BUTTKU-: MAKING ON THE FARM. 



19 



particles of curd, and there will be less danpT ..i white specks in the butter. These 

 particles injure both the appearance and keeping qualities of the butter. 



COLOURING. 



When colouring is used it should be 

 added before churning commences. In 

 summer in times of drought, and in the 

 fall and winter when cows are on dry 

 feed, some colouring may be needed. 

 The general market no\v demands a 

 butter with a clear, light-yellow tint. 

 Too deep a shade is repulsive. From 

 two to four drops of any good, reliable 

 brand of colouring per pound of butter 

 will be sufficient. In case the colour is 

 not added to the cream (through an 

 oversight), it may be mixed with the 

 salt and added to the butter at the time 

 of working. When the coloured salt 

 has been evenly distributed through the 

 butter by efficient working, the colour 

 will be found uniform throughout. 



Fig. 9. Cream and buttermilk strainer. 



GAS IN CHURN. 



During the first five minutes of churning, the vent of the churn should be opened 

 occasionally in order to allow the cream-gases and expanded air to escape. 



WHEN TO STOP CHURNING. 



This is a very important point which has a good deal to do with the quality of 

 the butter. At the time the butter breaks, the churn must be carefully watched in 

 order that the fat-globules may mass together in granular form, so that the butter- 

 milk may be thoroughly removed, and this can best be accomplished if the butter 

 gathers in the form of granules varying in size from that of wheat to peas. Their 

 size can be best controlled by stopping the churn frequently after the butter breaks. 

 If the gathering process is coming on quickly, several quarts of cold water should 

 be added to the cream. This retards the gathering, lessens the chance of over- 

 cliurning, and gives a more exhaustive churning. On the other hand, if the butter 

 gathers too slowly, or remains about the size of clover-seed, several quarts of water 

 which is a little higher in temperature than the cream may be added, and the churner 

 revolved a few times. It should now stand for several minutes, after which a part 

 of the diluted buttermilk may be drawn off and the churning continued. 



Churning is completed when the lnitt< r xfunilx in-ll out on /o/> o/ the buttermilk 

 with froth bubbles over it, and when no butter come.* irith (lie firxt drawn buttermilk. 



WASHING THE BUTTER. 



After churning is completed, the buttermilk should be drawn off at once and the 

 butter allowed to drain for a few minutes. The butter should then be washed with 

 pure, clean water, and its temperature should be somewhere near that at which the 

 buttermilk was, depending upon the firmness of the butter. If too soft use colder 

 water, and if too hard use water which is a little warmer. The main objects of 

 washing the butter are to rid it of all the buttermilk possible, to improve its keeping 

 quality, and to firm or harden it so that it can be thoroughly and efficiently worked 

 without injuring its grain and texture. The amount of water used should be equal 

 to the amount of cream churned, and this should always be carefully strained into 

 the churn through a good cotton strainer. 



