THE SOUTHEKN PLANTER. 



557, 



The Pli ilosophy of Churning.— HhQ cream of 

 milk is in the form of minute globules, the oily 

 or buttery matter being covered with a thin 

 coating of casein, something like the yolk of an 

 egg. 'The object of churning is to break these 

 globules, which it effects partly by the increase 

 of temperature, and partly by the agitation.— 

 During the operation of churning, the heat 

 generally arises from five to ten degrees. In 

 cold weather it is sometimes necessary to raise 

 the temperature of the cream by pouring in hot 

 water, or by some other means, and those who 

 have had much experience in churning know 

 from weary experience that it is impossible to 

 make butter come with cold cream. The agi- 

 tation is necessary, but the heat is indispensa- 

 ble to break the globules of cream and form 

 butter. Where the cream is raised by placing 

 milk over the fire, in the manner previously al- 

 luded to, the globules are broken by the heat 

 alone, and the butter is formed without much 

 churning. It can be finished or "gathered'^ in 

 a few minutes in a wooden bowl, with a ladle, 

 or in the churn. Butter thus made is relished 

 by many for present use, though apt to have an 

 oily taste. It is not made in this way in quan- 

 tities or for preservation in this country, that 

 we have learned. 



In Devonshire, England, where much butter 

 is made, and of very superior quality, a system 

 Bomewhat similar is practiced. As soon as the 

 milking and skimming processes are over, the 

 warm new milk is placed in a brass pan. A 

 small quantity of cold water is placed in the 

 pan, and here it stands in the day time for six 

 hours, or at night till the following morning. 

 It is then carefully placed near a slow fire, so 

 as to be heated to a certain point, but not per- 

 mitted to boil. It is a delicate matter to have 

 a fire just brisk enough to prevent milk from 

 curdling in summer, and still not so hot as to 

 cause it to heave or boil. A firm consistency 

 on the surface, and a tough consolidated ap- 

 pearance are the criterions usually depended 

 upon for the proper amount of heat. When 

 sufficiently scalded 



ed in the churn is about 55°, and this coolness 

 it is difBcult to obtain in the heat of summer, 

 unless the churning is done very early in the 

 morning, or the dairy-house is usually well 

 adapted to the business. In skilful hands cold 

 water is useful, and every dairy farmer should 

 have an ice-house, where a constant supply of 

 ice can be obtained for regulating the tempera- 

 ture of the milk. In winter warm water and 

 a warm room can be made use of as desired. — 

 The temperature of Schooley's preservatory 

 can be regulated very easily, and we think fa- 

 vorably of it. We only designed to present a 

 few facts on this subject, and have exceeded the 

 space we proposed to occupy. It is, however, 

 an interesting subject, and we would like the 

 opinions of experienced dairymen. 



[Rural New Yorker, 



Overseer's Rules. 



The following rules were laid down by a good 

 overseer in Jackson Parish, La., and published 

 in the Times. Read them : 



1. Before going to bed, I will think over 

 what I have to do the next day, and note it 

 down upon my slate, in order that it may be 

 recollected on the morrow. 



2. I shall rise early, and never let the ne- 

 groes catch me in bed of a morning, but see 

 that they are all put regularly to their work. 



3. After rising I shall not idle about, but go 

 directly at the business of my employer. I shall 

 see that the negroes are at their work ; that the 

 horses have been fed, the cattle attended to, &c. 

 If any of the negroes have been reported as 

 sick, I shall at once see that proper medicine 

 and attendance are given. 



4. Wherever the negroes are working, I shall 

 consider it my duty to be frequently with them, 

 in order that I may see how they get along. I 

 shall not content myself with doing; this once 

 a day, but I shall do 



so repeatedly, observing 

 every time what they are doing, and how they 

 do it. I shall never permit them to do any 

 the pan and its contents work wrong if it takes the whole day to do it 



are removed to a cool place in summer, and 

 covered over, until cool, with a woolen cloth in 

 winter, when the cream is taken off. The pro- 

 cess of churning is very simple ; the cream is 

 placed in wooden bowls, it is then briskly stir- 

 red by the hand, or by a "whisk'' of peeled 

 willows until the butter-milk separates from 

 the butter, which is usually effected in some 

 ten minutes. 



We have never eaten butter made in this 

 way that we thought first-rate, and always 

 considered it injured by the heating. Butter, 

 too, we think is injured in the same way by too 

 rapid churning. The fact that one churn will 

 make butter in a shorter time than another is 

 no evidence of its superiority, as its rapid ac- 

 tion may raise the temperature higher than is 

 necessary or beneficial. 



The proper temperature for cream when plac- 



right. 



5. Negroes — I shall see that the negroes are 

 regularly fed, and that they keep themselves 

 clean. Once a week at least I shall go into 

 each of their houses, and see that they have 

 been swept out and cleaned. I shall examine 

 the blankets, &c., and see that they have been 

 well aired ; that everything has been attended 

 to which conduces to their comfort and happi- 

 ness, 



6. Horses — I shall consider it my business 

 to see that the horses are properly fed and rub- 

 bed ; their stable is well littered. When har- 

 nessed and at work, I shall see that their har- 

 ness fits, and does not gall them, recollecting 

 that these animals, though dumb, can feel as 

 well as myself. 



7. CatUe — I shall daily see that the cattle 

 have been penned, that they have good water 



