ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 243 



comes quick and soft lower the temperature of the cream next 

 time. It is very desirable that the cream be held at the churning 

 temperature for at least two hours previous to churning. The 

 butter will be firmer if this is done. No objection to its standing 

 longer if the cream is not over ripe. 



Difficult churning. — In the winter when the cows are on 

 dry feed and have been milking for nearly a year or more and give 

 only a small amount of milk, it is frequently difficult to make the 

 butter gather. 



Skim as thick a cream as possible; ripen the cream as de- 

 scribed elsewhere till there is a pronounced acid flavor; do not 

 fill a barrel over one-third full and churn at a little higher tem- 

 perature. 



Color. — If selling butter to the general market, use color if 

 necessary to make the butter about the color of June butter. For 

 private trade, color or not, as suits the customers. The standard 

 butter colors are harmless and tasteless in the quantity needed. 

 The amount required is small and can only be determined by trial. 

 As the color combines only with the fat, a rich cream will require 

 more color per gallon of cream than a thin cream. The color 

 should be added to the cream just before starting the churning. 



Stopping. — Stop the churning when the granules of butter 

 are about the size of wheat grains, float freely, standing partly out 

 of the butter milk and separate readily from it. 



If the butter comes very soft, cold water may be added when 

 the butter begins to break. When the granules form small and 

 refuse to ''gather" and separate from the butter milk, a little 

 strong brine made by dissolving dairy salt in cold water will 

 usually help the separation of the butter from the butter milk. 

 A little salt may be thrown into the churning, but it is better 

 to use the brine. Of course much of it will spoil the butter milk 

 for drinking or cooking. 



Straining. — In drawing the butter milk from the churn it is 

 well to strain it through a cheese cloth or hair strainer, which will 

 catch the crumbs of butter that may otherwise be lost. 



Washing Butter. — By washing the butter while still in the 



