230 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



case we find great benefit in adding to each pan of 

 milk from a pint to a quart of cold water, according 

 to the size of the vessel and the temperature of the 

 weather ; and, when it is very cold, we add about 

 the same quantity of water, boiling hot, at the time 

 of straining the milk. If the quantity of milk is so 

 great that it is not convenient to churn the whole 

 when soured, we set it in pans, and, when ready for 

 churning, take off about one third of the whole by 

 skimming. When we treat our milk in this way, 

 we prefer not to have the pans more than half full. 

 When we commence churning, if it froths, as it 

 sometimes will when not sufficiently warm, we add 

 boiling water to the cream until this disposition is 

 checked. It is evident that cream grows warmer 

 by churning, but what is the increase of temperature 

 we have never ascertained. We cannot state pre- 

 cisely the average quantity of milk it will take to 

 make a pound of butter, as experience shows us 

 there is a very great difference in cows as to the 

 quality of their milk, and also in the first and the last 

 of the milk taken from the cow. 



Quest. '3d. How many cows do you milk, and what 

 is the average quantity of butter produced by them 1 



The average number of our cows in 1835 was 

 thirty-five, and the butter sold was 4480 pounds, or 

 about 130 lbs. to a cow. For this, in the fore part 

 of November, we were offered $22 per cwt., deliv- 

 ered on the spot ; but it had been previously con- 

 tracted at a price somewhat less. 



Quest. 4th. Have you ever practised washing your 

 butter after churning it ? 



We do this invariably. After we have churned,j 

 and when the butter is sufficiently gathered, we put 

 it into some suitable vessel, and wash it with pure, 

 cold water until the milk is all out of it ; we then 

 salt it, working in the salt thoroughly, and set it in 

 a cool place for 24 hours; after which it is well 

 worked over with a ladle till fit for packing The 



