222 Milk and Its Products 



finished butter, particularly so far as regards its tex- 

 ture and percentage of water. The smaller the 

 granules of butter when the churn is stopped, and 

 the colder the water used, the more water will re- 

 main in the butter without appearing in the form 

 of drops. If the churning has progressed until the 

 butter has formed masses the size of a hickory nut 

 or larger, particularly if the butter is soft, it will 

 be impossible to completely wash the buttermilk from 

 the butter, and the buttermilk must necessarily be 

 removed in working. Such butter will always re- 

 tain in its flavor traces of the buttermilk so incor- 

 porated with it. 



The texture of the butter is also affected by the 

 temperature of the wash water. If the butter comes 

 soft, the attempt is usually made to cool it down 

 rapidly by the addition of large amounts of very cold 

 water. The butter can be hardened up in this way, 

 but it will show the effect of sudden changes of 

 temperature afterward much more strongly than if it 

 were cooled down more slowly. Butter fat does 

 not conduct heat rapidly, and to become thoroughly 

 warm or thoroughly cool requires some little time. 

 If, then, butter has been churned too warm, and 

 comes in a soft condition, the washing process should 

 be much prolonged. Use the ordinary amount of 

 water and at the ordinary temperature, but allow the 

 butter to remain in it until it has had sufficient time 

 to thoroughly adjust itself to the changed condition. 

 It can then be taken out and worked without dan- 

 ger of quickly becoming soft again. There is also 



