66 A COUNTRY READER. 



Although nothing but cream or fat is supposed 

 to be placed in the churn, there still remains a 

 quantity of milk mixed with the grains of butter ; 

 this buttermilk must be drawn away. This is 

 done by adding a supply of fresh water while 

 the butter is being churned. The water has the 

 effect of washing away all the milk that surrounds 

 the butter grains, and which is allowed to escape 

 from the churn by means of a tap. When the 

 stream from the tap runs quite clean, you know 

 that the water has done all that it can to remove 

 the buttermilk. 



The butter grains must then be removed from 

 the churn and worked by hand. They are 

 worked by hand in order to press them into 

 solid butter, and in doing so press out any 

 buttermilk that may still be left. 



Remember that butter is a very sensitive sub- 

 stance, and that there are very few hands suitable 

 to press these butter grains into solid butter. 

 The reason of this is, that there is constantly 

 coming away from the human hands an insen- 

 sible perspiration, which affects the butter, 

 making it greasy. 



Therefore, all sorts of implements called 

 Scotch hands, butter shapes, scoops have been 

 invented, so that in removing the grains from 

 the churn, pressing the grains into solid butter, 

 forming the butter into different shapes or 



