228 



THE FARM. 



rolls in each box. M. Lepelletier is the largest exporter of this kind of but- 

 ter, and is said to ship 1,200 boxes per week, his trade amounting to 12,000,- 

 000 francs per year. It is sent in refrigerating cai-s. In Paris all butter is 

 sold by auction at ten markets. Women are mostly the buyei-s. Three or 

 four hundred lots are sold every hour. Sworn officials weigh and registei 

 the butter, and make up the accounts of sale. The different kinds of butter 

 are named from the places where they are made, and classified according to 

 quaUty. The best butter is sold at^i 50 and 75 cents per pound. 



Preparing ,Butter for Marlcet. -After the mUk has been kept in the 

 spring or cooling house about forty-eight hours, it is then taken out and 

 skimmed, and after the butter is made it is put up in half-pound prints for 

 market. It is shipped in boxes, having an ice chamber in the center. The 

 boxes are 31 by 16 1-2 inches and 15 inches deep. The ice chest is of tin. 

 placed in the center of the box, and is 16 1-2 by 5 inches, 15 inches deep. At 

 the bottom there is a hole, which extends also through the box, for the es- 

 cape of water from the ice as it melts. Movable shelves with cleats on the 

 edges, are fitted in each side of the ice chest, one above the other, for hold- 

 uig the prints. The box holds 10 shelves, 5 on each side of the ice chamber, 



and the shelves, when in 

 place, leave a space between 

 each of 2 1-2 inches. We 

 give a rough draft of the 

 movable shelf in our illus- 

 tration. Each shell holds 

 20 prints, or 10 pounds of 

 butter. In packing the but- 

 ter a plain board is used to 

 receive the prints at the 

 bottom of the box; then the 

 shelf, as illustrated, is 

 placed on top, and thus con- 

 tinued until the whole number of prints are in. A movable shelf just com- 

 ing to the top of the box is placed over the top prints, so that when the lid 

 of the box is brought down it presses tightly on it and thus keeps the shelves 

 from shaking and prevents any injury to the prints. 



Keeping Bntter for "Winter Use. — Good butter put up after the follow- 

 ing directions will keep in sound condition on« year: Use for a package a tub 

 somewhat tapering, with heavy staves and heads provided at both ends, so 

 jis to make a package that will not leak. In packing the tub is turned on 

 the small end, and a sack of cotton cloth is made to tit the tub, and into this 

 ihe butter is packed until it reaches to within an inch of the groove for hold- 

 ing the upper head. A cloth is next laid upon the top of the butter and the 

 edges of the sack brought over this and neatly pressed down; then the head 

 is put in its place and the hoops driven home. The package is now turned 

 upon the large end and the sack of butter drops down, leaving a space on 

 the sides and lop. Strong biine is then poured into a hole in the small end 

 and until it will float the butter. The hole is tightly corked and the butter 

 is pretty efi'octually excluded from the air.. Where only a small quantity of 

 butter is to be preserved, pack it in self-sealing fruit jars. By this plan a 

 little brine is put into the jar, which is then packed not quite full of granu- 

 lated butter. Some bleached muslin is laid over the butter, then the little 



MOVABLE SHELF FOB HOLDING BUTTEB FEINTS. 



