146 Milk and Its Products 
finished butter, particularly so far as regards its tex- 
ture and percentage of water. The smaller the 
granules of butter when the churn is stopped, and 
the colder the water used, the more water will re- 
main in the butter without appearing in the form 
of drops. If the churning has progressed until the 
butter has formed masses the size of a hickory nut 
or larger, particularly if the butter is soft, it will 
be impossible to completely wash the buttermilk from 
the butter, and the buttermilk must necessarily be 
removed in working. Such butter will always re- 
tain in its flavor traces of the buttermilk so incor- 
porated with it. 
The texture of the butter is also affected by the 
temperature of the wash water. If the butter comes 
soft, the attempt is usually made to cool it down 
rapidly by the addition of large amounts of very cold 
water. The butter can be hardened up in this way, 
but it will show the effect of sudden changes of 
temperature afterward much more strongly than if it 
were cooled down more slowly. Butter fat does 
not conduct heat rapidly, and to become thoroughly 
warm or thoroughly cool requires some little time. 
If, then, butter has been churned too warm, and 
comes in a soft condition, the washing process should 
be much prolonged. Use the ordinary amount of 
water and at the ordinary temperature, but allow the 
butter to remain in it until it has had sufficient time 
to thoroughly adjust itself to the changed condition. 
It can then be taken out and worked without dan- 
ger of quickly becoming soft again. There is also 
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