BUTTERMAKING 255 
seems to be preferred and this is the color now used in 
creameries. 
Gas in Churn. During the first five minutes of churn- 
ing the vent of the churn should be opened occasionally 
to relieve the pressure developed inside. This pressure 
according to Babcock ‘‘is chiefly due to the air within 
becoming saturated with moisture and not to gas set free 
from the cream.” 
Size of Granules. Butter should be churned until the 
granules are about half the size of a pea. When larger 
than this it is more difficult to remove the buttermilk and 
distribute the salt. When smaller, some of the fine grains 
are liable to pass out with the buttermilk, and the per- 
centage of water in the butter is reduced. When the 
granules have reached the right size, cold water should 
be added to the churn to cause the butter to float. Salt 
will answer the same purpose. The churn is now given 
two or three revolutions and the buttermilk drawn off. 
Washing Butter. One washing in which as much 
water is used as there was cream is usually sufficient. 
When butter churns very soft two washings may be 
advantageous. Too much washing is dangerous, how- 
ever, as it removes the delicate flavor of the butter. 
Too much emphasis cannot be laid upon the importance 
of using clean, pure water for washing. Experiments 
conducted at various experiment stations have shown 
that impure water seriously affects the flavor of butter. 
When the water is not perfectly pure it should be filtered 
or pasteurized. 
SALTING. 
It is needless to say that nothing but the best grades 
of salt should be used in butter. This means salt readily 
