Thirty-fourth Annual Convention. ^^ 



satisfactory in their creameries. No fixed rule will give the 

 same results regardless of locality. However, we believe that if 

 a number of our buttermakers would make a change, there 

 would be a noticeable effect upon the quality of the butter. If 

 there is a decrease in the grade of Illinois butter it is not alto- 

 gether due to the grade of milk or cream that is received. Part 

 of it at least can be traced back to factory methods. Patrons 

 without defence have sometimes been made to take more than 

 their share of the blame for the low grade of butter. Not all of 

 our whole milk creameries can say that their output passed the 

 extra grade. This is also true of our creameries handling farm 

 skimmed cream. 



I am sorry to say that since there are patrons here and 

 there who deliver off flavored goods, it has made a number of 

 our men more careless. They can use that as a shield when any- 

 thing is said regarding quality. Let us forget the past and 

 during the coming year follow this plan. Set your standard for 

 quality high. Give instruction to the careless patron and if the 

 quality of his milk or cream is not improved, reject his product. 

 After the cream is in your charge handle it in such a manner 

 that the best possible butter can be made from it. Use a liberal 

 amount of starter and be sure you know how to make it. Why 

 use a starter ? Because there is not another thing that will show 

 such a beneficial effect upon the quality of the butter. Many 

 say, the cream is already sour and no starter is needed. This is 

 a wrpng idea. The starter is added not only to help increase 

 the acid but to improve the quality. 



A short time ago some one from a neighboring state said 

 that better butter would be made today if less starter was used. 

 That is not the fault of the starter. If you can not make a 

 starter, learn how. 



Our suggestive plan for the fall and winter months is to 

 ripen the cream in such a way that the desired acid can be devel- 

 oped in as short a time as possible, without employing a higher 

 ripening temperature than 75 degrees F. Use judgment as to 

 the amount of starter to be added. When it is not crowding the 

 capacity of vat or churn and the average test of cream is low, 

 enough starter or selected milk may be added to lower the fat 

 content to 20 per cent. During ripening, the cream should be 

 agitated frequently and the cooling begun when there is enough 



