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THE GENESEE FARMER. 



BUTTER MAKING. 



It is a very general opinion among dairywomen that more butter is obtained from a 

 given quantity of milk when set in pans partly filled than when full. If this is true, it 

 is well worth knowing ; if not, a great deal of useless labor is expended. As the question 

 has been often asked me, and I could give no answer, I determined to make the trial. 

 As the result, so fur as it proves anything, is of general interest, I send it for insertion in 

 your paper. Such an experiment is valueless unless conducted with extreme care, and 

 your readers might well doubt its accuracy unless shown that proper pains were taken. 

 I will therefore give the particulars. 



On the morning of flie 20th November, the milk was strained all together into a tub. 

 It w^as then dipped out into a pail holding five and a half quarts, which was filled 

 carefully to the brim. Pains were taken that if any rich milk or cream had risen to the 

 top, it should not be skimmed oft", as it were, by dipping. The first pail full was turned 

 into one pan, and the second into two, and so on alternately. There were eleven of the 

 former and twenty-two of the latter. They were placed on the shelves of the milk-room 

 alternately, lest the dilierence of position should aftect the result. The milk stood till it 

 thickened, which was about four days. The full pans thiekened sooner than the other. 

 As there was not quite enough cream of each kind for a suitable churning, and that not 

 a particle be lost, considerable milk was taken off in skimming. The cream from the 

 half filled pans was a verT/ Utile warmer when put into the churn than the other. It 

 could hardly be perceived in the cream, but it came sooner and was a trijle softer to 

 work over. When weighed there was 6 lb. 7 oz. from the full pans, and 6 lbs. 2.^- oz. 

 from the pans half filled. This was an unexpected result, but I could conceive of no 

 vitiating cause unless possibly the slight difterence of temperature in the cream might 

 affect it. The pans were of the usual size — the bottoms being about 11^ inches in 

 diameter. The milk stood 2^ inches deep in the full pans. A pound of butter was 

 obtained from 9f quarts of milk. 



To verify this experiment, or to detect mistakes, if any, I repeated it. On tlie 

 mornings of the 29th and 30th of November, 210 qts. of milk were set with the same 

 precautions as before — six quarts in the full pans and three in the otheis. This stood 

 nearly a week before skimming. No difterence of temperature could be perceived in 

 the cream when put into the churn. If there was any difterence in the butter, that 

 from the full pans was a trifle softer than the other — the reverse of the former experiment. 

 From the full pans there was obtained 12 lbs. 10 oz. of butter, and from the others 

 12 lbs. and nearly 1 oz. The difterence in this case was about 4^ per cent., the same 

 as in the former trial. The milk stood in the full pans 2.7 inches deep. A pound of 

 butter was obtained from 8^ qts. It is. all of three times as much work to skim the 

 half filled pans as the othei's. The question then arose whether still larger dishes wore 

 not better. Another trial was made by setting 208 qts., with the same precautions as 

 before, one-half in pans holding six quarts, and the other half in those holding twelve 

 quarts. From the small pans was obtained 10 lbs. 15 oz., and from the larger ones 

 1 1 lbs. 3^ oz. The difterence in this case, of 4^ oz., was about 2^ per cent, in favor of 

 the large pans. 



The reason that the full pans each time gave the most butter, I cannot give ; but I 

 think the result is owing to unequal evaporation. The amount of cream and skim-milk 

 is much less than the new milk. The milk from one full pan and two half pans was 

 measured, and that from the full pan was half a pint the most, or one-twenty-fourth of 

 the whole. This is four and one-sixth per cent., about the same difference as in the 

 butter. If this is not the reason, I can conceive of no other. L. N. — Sherburne, JY. Y. 





