296 PREPARING BUTTER FOR MARKET 



sions holds 65 pounds of butter, and has given excellent satis- 

 faction for packing butter that is to be recut into prints. The 

 dimensions are, 14! by 13 J by 10^ inches, A inch ends and sides, 

 f inch top and bottom. 



For the Pacific Coast trade, boxes holding as much as 90 

 pounds are used by some of our larger creameries. Boxes of 

 this size are not used to any extent in the eastern markets. 



For packing butter on the farm, earthen jars give excellent 

 satisfaction, particularly if they are well glazed. Due to the 

 possibility of breakage, such jars are not used to any extent for 

 shipping butter. Earthern jars or crocks are very heavy and 

 easily broken during transportation. 



For shipping in small packages of different sizes, the* spruce 

 package is most commonly used. Some tubs manufactured for 

 this purpose hold 10, 20 and 30 pounds. The spruce tub is 

 also made in larger sizes, holding from 60 to 65 pounds. 



While spruce will not flavor butter if the tub is rightly 

 prepared, the disadvantage of the spruce package is that it soils 

 very easily on the outside and gives the package an unsightly 

 appearance. 



In Canada, New Zealand and Australia the cubical box is 

 used exclusively. These boxes are made to hold 56 pounds of 

 butter. Sometimes double covers are used. 



Storing Butter in Creameries. The temperature of the room 

 in which butter is stored should be as low as conditions will per- 

 mit. In local creameries a temperature of 40 or lower should 

 be maintained. In small creameries the butter is usually kept 

 at the creamery from three to six days. In some sections of the 

 country railroads carry refrigeration cars weekly; in others semi- 

 weekly. Hence, it is necessary to store butter at as low a tem- 

 perature as possible while it is waiting to be shipped. The 

 refrigerator in which the butter is kept at the creamery should be 

 as pure and dry as possible. Damp places are favorable to the 

 production of molds. Neither vegetables nor foods of other 

 kinds should be allowed in the refrigerator with butter, as they 

 are likely to impart foreign flavors to it. 



All large creameries, the so-called centralizers, are equipped 



