310 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



In conclusion, a well managed dairy is one of the greatest 

 sources of profit to the farmer ; and whoever succeeds in 

 producing a superior article of butter, will have the approbation 

 of all lovers of this great luxury. 



J. C. Howe. 



WORCESTER. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



It is only necessary to remark, that the reputation of Wor- 

 CQster county, for butter, cannot long be maintained, unless the 

 farmers' wives and daughters will bestow upon this rich pro- 

 duct of their dairies more labor and care. Not one of the 

 twenty-one lots of recently made butter had received sufficient 

 care and labor to thoroughly separate the buttermilk from the 

 butter. Neither had that nicety of judgment and discretion 

 been bestowed upon it in salting, which is necessary to make it 

 what it should always be, a luxury. The June made butter, in 

 the opinion of the committee, was all rancid. 



It is a mistaken notion that salt will preserve butter, and 

 that as it is wrought less, it should be salted more. Under 

 ordinary circumstances, butter will keep sweet longest in its 

 free and pure state, and the great secret of butter making lies 

 in separating and keeping from the butter all extraneous mat- 

 ters. Work the butter with clean and cool hands until the 

 buttermilk is thoroughly and entirely separated from it. Salt 

 the butter only to the taste. 



The prominent defects, only, of the butter entered for pre- 

 mium have been noticed and the remedy hinted at. Much 

 might and should be said of the various methods of preserving 

 milk, and of making, putting down, and keeping butter. Let 

 it suffice, however, to say, that the farmer's wife or daughter 

 who will next year offer for premium a lot of sweet, thoroughly 

 worked, unsalted butter, or salted only to the taste, will doubt- 

 less receive the award, and will also deserve and receive the 

 thanks of every member of the Worcester Agricultural Society. 



Merrick Bemis, Chairman. 



