1909.] A STUDY OP FARM BUTTER-MAKING. 279 



The constituents of butter will vary according to the methods 

 employed in its maiiut'aeture. When the water, casein and salt 

 in the butter is increased the amount of fat used for each pound 

 is decreased and consequently the overrun will be increased. 



Over-churning in the buttermilk or in the wash water, high 

 temperatures of churning or of the wash water making the butter 

 soft, tend to increase the water content of the butter. 



When the butter appears in hard, fine granules, either from 

 churning too cold or using too cold wash water, the tendency is 

 to decrease the water content. The same is true when butter is 

 worked excessively or worked when too hard. 



The amount of casein in the butter depends primarily upon the 

 amount of buttermilk incorporated. High churning tempera- 

 ture, churning the butter into large lumps in tlie buttermilk, and 

 insufficient washing, will increase the amount of casein. Old, 

 very sour cream also tends to produce butter high in casein. 



The percentage of salt in the butter depends upon the amount 

 added and the amount retained. The amount retained depends 

 primarily upon the amount of water lost during working. 



It was the opinion of several butter makers visited that the 

 drier the butter was worked the better the butter. On the con- 

 trary, butter with too low a water content lacks palatability. 

 It is too gummy and lacks the easy melting quality in the mouth 

 which is so characteristic of the finest butter. The law allows 

 sixteen per cent, of water in butter, and the butter-maker should 

 aim both from the standpoint of quality and profit to get about 

 fourteen per cent, of water in the Initter. There is little danger 

 in farm butter making of exceeding the limit of sixteen per cent. 

 water except in cases when the butter is churned into too large 

 lumps in the buttermilk or in the wash water. 



SUMMARY. 



A study of the farm butter-making conditions as presented in tliis 

 bulletin lead to the following conclusions: — 



1. A large quantity of butter is still made on New Hampshire farms, 

 principally due to, (1) poor transportation facilities, mal<ing it 

 difficult to ship milk; (2) a widely scattered population, making 

 creameries difficult to operate; (3) the small dairy herds kept; and 

 (4) a special demand for good dairy butter at high prices. 



2. The demand in nearly all localities is greater than the supply. 



3. The price obtained for butter varies from 20 to 40 cents per 

 pound, with an average price for the state of 28.5 cents. 



4. The cost of equipment varies from $15 to $600, the most com- 

 mon cost varying from $90 to $150. 



