242 



Butter Making, 



Vol. VII. 



From the Cleveland Daily Herald. 

 Butter Making. 



Travelling across the Western Reserve, 

 a year or two since, in company with a gen- 

 tleman from New York, I was surprised to 

 hear him state, that "in the eastern markets, 

 Ohio butter was a by-word, a term synony- 

 mous with dirty butter. 



I attempted to defend the character of the 

 production of our dairies, and we compro- 

 mised matters for the present, by agreeing 

 to rest the decision upon the samples we 

 should meet with, on the tables of the public 

 houses in the course of the journey. In the 

 end, I had the mortification to find, in a ma- 

 jority of instances, either an oily, rancid, or 

 a ring streaked and spotted article was set 

 before us, that came within the limits of his 

 description. 



This should not be. Butter is one of the 

 staples of northern Ohio, and that which is 

 well made, will, in all instances, command 

 a cash price sufficient to compensate the 

 dairyman for the extra labour he bestows 

 upon it. 



My wife and myself claim the merit of 

 being adepts, or as political demagogues 

 would say, "real workies" in this business, 

 founded on a practical experience of near 20 

 years. 



Our method I will detail; first premising 

 that it is perhaps no better than that pur- 

 sued by many others, for there is here and 

 there a family that furnishes a prime article, 

 though a large share of that which comes 

 into market, is of an opposite character. 

 The publication of our method may induce 

 others to throw more light on the subject. 

 In our hands it is invariably successful, but 

 it is like certain chemical processes, made 

 up of a series of manipulations, the omission 

 of any one of which, may derange the 

 whole and endanger the result. Every part 

 must be carefully carried on. 



1. Choice ofcoivs. — A judicious selection 

 from the common stock, I deem to be equal, 

 if not superior to any of the imported. The 

 Devons and Bakewells I have tried, and 

 found them deficient in the quantity of milk 

 they afford. The Durhams I have not tested. 

 The Gore breed was introduced into Portage 

 county some years since, by a gentleman, I 

 think, of the name of Thorndike, from Mas- 

 sachusetts. A few of the descendants and 

 crosses are to be met with in the south part 

 of Trumbull county, and they prove to be 

 the best of milkers. The quantity and qual- 

 ity of the milk, surpass that of any other 

 breed in our section of the country. 



2. Change of pastures. — To insure the 



production of the largest quantity of butter, 

 a frequent change of pasture is required. 

 A farm should be so fenced that the cows 

 can be changed into a different lot every 

 four or five days. 



3. Salting. — A constant and full supply 

 of salt should lie before our cows in some 

 secure place. They will eat moderately 

 what they require. If only occasionally fur- 

 nished, they often take it in quantities so 

 large, as to act medicinally to their injury. 



It corrects almost any bad quality of the 

 milk, arising from the eating of aromatic, or 

 bitter herbs, and also much of the natural 

 animal odour, that frequently impairs the 

 sweetness of butter. 



4. Water. — It is perhaps superfluous to 

 add, that without a full and steady supply of 

 this article for his cows, the hopes of the 

 dairyman will never be realized. Driving 

 them once or twice a day to a watering 

 place, will not answer the purpose. 



A large and deep excavation can be made 

 in the several pasture lots, or between two 

 or three of them, so as to answer the pur- 

 pose, except in very protracted droughts. It 

 should be so enclosed that cattle can ap- 

 proach it and drink, without running into it. 



5. Driving — kind treatment. — Many a 

 faithful cow has been seriously injured by 

 a careless boy driving her furiously to and 

 from the pasture. All harsh treatment of 

 any kind, as scolding, striking, kicking, &c, 

 is also detrimental. I have known many 

 cows rendered worthless from these causes. 

 The utmost kindness and gentleness of 

 manner must be shown on the part of those 

 who manage our stock. I once dismissed a 

 hired man for striking my cows. Too much 

 cannot be said on this point. 



6. Milking. — This process should be done 

 systematically, at regular periods of the day. 

 Sun-rise and sun-set are perhaps the best pe- 

 riods; for immediately after the one, and be- I 

 fore the other, cows in hot weather feed to | 

 the best advantage. They are so much crea- 

 tures of habit, that the milker should be | 

 changed as rarely as possible. A stranger 

 is always regarded as an unwelcome visiter, : 

 by a milch cow. 



7. Cleanliness with the utensils. — The 

 pans, pails, strainers, bowls, churn, and 

 every implement employed in butter mak- 

 ing, must not only be well washed, but they j 

 must be thoroughly scalded with boiling hot 

 water, and be perfectly dried afterward^, 

 either in the sun or before a fire. This 

 must be repeated every time they are used. ' 

 Merely pouring boiling water upon them 

 when loaded with sour milk or cream, will 

 only serve to scald in the bad flavour, if I 

 may use the expression. Wash them at 



