Production of Butter. 



37 



No. 1 sliows tlie g;reatest quantity of butter produced. 

 „ 2 shows the best quality. 



3 excellent. 



4 soft, white, and milky. 



., 5 injured by long churning. 

 6 excellent. 



The same gentleman, after an experience of thirty years, came 

 to the conclusion that butter is yielded in the largest quantity, 

 and of the best quality, by the entire milk, kept in the first place 

 until it has become perceptibly acid. The time required for this 

 purpose varies according to the heat of the weather, the tempe- 

 rature of the dairy, <S:c. ; this point being ordinarily ascertained 

 by the formation of a strong, thick brat, or scum, showing itself 

 on the surface, which then becomes uneven. When fit, the milk 

 is put into a churn, as much hot water being added to it as will 

 bring the whole to a temperature of 65^. It is then churned at 

 the rate of thirty-eight to forty strokes per minute, until the 

 butter comes, which usually requires from three to three and a 

 half hours, when the velocity is diminished in order to gather 

 the butter. 



The two following tables are given by Mr. Ballantine as show- 

 ing the average results of many experiments in churning milk 

 and cream : — 



Xo. 1. Entire Itlilk. 



Concur, Teinporature of the ^- • i „ Heat of the churn- Heat of the churn 

 churn at setting. ^^'"^^ ^" churning. ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ 



June, 1S42. 65^ 3h. 30m. 60" 68^ 



Xo. 2. Cream onhj. 



c;pa9on Temperature of the Tiri- in r^m-.r-nn- Heat of the churn- Heat of the churn 

 churn at setting. una. m cnuiu.n,. ing house. ^vheu butter came. 



Oct., 1842. 55^ lb. 30m. 54= 59 = 



• With one exception I have inserted, more or less, details of 

 the various mxodes of making butter : the one to wdiich I am about 

 to allude is only, to the vvriter's knovvdedge, practised in the 

 southern division of Lancashire, and the county of Chester, and 

 very limitedly in Carlow. The practice alluded to consists in 

 dividing the milk into tvro portions, viz., the greater part of the 

 first milk is set in the ordinary way to stand for cream, the latter 

 being usually taken off quite sweet, and the skimmed milk sold, 

 used for the family, or given to the pigs : the latter part of the 

 milking, which is rich in cream, is at once placed in a vessel 

 containing the cream of prior milkings ; the last drawn are locally 

 called " afterings in cold weather the mixed cream and afterings 

 are set near the fire, in order to induce acescency, provincially 

 termed " soiling." The churn should be set at 58° or 60=, and 



