88 



Experiment, ^c. on the Production of Butter. Vol. VIII. 



Experiments and Observations on the 

 Production of Butter. 



At a late meeting- of the Highland Agri- 

 cultural Society of Scotland, a paper en 

 titled " Experiments and Observations on 

 the Production of Butter," by Professor 

 Traill, was read by the author. These ex- 

 periments were made in connection with 

 the late Dr. Gerard, of Liverpool, who had 

 paid much attention to the subject, and as- 

 sistance was occasionally given by Dr. Bo' 

 stock, now in London. The experimenters 

 had a dairy of four, sometimes of five cows 

 at their disposal ; but after numerous pre 

 liminary trials, they found that the numeri 

 cal results, on the quantity of the butter ob- 

 tained, were most uniform and satisfactory, 

 when each experiment was made on a few 

 pints only. The process could thus be car- 

 ried on in glass vessels, which enabled them 

 to observe the progress of the operation, to 

 collect the produce more carefully, and use 

 a more delicate balance to ascertain the 

 weight of the butter obtained. This like- 

 wise enabled them to make the comparative 

 experiments on the same milk on the same 

 day, a point regarded as of essential import- 

 ance, as the richness, even of the same cow's 

 milk, is liable to vary considerably from day 

 to day, according to the nature of her food, 

 her health, and possibly, too, according to 

 the state of the weather. The time which 

 had elapsed since the last calving, was also 

 found to have much influence on the quan 

 tity of the butter. The quantity of butter 

 was smallest, and the proportion of cheesy 

 matter greatest, just after calving; and gene- 

 rally speaking, the milk of those cows which 

 yielded the leasl quantity, was richest in but- 

 teraceous matter. 



One of the principal objects in view, was 

 to ascertain the comparative advantages of 

 churning. 



1. Sweet cream alone. 



2. Sweet milk and cream together. 



3. Sour cream, or that slightly acid. 



4. Sour milk and cream together. 



5. Scalded cream, or what is called doi- 

 ted cream, as practised in Devonshire. 



The principal results of the experiments 

 are the following : 



1. That the addition of some cold water 

 during churning, facilitates the process, or 

 the separation of the butter: especially 

 when the cream is thick and the weather 

 hot. 



2. The cream alone is more easily churned 

 than a mixture of cream and milk. 



3. The butter produced from sweet cream 

 has the finest flavor, when fresh, and appears 

 to keep longest without becoming rancid ; 



but that the buttermilk so obtained, is poor, 

 and small in quantity. 



4. That scalding the cream according to 

 the Devonshire method, yields the largest 

 quantity of butter, which, if intended tor 

 immediate use, is agreeable to the palate, 

 and readily saleable ; but if intended to be 

 salted, is more liable to acquire, by keeping, 

 a rancid flavour. 



The process of scalding is troublesome, 

 and the milk, after the removal of the cream, 

 is poor, and often would be unsaleable from 

 the taste it has acquired from the heating-. 



5. That churning the milk and cream to- 

 gether, after they have become slightly acid, 

 seems to be the most economical process on. 

 the whole ; because it yields a large quan- 

 tity of excellent butter, and the buttermilk 

 is of good quality; a point of some import- 

 ance, where buttermilk is largely used as an 

 article of diet, as it is in Lancashire. 



6. That the keeping of butter in a sound 

 state, appears to depend on its being obtained 

 as free from uncombined albumen, or caseine 

 and water, as it can be, by means of wash- 

 ing and working, when taken from the 

 churn. 



The author mentioned the interesting fact 

 that, in the course of his experiments, he 

 found when sweet milk and cream were 

 churned together, and though cold water 

 was added, after an hour and a half, and 

 then after three hour's churning, not a par- 

 ticle of butter was obtained. — Massachu- 

 sett's Plovffhmaii. 



Two young men, of the more respectable 

 class of mechanics, commenced the sail- 

 making business at Philadelphia. They 

 bought a lot of duck from Stephen Girard, 

 on credit, and a friend had engaged to en- 

 dorse for them. Each caught a roll and 

 were carrying it oft", when Girard remarked: 



" Had you not better get a drayl" 



" No ; it is not far, and we can carry it 

 ourselves." 



" Tell your friend he needn't endorse 

 your note — I'll take it without," said Ste- 

 phen. 



Immense Pkoduct. — We learn that Hill 

 Carter, Esq., of Shirley, on Jamer river, 

 Va., reaped from 160 acres, 5,280 bushels of 

 wheat, averaging 33 bushels per acre ! This 

 is unequalled in Virginia agriculture. His 

 whole crop of wheat, on 270 acres, reached 

 the large quantity of 8,000 bushels, being 

 an average of nearly 30 bushels per acre. 



At Westover, the seat of .lohn N. Selden, 

 Esq., on James river, 100 acres of wheat 

 averaged 30 bushels per acre ; also a noble 

 product. — National Intelligencer. 



