162 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



the time it is churned until it is dehvered. I use no ice what- 

 ever. 



The spring answers for cooHng purposes much better than 

 ice. The temperature of the water is always uniform, the air 

 in the spring house is always pure. It is much cheaper than 

 ice — doing away with a refrigerator and ice house. 



Were it not for the spring a refrigerator and an ice-house 

 would he indispensable. Good dairy butter cannot be made 

 unless you have the proper facilities to keep the cream at a low 

 temperature. 



Ripening of the Cream. 



I churn twice a week — on Tuesday and Friday of each 

 week. The cream is ripened on Monday and Thursday of each 

 week. The cream from one churning to another is kept in the 

 spring at a temperature of 49 degrees F. in summer and 48 

 degrees F. in winter. It is essential that the cream is kept at 

 this temperature. If it is kept at a much lower temperature it 

 may develop a bitter flavor, and if kept at a much higher temper- 

 ature it becomes stale. 



The fresh cream must never be added to the older cream 

 until it has been cooled to 49 degrees F. 



Just before ripening the cream is all thoroughly mixed so 

 it will be uniform. The cream thus mixed always tests less 

 than .2 of one per cent acid. After the cream is thus mixed a 

 10 per cent starter is added and the cream is then placed where 

 it will warm up to about 65 degrees F. to 70 degrees F. It is 

 held at this temperature for about eight hours, after which it is 

 allowed to cool off to about 62 degrees F. The entire time 

 required for ripening is 24 hours. The cream is ripened to 

 about .6 of one per cent acid. This is the method used in winter. 



In the summer less starter is used and a little higher tem- 

 perature — 70 degrees F. to 75 degrees F. It is held for about 

 6 to 8 hours at this temperature, after which it is placed in the 

 spring and cooled to 50 degrees F. 



The time for ripening in summer is about 12 hours. It 

 matters very little whether the cream is ripened at 65 degrees 

 F. or 75 degrees F. so long as it is not allowed to develop too 



