THE DAIRY. 215 



but from actual experience.) Adopt this course only in ex- 

 tremely warm weather. In the spring and early fall omit the 

 flow of water around the pans. 



In cold weather place the pans on the stove or furnace, and 

 heat until the cream becomes waved or crinkled, then set them 

 away for twelve to twenty-four hours, according to the atmos- 

 phere of the room, then repeat the heating process as before. 

 Skim and keep the cream in stone jars, as they are preferable 

 to wood ; let the cream at every addition be well stirred, that it 

 may be wholly mixed. Churn every other day in warm weather, 

 and twice a week in cold. If the atmosphere is excessively 

 warm after the cream is in the churn, put in a few small lumps 

 of ice. Let the revolutions of the dasher be uniform ; when the 

 globules are broken, and the butter appears in particles and 

 commences to separate from tlie buttermilk, put in two quarts 

 or more, according to the amount of butter, of water ; then 

 move the dasher moderately for two or three minutes or until 

 the whole adheres in one lump. Draw off the buttermilk and 

 turn in half a pail of cool water ; move the dasher slowly for a 

 few minutes to work out the buttermilk, then draw off the 

 water, and take the butter into the bowl or tray and put one 

 ounce of salt to each pound of butter ; work it in carefully, so 

 as not to break the grain of the butter more than is actually 

 necessary. Let it remain for twelve hours, that the whole may 

 become completely incorporated, then give it the second work- 

 ing, extracting all the buttermilk, and pack in stone jars. If 

 to be kept any length of time, cover the surface with a brine 

 made from pure salt. 



Butter will keep the sweetest in its natural color, as any 

 coloring matter will have a tendency to destroy that sweet, 

 delicious and peculiar flavor that is palatable to all butter-eaters 

 of fine, susceptible tastes. This was our system ; not that I 

 wish to be understood that we made a better article than many 

 others, but I will say that our butter was eagerly sought after 

 by those who had tested its flavor. There is, however, one point 

 in making good butter that seems to be overlooked, that is, the 

 influence of the food consumed by the cow upon the milk she 

 produces. And here rests a large proportion of the secret of 

 making good or poor butter. It is a matter worthy of and de- 

 mands a very close investigation. The most natural food of the 



