158 Milk and Its Products. 



ready for packing. Butter that is to be packed 

 and held for any considerable length of time should 

 be worked drier than when it is intended for im- 

 mediate consumption. Fresh butter is most highly 

 esteemed in most markets when it contains about all 

 the water that it will hold, but if such butter is 

 held for any length of time the evaporation of water 

 from the surface will lead to a deposition of salt, 

 which detracts much from its appearance and sala- 

 bleness. An ideal package for butter is one that is 

 light, strong and tight. None of the packages 

 in ordinary use are perfect in all of these respects. 

 Wooden packages, though light and strong, always 

 leak more or less and let in air. Tin packages 

 are more or less objectionable because of the action 

 of the salt upon the tin, and iron, and glass, and 

 crockery packages, although tight and clean, are 

 heavy and subject to breakage. Packages made of 

 paper or wood pulp have been used to some extent, as 

 have also packages of these materials covered with 

 paraffine, but they do not make a very attractive 

 package. All things considered, tight, smooth, well- 

 made tubs of ash, spruce or oak make the most 

 available package. All wooden packages possess the 

 characteristic flavor of the wood, which may be im- 

 parted to the butter to a greater or less extent if 

 it is allowed to remain in them very long. In 

 order to obviate this, the odor of the wood should be 

 removed as much as possible before the butter is 

 packed. The package should be thoroughly steamed, 

 and then filled with hot water in which some salt 



