50 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



The Spring. 



I have one of the largest and best springs in the county, 

 the water running at the rate of more than a barrel a min- 

 ute. The temperature of this water is 49 degrees F. in sum- 

 mer and 48 degrees F. in winter. This spring is walled up 

 and a house was built over it. In this spring the cream is 

 cooled and kept until it is ripened and the butter is kept 

 in the summer from the time it is churned until it is deliv- 

 ered. I use no ice whatever. 



The spring answers for cooling 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 be 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 sum- 

 mer 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 temperature 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% starter is added to the cream which 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 8 hours, 

 after which it is allowed to cool off to about 62 degrees F. 

 The entire time required for ripening is 24 hours. The 



