1901.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 23 



(e) The Effect of Linseed Oil on Butter. 



When this experiment was begun it was not the intention 

 to convert the cream into butter, but to note particularly 

 the effect of the oil on the composition of the milk and but- 

 ter fat. The oil, however, effected such a change in the 

 chemical character of the butter fat that it seemed wise to 

 note its effect on the resulting butter product. Accordingly 

 six lots of butter were made from each herd, towards the close 

 of the second or excess oil period. It was not possible at 

 the time to make a first-class article, owing to poor facilities. 

 We were obliged to ripen the cream in cans, to churn with 

 a small hand churn and to work the butter with a small 

 paddle.* Two lots of butter from each herd were submitted 

 to chemical analysis, and found to be of normal character. 

 They contained from about 10 to 12 per cent, of water, 85 

 to 87 per cent, of butter fat, less than 1 per cent, of curd 

 and a normal amount of salt. The several samples were 

 scored by Mr. W. A. Gude, of the firm of Gude Bros., 

 New York, who stated that both lots were of poor flavor, 

 having a burnt taste, as of rendered butter; and the body 

 from Herd I. was short grained, brittle and crumbly ; from 

 Herd H., salvy or very salvy. 



Mr. C. H. Eckles, butter maker at the college dairy 

 school, reported as follows concerning the body and flavor 

 of the several butters : "The butter from the normal ration 

 is considerably firmer than that from the excess oil ration, 

 and the grain is shorter. As compared with the product of 

 the best creamery butter, neither is exactly normal in con- 

 sistency, the normal ration butter being more crumbly and 

 the butter from the excess oil ration more salvy or greasy 

 than normal. From a commercial stand-point, the body of 

 excess oil butter is possilily the more objectionable. The 

 flavor and aroma of normal ration butter is inferior to that 

 of excess oil butter. In case of the former, something of 

 an old flavor, inipossil)le to describe, is noticed. The flavor 

 of excess oil butter, while not very good, is more the flavor 



* Since then a small dairy btiildinij for experimental purposes has been erected 

 and fully equipped for this dei>artinent. 



