74 THE STORY OF MILK 



Coloring. — When the cream is ready it is poured into 

 the churn and a httle butter color is added. Some 



Branch of the Annatto tree 



people prefer butter very light or even uncolored, but 

 usually 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls of a standard butter color * 

 to 10 gallons of cream will be found right, varying 



* Butter Color is made of the coloring matter of "Annatto" dissolved 

 in a refined vegetable (salad) oil. The Annatto tree (Bixa Orelana) 

 grows in the tropics and the seed which has a thin coating of this beauti- 

 ful coloring matter comes mostly from the West Indian Islands, Jamaica, 

 Porto Rico and Guadeloupe. It is perfectly harmless and is used by 

 the natives to flavor and color soup and other foods much as we use 

 tomatoes. 



