Washing Butter 221 



dition will occur when the butter granules are not 

 larger than kernels of wheat. As soon as the churn 

 is stopped, the addition of a little cold water to the 

 contents of the churn will facilitate the rising of 

 the smaller globules of butter through the butter- 

 milk. The buttermilk should then be drawn off 

 from the bottom of the churn, and the butter al- 

 lowed to drain thoroughly. After the butter is thor- 

 oughly drained, water at a temperature of 45 to 

 55 F. should be added in amounts equal to two- 

 thirds the amount of buttermilk withdrawn. The 

 contents of the churn should then be gently agitated, 

 so that the water may come in contact with each par- 

 ticle of butter, but not to such an extent that the 

 particles will compact themselves into larger masses. 

 In about ten or fifteen minutes, this water should be 

 withdrawn and the butter allowed to drain as before, 

 after which the butter should be washed the second 

 time in the same manner. This second water should 

 run away clear, or with a very slight milkiness. 

 If it is at all milky, the butter should be washed 

 again, and the washing continued until the water does 

 run away clear. It is desirable that as little wash- 

 ing be done as possible, and if care is taken in 

 stopping the churning at the right moment, and in 

 draining and washing the butter, two waters will be 

 sufficient . The addition of a small amount of salt 

 to the first washing water will facilitate the removal 

 of the buttermilk, but will not add any perceptible 

 saltiness to the butter. The way in which the wash- 

 ing is done perceptibly affects the quality of the 



