34 DAIRYING 



of 250 to 260 degrees Fahrenheit, and the cost of paraffin is 

 about 2 cents per tub on the basis of using 3 ounces of paraffin 

 costing 8 cents per pound. Paraffining the tubs need not cost 

 more than the usual brine soaking process. Coating the inside of 

 each tub is better than dipping the entire tub in hot paraffin, as 

 the latter method requires more paraffin and the paraffin tub 

 cannot be marked with a pencil. Paraffined tubs are usually 

 1 to 2 pounds lighter than brine or water-soaked tubs, and this 

 should be watched to prevent loss in selling the butter. 



590. The net weight of butter obtained by actually weigh- 

 ing each tub before and after filling with butter should be 

 marked on the tub and- a record kept of such weights. 



Paraffining butter tubs is the most satisfactory way of treat- 

 ing them, as it prevents mold from growing on the tub and on 

 the butter, it protects the butter from taking any flavor from 

 the wood, it gives the tub a neat appearance, and it reduces the 

 loss by shrinkage in weight when butter is shipped to market. 



591. In addition to the treatment of the tubs mentioned, 

 the butter and the tub should be protected from mold by keeping 

 the factory refrigerator and the shipping car refrigerator dry. 

 Butter often becomes moldy after it leaves the creamery, be- 

 cause it is transported in a damp refrigerator car, or held some 

 days in a damp sales room. The growth of mold in a refriger- 

 ator may be retarded by occasionally wiping the walls with a 

 cloth moistened with a 5 per cent glycerin solution of corrosive 

 sublimate. 



Mottled Butter. 



592. The unevenly colored or mottled appearance of the 

 smoothly cut surface of butter is a defect which shows a lack of 

 knowledge or of skill on the part of the butter maker. Mottled 

 butter never grades as "extras" in quality, and butter judges as 

 well as buyers do not hesitate to reduce its score or its price on 

 account of this imperfection. Mottles are caused by an uneven 

 distribution of the salt throughout the butter too much salt in 



