THE CHURN 347 



iron patches the butter is very liable indeed to have a strong 

 metallic or even a fishy flavor. The cream should be cooled 

 promptly after separation to a temperature between 50 and 45 

 degrees F. If vs^arm cream is mixed v^^ith old cream the 

 whole mass will start souring promptly. Therefore, fresh lots 

 should be kept separate until cold, when they may be mixed with 

 that previously procured. If the cream reaches a temperature 

 of 55 degrees the souring process proceeds quite rapidly. There 

 is no particular advantage in cooling at any time below 40 de- 

 grees, however, and 45 degrees will do very well indeed. 



For the production of best butter, cream should be churned 

 at least twice a week in winter and three times in summer. In 

 hot climates daily .chumings are to be preferred. 



Churning. — The churning process consists essentially in a 

 series of concussions which serve to break the curd and to cause 

 the minute globules of butter fat to come into contact with one 

 another and cause them to stick together, growing in size with 

 the addition of others until granules are formed sufficiently 

 large to be easily removed. The process is essentially the same 

 whether done by stirring cream in a bowl, pounding a skin bag 

 filled with milk, plunging a vertical dasher or revolving a barrel 

 chum permitting the cream to fall. 



The churn used vnll vary in size and kind with the amount 

 of work to be done, but some form of barrel is preferable to any 

 in which paddles only revolve or in which the cream slops from 

 one end of the chum to the other, the receptacle not revolving. 



All of the so-called " lightning " chums, and most of those 

 made of metal should be lo(>kc<l upon as thoroughly im])racti- 

 cable. Small chums made of earthenware may be perfectly 

 cleansed, and in this respect are desirable. Wooden chums, how- 

 ever, are still recognized as standard. While more difficult to 

 clean and keep sweet, such may be accomplished with care. 

 Wood has the further advantage of being a good non-conductor 

 of heat and therefore aids in holding the temperature of the 

 cream near the desired point, even though the temperature of 

 the atmosphere of the room is higher or lower than the cream 

 within. Another valuable feature of wood is that when well 

 scalded and soaked, butter fat will not stick to it. Butter of 



