136 CHEESE AND CHEESE-MAKING 



little experiment will enable the operator to 

 thoroughly understand this point. Mixed cream 

 should never be used : i. e. sweet and sour cream 

 mixed together. The churn should be well 

 cooled in summer and slightly warmed in winter 

 by the aid of clean water, and let us remark 

 that nothing is of greater importance than pure 

 water; if it is impure, containing organic matter, 

 this matter will be imported into the butter and 

 will assist in decomposing it. After churning 

 gently for a few minutes the carbonic acid gas 

 which has formed in the churn may be allowed 

 to escape by pressing the ventilator. Churning 

 then continues until the grains of butter have 

 reached the size of rice. At this point great 

 care must be exercised. Some excellent makers 

 here add a few quarts of very cold pure water, 

 which gives crispness* to the grains, preventing 

 their adhering to each other so completely. 

 The butter-milk is then drawn off through a 

 sieve and more cold water added. It should be 

 sufficient to enable the grains of butter to float 

 in the churn and to partially harden. The water 

 is then again drawn off and fresh cold water 

 added two or three times, the churn being 



