260 BUTTER-MAKING. 



can be properly incorporated in butter depends upon the amount 

 of moisture present. 



The amount of salt which water will hold in solution at 

 different temperatures varies somewhat according to differ- 

 ent investigators. According to Gerlach * water will dissolve 

 35.94% salt at 58° F. This is approximately the temperature 

 at which salt is worked into butter. Theoretically, butter 

 containing 15% of water should be able to properly dissolve 

 5.4% of salt. Butter containing 13% of water should be able 



Fig. 154. — Action of salt solutions of different strength on the proteids of 

 buttermilk. (Bui. 263, Gen., N. Y.) 



to properly dissolve 4.68% of salt, and butter containing 10% 

 of water should be able to dissolve properly 3.6% of salt, etc. 

 According to experiments conducted at the Iowa Experiment 

 Station the maximum per cent of pure salt (NaCl) that could 

 be properly dissolved in water of butter containing 16.92% 

 of moisture, when worked 18 revolutions at intervals during 

 two hours, was 16.57%. When butter was worked the same 

 number of revolutions at intervals, and was allowed to dissolve 



* Kemiker-Kalender, p. 219. 



