Production of Butter. 



41 



will remain in tlie interstices alluded to, Vv^licn tlicir cdj>-es corne 

 in contact with the fluid ; in order, therefore, to produce the 

 greatest action, the fluid ought to be on a level with the edges of 

 those interstices : this will occur'when the latter are in a perfectly 

 horizontal position. This form of churn is the best for churning 

 sweet cream, and will undoubtedly produce the butter from milk 

 and cream, in any form, in much less time than any churn that 

 has yet been introduced ; but for working large masses of fluid, 

 the labour would be excessively heavy, and in large dairies, where 

 milk and cream are churned together, steam or other power v/ould 

 be required ; it also remains to be yet tested on a large working 

 scale, whether the butter will prove as good as that churned by 

 the ordinary methods. Mr. Robinson, of Lisburn, has for some 

 time introduced a churn from France, which is very neat and 

 simple, and well adapted to gather the butter, having a grating 

 for the purpose, to which also heating or cooling appliances can 

 easily be adapted as the season or case may require. 



On reviewing the whole of the circumstances connected with 

 procuring butter, the writer is induced to give a preference to 

 what may be termed the Lancashire method, which combines the 

 best principles connected with the other methods. By setting aside 

 the milk first drawn to stand for cream, the most aqueous and 

 serous portion of the milk is got rid of, whilst by preserving the 

 last drawn portions, and mixing it with the cream, it obtains the 

 requisite fluidity ; the acescent form in which the whole is placed 

 in the churn is favourable to the speedy formation of the butter. 

 Another circumstance, of no inconsiderable moment, especially in 

 a densely populated district, such as the northern manufacturing 

 counties, is the quality of the butter-milk thus made, which is far 

 superior to that made from cream alone. 



Churning should be regulated by a thermometer, cold water 

 being applied in summer, and warm water in winter, to obtain 

 the proper temperature, particulars of which have already been 

 given. When the butter is made from cream alone, early in the 

 morning (about 4 o'clock) is the best period of the day for the 

 purpose. When a change is heard in the sound of the churn, and 

 an unequal resistance is felt against the dashers, the butter may 

 be expected to form very shortly. 



After the butter is taken from the churn it must first be well 

 squeezed or " worked " by the hand, and all the water that pos- 

 sibly can be, should be pressed out, it being for this purpose 

 kneaded, washed, and rolled out several times with clean cold 

 water, and the last time a little salt should be kneaded into the 

 mass, which will have the effect of causing the greater part of the 

 remaining caseous matter to exude when subsequently washed in 

 cold water, salt appearing to have the property of dissolving 



