442 'Tii'AXSAcrjoxs of the Amkhtcax [ysTiivTE. 



and thus brini^ing tlic ^vllole to a greasy consist en cv, which no sub- 

 sequent treatment can remove. This has undoubtedly been the rea- 

 son why the numerous butter working machines brought out from 

 time to time have failed. 



Up to the present date no less than fifty-three of these devices 

 liave been invented and patented in this country. Some of them 

 have been designed to act upon the butter with working blades imi- 

 tating, though only in a slight degree, the action of the common 

 ladle. Others have been made with rollers so operated as to be 

 rolled over the butter, or to pass it between them. One, an English 

 invention, forced the butter through holes in the bottom of a vessel 

 like a colander, the water dropping out of the substance as it passed 

 through. None of them have been able to do the work as well as a 

 hand ladle operated to expel the liquids by pressure skillfully applied 

 to the mass. Butter properly worked should not contain more than 

 five per cent of water, but it often contains much more, as very fre- 

 quently it does of salt. Cases have been known in which these, the 

 water and salt, have constituted one-third of the weight of the whole. 

 Such undue proportions may be readily detected by melting a sam- 

 ple in a glass vial, when the constituents will separate, the salt at the 

 bottom, above this the water, and at the top the butter. The yellow 

 color of butter is dependent upon the nature of the food of the ani- 

 mal, and is deeper in proportion to the richness of the pasture. 

 Sometimes artificial coloring is resorted to, annatto being the mate- 

 rial commonly used, although in rare instances the juice of carrots 

 is used as an inferior substitute. 



The butter having been properly worked and salted in the usual 

 manner, needs only to be placed in good oak receptacles, and kept 

 covered with clear brine, in order to remain good for an indefinite 

 period. With regard to the packing, several forms of tubs have 

 been patented from time to time, but whether they possess any 

 advantages over the ordinary firkin is doubtful. One of those pat- 

 ented a few years since had a central orifice formed in the bottom, 

 and upon the latter a false bottom was placed, the orifice being stop- 

 ped with aping. AYhen it was desired to remove the butter from 

 the tub the plug was removed, the tub inverted, and the wdiole for- 

 ced out by a stick inserted through the orifice, and pressing against 

 the false bottom. In another the alleged improvement consisted 

 simply in coating the inside of the tub with parafiine, which is 

 impervious to brine and water. 



