244 BUTTER BACKWARD SALTING. 



shake, vox et prceterea nihil, a windy hoax, I leave 

 to curious inquirers. 



Much has been said and written on the difficulty 

 of making butter come ; it is, however, no less true 

 that butter which comes too quickly is not likely to 

 be too good, nor ought any to come indeed under 

 nearly an hour's labour. The difficulty exists only 

 in cold weather, when the churn may be placed near 

 to the fire. In summer, cool the churn with cold 

 water; in winter make it warm. Strain the cream 

 through a fine sieve or linen cloth. It should be 

 remembered, however, that the use of warm water, 

 or taking the churn near the fire, always prejudices 

 the butter, and, in course, should not be practised 

 but in case of absolute necessity. First of all, when 

 the butter is backward, at the time it ought to come, 

 not before, put in half a gill of good vinegar mixed 

 in a small quantity of warm milk. In summer heats, 

 the cooler you churn the better, even to setting your 

 churn in cold water. 



The process being complete, and the butter MADE, 

 strain off the butter-milk and put the butter into 

 cold water, dividing it afterwards into small lumps 

 upon a sloping board. Beat it well with wooden 

 pats, not sweaty hands, until entirely free from the 

 milk, and quite firm, cold water being at hand to 

 throw over the board occasionally, and to wash the 

 pats. Salt with fine beaten-salt as much as sufficient. 

 The butter being made up according to the custom 

 of the place, let the lumps be spread separately on 

 a cloth, that they may not adhere. A highly es- 

 teemed Norfolk friend writes me, " butter is better 



