BUTTER-MAKING ON THE FARM. 



21 



The purposes of working butter are: (1) To assist in distributing the salt 

 through the butter; (2) to assist in expelling buttermilk and moisture; and (3) to 

 produce a compact, firm, close-textured body. 



In working the butter, care must be taken to avoid a 

 sliding or scraping motion, which makes the butter greasy. 

 The lever should be pressed downward, turning it slightly over 

 by a movement of the wrist; and when the butter is levelled 

 over the worker, double it over with a ladle (Fig. 11) or by 

 inserting the lever under the 'butter at one side of the worker, 

 and work as before. 



The proper amount of working to be given to the butter 

 will be best ascertained by observing the results of different 

 amounts under the one system for successive days. It is 

 worked enough when the salt has been evenly distributed and 

 the excess of free moisture expelled. It should have a firm, 

 glossy appearance, and the texture should resemble the granu- 

 lar structure of the end of a broken rod of steel. Underworking 

 is generally shown by a mottled appearance in colour on the 

 cut surface, and is largely due to an uneven distribution of salt, 

 while overworking is indicated by a poor, greasy grain and 

 texture. 



MOTTLED BUTTER. 



Fig. 11. Wooden 

 ladle. Butter should 

 not be touched with 

 the hands. 



Next to inferior flavour in butter, mottles are most objectionable to the con- 

 sumer, since they affect the appearance and often give the impression that the butter 

 is very bad, when, in reality, its flavour may be good. This defect is one of work- 

 manship, and can be overcome by the application of proper methods on the part 

 of the maker. 



Mottles are primarily caused by an uneven distribution of salt in the butter. 

 This may be produced by insufficient working of the butter, or by washing and 

 working at a very low temperature. Extremely low temperature for washing and 

 working should therefore be avoided, because they produce so firm a butter that it 

 is only with great difficulty that the salt can be worked uniformly into it. On the 

 other hand, high temperatures of churning, washing, and working must also be 

 avoided to prevent an abnormal loss of fat in the buttermilk and the making of a 

 greasy, salvy, or leaky butter. 



Generally speaking, the butter should be uniform 

 In temperature and from 52 to 56 Fahr.. in accor- 

 dance with the weather conditions, so that it will 

 stand a good deal of working without becoming too 

 soft and greasy. Hard butter must be worked more 

 than soft butter, and a small quantity more than a 

 iar-c quantity. 



When the churn-room is so cold that the lamer 

 becomes chilled before working is completed, mottled 

 butler is frequently the result. To pi-event this it is 

 preferable to increase the amount of working rather 

 than to raise the temperature of the wash-water. 



PACKAGES. 



The greatest lack of uniformity in dairy butter is 

 probably in the package. In the past, butter has fre- 

 quently been put up in all sizes, shapes, and forms, 

 wrapped in all sorts of materials, such as cheese- 

 cotton, factory-cotton, to\vels, paper, and some not 



Fig. 12. One-pound butter- 

 printer. Makes a neat, attrac- 

 tive package. 



wrapped at all. This lack of uniformity has done much harm to the trade. It 



