260 CHURNING AND WASHING BUTTER 



requires more time than can be profitably spared. If the churn- 

 ing difficulty is of a serious nature the remedies are : 



(1) If produced by a certain cow, or herd, find out whether 

 it is produced by a fermentative process, or by other abnormal 

 conditions of the cow. 



(2) Change the food of the cow. A succulent food will 

 usually cause the cow to secrete more milk, and of a different 

 nature. 



(3) If produced by a ferment, endeavor to control the fer- 

 mentation as previously described. 



(4) Ripen the cream to a higher degree of acidity. 



(5) Skim thicker cream and churn at a higher temperature. 

 The last three methods will cure most cases of difficult 



churnings. 



Keeping Churn Sweet. It has been mentioned before that 

 butter absorbs foreign odors very readily. If the churn is not 

 kept in a pure, sweet condition, the butter will be exposed to the 

 undesirable odors and its commercial quality will be impaired. 

 The best butter cannot be produced in a foul-smelling churn. 

 As churns often are not used every day, they very readily assume 

 this impure condition, and it is essential that special care be 

 taken in keeping them clean. 



The best method of keeping churns in good condition is to 

 rinse the churn in two waters at the end of each churning. 

 The first rinsing should be made with lukewarm water, the 

 second with scalding hot water. Some prefer to turn the 

 churn over with mouth down. Others prefer to allow the cover- 

 hole to turn up. When the churn is turned with the cover- 

 hole down, the remaining steam on the inside of the churn will 

 not escape. It will condense inside of the churn, and cause the 

 churn to remain in a damp condition overnight or even longer. 

 If the churn is turned with the cover-hole up the dust and other 

 impurities, if present, are likely to settle into the churn. A good 

 way is to turn the churn over so that the cover-hole points to 

 one side. The churn should be thoroughly drained first, other- 

 wise some water will remain in the bottom. When the churn 

 is left with the cover-hole at one side, the steam can escape, 



