NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



21 



REPORT OX DAIRY PRODUCTS. 



The committee on dairy procluets wore gratified to 

 find so many entries, and such fine specimens of but- 

 ter. The parcels were entered as required, by the 

 numbers only, and were examined witliout any 

 knowledr;e of the persons by whom, they were made. 

 The several parcels of June butter were first com- 

 pared with each other, and the several parcels of Sep- 

 tember butter likewise. After the opinion of the 

 committee was made up, upon the specimens pre- 

 sented, the several statements were examined and 

 compared. Although there was found to be impor- 

 tant differences in the quantities produced in differ- 

 ent statements, still there was no sufficient reason to 

 vary the awards as made upon the quality. Some of 

 tlie statements were found to bo not in strict confor- 

 mity with the conditions on which the premiums 

 ■were offered ; but no material variations were noticed 

 in those of the successful claimants. That no injus- 

 tice may he done to any claimant, the statements will 

 be published as presented, in connection with the 

 report. They have been carefully scrutinized, and 

 such of their characteristics as are Avorthy of special 

 remark will be particularlj' noticed ; not for the pur- 

 pose of censuring any one, but in the hope of in- 

 Btructing those who are willing to learn. 



The processes of keeping the milk and of making 

 the butter are so nearly alike, that it would seem all 

 of the claimants had been taught in the same school. 

 It is not strange that this should be so, as they knew 

 before whom their lesson was to be recited. Those 

 modes which had been found most successful in years 

 past, would be most likely to be imitated. 



It should bo remembered that our premiums are 

 offered "for the bast produce on the farm," and not 

 simply for the best specimens exhibited. 



It is expected of the claimants to state distinctly 

 the amount produced in the month of June ; and also 

 in the four months next following the 20th of May. 

 It is highly important that all the particulars in the 

 management, from the first milking of the cow, to 

 the moulding of the butter for the market, should be 

 carefully noted. If these facts could be presented in 

 a journal form, so that the feed of each week, and 

 the produce of each week, could be distinctly seen 

 and compared, it would be a source of much instruc- 

 tion. 



TTic design of requiring statements for particular 

 periods oi time, is, that all statements should have 

 reference to the same period, so that they may with 

 propriety be compared together. If, for instance, one 

 person takes fifty days, from May 20 to July 10, and 

 another fourteen days, from June 10 to June 21, there 

 can bo no fair comparison between tlie two. Wc can 

 easily conceive of such an arrangement of the pas- 

 tures, and of the feed of the cows, lor a period of 

 fourteen days, as would show a very ditt'crcnt result 

 from what could be produced in Jifti/ dai/s. These 

 facts are adverted to, because some of the statements 

 are made in this manner. We want no forced state- 

 ments ; — we care not how good they may be ; but 

 "WC want them in the ordinary way ; we want to sec 

 the whole truth, without any artificial appliances. 

 "Wo do not want to meet the dairy-maid in the parlor, 

 arrayed in lier ^^ilks and ruiiles ; but we want to meet 

 her in the dairij-room, with a smiling countenance, 

 clean hands, and a neat apron, ready to show how 

 the cream is daily taken off, and how the butter is 

 daily taken care of. 



There arc many facts in relation to the making of 

 butter, of great importance, to be distinctly noted. 

 Instance : IV om some we learn that the (piantity of but- 

 ter is materially inUuenccd by the m>mncr of 'milking 

 the cows ; — by being careful entirely to exhaust the 

 bag at each milking; — one pint at the close being 

 Bald to be of as muulx value an four at the commencement. 



It is presumed that there is a certain point of time, 

 after the milk has been set, when the cream can be 

 severed from the milk to the best advantage. We 

 have looked tlirough the statements to ascertain when 

 this is. Wc find' them varying from twenty-four to 

 seventy-two hours ; about as definite as the size of a 

 pieec of chalk. What is wanted is, a rule for the 

 guidance of those who shall undertake to manage 

 the business without having had experience. With- 

 out doubt, many of these successful butter-makers 

 have the right rule in their minds, but have never 

 yet so defined it as to be able to convey it to others. 

 The probability is, the longer the cream remains, the 

 more there will be of it ; but may it not remain so 

 long as to impair the quality of the butter ? This 

 may depend much upon the character of the place 

 zvherc and the vessels in which it is set. Nearly all 

 speak of setting the milk in tin pmis ; — how deep it 

 shall be, whether two, four, or six inches, they do not 

 say. All concur in assigning a clean, airy, and cool 

 place for the milk to be set in ; and all concur in ap- 

 proving of entu'e cleanliness in all the departments. 



What shall be done with the cream, after it is col- 

 lected ? Some place it in a bucket in tlie well ; others 

 in pots, in vaults constructed for the purpose. The 

 best position we have noticed is, to have a neat apart- 

 ment excavated below the ordinary cellar, and there 

 to keep it, until the convenient time for churning. 

 This should be as often as a sufficient quantity is ac- 

 cumulated, to bo churned to advantage. The kind of 

 churn, and the temperature of the cream at the time 

 of churning, are both to be considered. It is said a 

 temperature from 60° to 65° is the most favorable. K 

 this be so, it should always be brought to this tem- 

 perature, before the agitation of the cream is com- 

 menced. Crowell's thermometer churn is constructed 

 with special reference to this point. It also professes 

 to promote a proper circulation of the air, at the time 

 of churning. Whether this air movement is fanciful 

 or real, I leave to wiser chemical heads than my owiu 

 The quality, as well as the quantity, of the butter 

 depends much upon the churning process. When 

 dog-days come on, we have frequently heard com- 

 plaints that the cream Avas bewitched, and the butter 

 would not come ; when, in truth, the i'ault was not 

 in the cream, but in those who managed it. 



Many of these little things, which a skilful manager 

 of a dairy is accustomed to observe and practise, and 

 which are thought too trilling to be noticed, may, in 

 fact, ct)nstitute the real differences between the making 

 of good and ordinary l)uttor. That such diifercnces do 

 exist, we see exemplified every week. Take, for in- 

 stance, in any of our towns, two farmers, situate 

 side by side, on lands similar: you will find one of 

 tliese going into market on Saturday, with butter soft 

 and greasy, with small particles of buttermilk oozing 

 out of it ; while the butter of the other is in neatly- 

 formed lumps, hard and regular, of a bright yellow 

 color ; the one is slowly sold lor a shillin;/ a pound, 

 when the other readily comniands a shillin'j and a 

 half, from purchasers much better satisfied with their 

 bargains. Why this dilference in price, unless it bo 

 in the management of the dairy ? One of these farm- 

 ers will be able to thrive and flourish, witli jjainted 

 buildings, and neatly-ananged fences; wliile the 

 other will have liis windows stuffed with rags, and his 

 fences going to ruin. 



It is not enough fir claimants to say. in their state- 

 ments, that ahxit an ounce of salt is applied to each 

 pound of butler ; or thiit it was salted to suit the 

 taste. Such expressions afford no rule for the in- 

 struction of others. Tastes may vary as much as 

 hands in weight, or feet in measurement ; and tho 

 word about hivs too murh of the quality of india- 

 rubber to fasten any thing. For example : iu the 

 statements before us, there is a variance in tho quan- 

 tity of salt used of one half — say ftom three fourths 



