BUTTER. 65 



cream obtained; for the milk was of at least ordinary 

 quality, while the cream was so rich as to yield 25 ozs. of 

 butter per quart, the ordinary yield being not much more 

 than half that quantity. These differences depend, as has 

 already been said, on differences of breed and of individual 

 character ; on differences of the period after calving when the 

 samples have been examined ; and on differences of feeding. 



The quantity of butter obtainable from milk, except 

 when the whole milk is churned, depends, other things 

 being equal, upon the perfect separation of its cream. To 

 this end the milk is poured through a hair sieve for the 

 separation of any hair or other dirt, into vessels, where it 

 stands some four inches deep; and after standing 12 hours 

 it is skimmed by a thin almost flat tin dish, containing 

 holes through which milk flows easily, and cream with 

 difficulty. It may be skimmed a second time in the same 

 way after another 12 hours, the milk after the first 

 skimming being shifted into clean pans and set there for 

 the next ; or the milk may be, and very often is, left 24 or 

 even 36 hours before being skimmed, and then it may be 

 either skimmed, or the milk is drawn off beneath it either 

 through a plug, if it be a shallow leaden cistern, or 

 through a syphon if it be of glass or earthenware. 



Probably the greatest quantity of milk in this country 

 is set for cream in leaden cisterns about 4 or 5 inches 

 deep : the next commonest pan is of brown earthenware, 

 white inside, some 21 inches across at top, and 4 inches 

 deep or thereabouts, and a foot or more wide at bottom. 

 Vessels of tinned iron of similar shape are also commonly 

 used for the purpose. Glass milk-pans are now much in 

 vogue ; exceedingly clean, as dirt is so much more easily 

 seen on them ; they are more brittle than the earthenware. 



