1906. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
547 
EXCESS MOISTURE IN BUTTER. 
Too much water in the butter is as 
bad as too much sand in the sugar. This 
question, while not a new one, is now 
being much discussed. While there are 
some who look at this as a fad, that 
will shortly disappear, and others, who 
regard the action of the United States 
Revenue Department in subjecting that 
with over 16 per cent water to a 10-cent 
per pound tax, as adulterated butter, as 
unjust, and a hardship, I believe the 
majority of honest buttermakers are in 
sympathy with the movement and inclined 
to push it along. 
There is no more reason why the con¬ 
sumer should not be protected in the 
amount of water he is compelled to take 
in his butter than in his milk, unfortunate¬ 
ly with one as with the other the adul¬ 
teration is not always so apparent that 
the selling price is regulated by the qual¬ 
ity. Were it so, there would be no neces¬ 
sity of legal restrictions. Until the 
millennium dawns, there always will be 
those who are dishonest through greed 
of gain. To such, what easier method 
than to sell in every pound of butter 
worth 20 or 25 cents a half ounce of 
extra water? There is nothing that will 
appeal to such, except the strong arm of 
the law. As is always the case some who 
are innocent must suffer with the guilty, 
in a measure at least. We must remem¬ 
ber that our laws arc made, (as a rule) 
and administered for the greatest good 
to the greatest number. A case came to 
my notice last Winter where the butter 
from a certain district was discriminated 
against in one of our large city markets. 
When a dairyman from that section 
asked the reason for such discrimination 
he was told: “We don’t care to buy 
water, therefore we buy our butter from 
-, and if we buy yours at all, 
will buy it at two cents less per pound.” 
Here was doubtless a case where the prac¬ 
tice of a few buttermakers had injured 
the business of a whole county; farmers 
and dairymen both the sufferers. While 
it is rather a low standard of morals, it 
is nevertheless true that in the long run 
“honesty is the best policy.” Let it be 
distinctly understood that I would not 
even imply that everyone who has over 
16 per cent of water in his butter is dis¬ 
honest and has it there with intent to 
defraud. 
Why is it that we never used to hear 
of this trouble; and that with the old- 
time buttermaker such a thing was un¬ 
known? In answering the above and 
suggesting some of the causes, and some 
ways of obviating the difficulty, I speak 
from an experience, with a large and 
a private creamery, in both as having to 
do with the raw material, and in selling 
the product, and a practical buttermaker 
as well. Such experience has given me 
some opportunities to know whereof I 
speak, and should make me an unbiased 
as well as a credible witness. I know 
that with properly handled cream and 
butter there is no need of an excess of 
water, that such butter is not worth as 
much, not only because water is less val¬ 
uable than butter fat, but because such 
butter is usually deficient in other ways. 
Or, in other words, the agencies that 
help to incorporate too large an amount 
of water, are apt to injure both flavor 
and texture, two most important points 
in good butter. I also know that if one 
sets out to do it he can incorporate 25 
per cent of water and still have an article 
that, without due scrutiny, will appear 
first-class. 
The old-time buttermaker who churned 
his cream till his butter came in a lump, 
could get little additional water in it, and 
in his efforts to work out the buttermilk 
also worked out the water, and such but¬ 
ter usually contained nearer 12 per cent 
than 16 per cent of moisture. Stopping 
the churn when the butter was in the 
granular form, made it possible to wash 
out most of the buttermilk so that less 
working was necessary. Then it was an 
easy step to go to the other extreme 
and not work enough, particularly when 
an increased amount of butter was the 
result. This was stimulated by the ad¬ 
vent of the Babcock test, the consequent 
rivalry between creameries to make a 
good showing. Such also was an easy 
way to hide or cover the deficiencies aris¬ 
ing from poor skimming and loss of fat 
in the buttermilk from improperly 
handled and poorly-churned cream. It is 
easy to see how these causes led, without 
intent in many cases, and with every ef¬ 
fort to make the most of them in others, 
to a gradual increase of a water content, 
until the abuse became so great that 
measures must be employed to stop it. 
With the bulk of cream now being run 
from the separators, and too often being 
churned at a higher temperature than 
was that from the deep setting, there is 
the tendency to too quick churning; and 
it is a well-established fact that butter 
fat will hold more moisture in a soft 
than in a hard condition. As intimated 
above, too light working will retain more 
water; with such butter, the working is 
apt to stop quickly in order that it may 
be handled. Again, if the granules are 
hard and small so that the salt can be 
readily distributed, and there is but little 
working there will be plenty of small 
openings each filled with water. This 
can be with intent or from lack of atten¬ 
tion in an overloaded worker. If the 
butter is worked to a grain like fine steel 
there need be little fear of too much 
water. 
If the cream has been well cooled, is 
churned at as low a temperature as is 
consistent with churning in a reasonable 
time (say half an hour), is from 35 to 
38 per cent fat (this will admit of churn¬ 
ing at a lower temperature than same 
cream much thinner) ; the churn stopped 
when the granules are the size of wheat 
grains (not always an easy thing to do) ; 
washed with water as near the tempera¬ 
ture of the buttermilk as possible, and 
washed as little as may be and get the 
buttermilk out; then salted with salt 
about the temperature of the butter (this 
is very important) ; and the butter prop¬ 
erly worked, there will be few cases of 
an over amount of water. 
E. VAN ALSTYNE. 
FRAUD IN THE “REGISTRATION ” 
OF ANIMALS . 
About 12 years ago while confined to 
the house, I saw an advertisement of a 
Jersey heifer for sale in a prominent 
dairy paper. I sent a letter for informa¬ 
tion and pedigree of her breeding. In a 
few days I received them. It was an 
elegant pedigree in breeding, being of the 
best families and producers. Having all 
the time I cared for at my command, I 
read the pedigree very carefully, with a 
book at my side for reference, “Jersey 
Cattle in America,” by W. Lindsay. I 
thought there was too much breeding for 
the price asked and became suspicious. 
I soon found an error, and then several 
more, so I was disgusted with the pedi¬ 
gree. I referred to my book and wrote 
a pedigree as it should be. Wrote him 
a letter asking for information and also 
enclosed the pedigree I wrote for his 
heifer. The shoe fit the man, he never 
replied. You can form your own con¬ 
clusions. 
A few years ago a pajty in our ad¬ 
joining county had an order for a Jersey 
cow registered. The order came from 
N. Y. State. The party who signed the 
order was not a breeder, but a commis¬ 
sion man. He replied he could fill the 
order. But he had no stock; so he pur¬ 
chased a grade Jersey in the neighborhood 
for less than half the price he was to 
receive for a good cow registered, and 
shipped her to the party. But he would 
not receive the cow, much less pay the 
expressage. The express company wrote 
the shipper if he did not pay the charges 
for shipping the cow they would prose¬ 
cute him and he could never ship any 
more stock on their road. By this ex¬ 
posure he was closed out of business. 
He never could give registry and transfer 
papers for the cow, for the secretary of 
the Association would have found the 
error. (I believe the associations are 
all right. I have never found a mistake 
that the secretary made in the transfer 
of cattle since I have been breeding, now 
16 years. A few years ago the Associa¬ 
tion threw out quite a number of cattle 
that fraudulent registry and transfer 
papers had been granted on, and would 
never after sign any more applications 
from these parties to have cattle registered. 
I believe the trouble is with the individual 
man and not the association. 
J. ALDUS HERR. 
THE LITTLE CHICKS. 
Keep the brood of little chicks the first 
few days in a box a foot or two across 
and deep enough so they cannot jump 
out. It may be put by the kitchen stove 
if necessary, or out in sun or shade as 
the weather permits. The hen can step 
out, roll in the dust, eat grass and en¬ 
joy well-earned liberty and the chicks 
are dry and safe. The little fellows can¬ 
not stand too much sun and it is well to 
have a strip of board along the south side 
to afford shade if wanted. If very hot 
the box must be placed in shade of tree 
or building. Change paper table-cloths 
in bottom of box. often and be sure the 
chicks have sharp sand or pounded earth¬ 
enware with their first meal. A tin can 
with windows an inch square an inch 
from the bottom cut with cold-chisel is 
a good water cup, allowing them to drink 
without getting wet. Fasten in corner 
of box so it cannot be tipped over. 
F. E. HALE. 
The H-0 Co. wants every 
one who is buying H-0 
Algrane Poultry Feeds to 
have a present; 
To have it at once and select it from 
their illustrated catalog. 
Write us and we will explain the 
proposition to you and give you a cat¬ 
alogue. We make 
H-O Algrane Poultry Mash 
H-O Algrane Scratching Feed 
H-O Algrane Chick Feed 
Guaranteed crushed grains, balanced 
for health, growth and eggs. 
The premiums offered are equal to 
merchandise in the best stores of the 
largest cities, and the opportunities 
under which you can secure these are 
most liberal. 
Buy H-0 Feed and get premium in 
advance. 
THE H-O CO., BUFFALO, N. Y. 
The best summer investment 
any dairy farmer ever made 
DE LAVAL 
CREAM SEPARATOR 
Its use means profit and 
satisfaction combined. 
Send for new 1906 catalogue. 
The De Laval Separator Co. 
Randolph & Canal Sts. i 74 Cortlandt Street 
CHICAGO I NEW YORK 
The International 
Is the only Silo with an Automatic Self Adjusting 
Hoop. Also has Continuous, Open Front, Air Tight, 
and Easy Operating Door, and a Permanont Laduer, 
always in Position. Made of Selected 2-inch Tank 
Pine. Matched, ready to set up. THE INTER¬ 
NATIONAL SILO CO., Box 01, Jefferson, O. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and 
‘‘a square deal." See guarantee, page 8. 
Horse Owners! Use 
QOMBAULT’S 
Caustic 
Balsam 
A Safe, Speedy, and Positive Core 
The safest. Best BLISTER ever used. Take* 
the place of all ltnamcnts for mild or severe action. 
Hcmoveg all Bunches or Blemishes from Horses 
and Cattle, SUPERSEDES ALL CAUTERY 
OR FI RING. Impossible to produce scar or blemish 
Every bottle sold Is warranted to give satisfaction 
Price *1.50 per bottle. Sold by druggists, or sent 
oy express, charges paid, with full directions for 
.ts use. Send for descriptive circulars. 
THE LAWRENCE-WILLIAMS CO., Cleveland. O. 
EARTH 
Uaod Over 20 Year* 
Tatumsvllle, Ky., 
April 10, 05. 
Dr. B. J. Kendall Co 
Dear Sirs;—l have 
been using your 
SpavinCureand oth¬ 
er remedies for over 
20 years and think 
they are <ho beat on 
the market. 
Respectfully yours 
S J. Cox. 
Kendall’s Spavin Cure 
Is the remedy for Spavins, Splints, Ringbones and 
Curbs that endures.Two generations attestlts worth. 
Price $ 1; 8 for SB. Greatest known liniment for 
family use. All druggists selllt. Accept no substi¬ 
tute. The great book “A Treatise on tho Horse,"free. 
DR B. J. KENDALL CO., Enosburg Falls, Vt. 
lUTITOIlllESlKIMS 
Heave and Cough Cure 
A Specific for Wind and Throat 
troubles. 25 years in Veterin¬ 
ary practice, 14 years on the 
market, proves its worth. On© 
to two cans will effect 
a permanent cure for 
Heaven. $1.00 per can. All 
or seut direct, express prepaid. 
Send for booklet of endornements. 
THE NEWTON REMEDY CO., Toledo, Ohio 
Dr. Holland’s Medi¬ 
cated Stock'Salt 
has no rival aa a Conditioner and 
Worm Destroyer. A true remedy 
for the ills of stock. Health,Thrift 
and Rapid Growth are the results 
of its use. Guaranteed to accom¬ 
plish what is claimed for it. Ten 
(10) feeds for a cent. 
THK HOLLAND STOCK RBJIEDY 
COfll’ANYa WELLINGTON, OHIO. 
Writ© for Booklet. Agenta Wanted- 
COOPER 
SHEEP DIP 
STANDARD OF THE WORLD *>r«0 
yearn. Used on 250 millions annually. If local 
druggist cannot supply, send $1.75 for $2 (100 gal.) 
pkt. to Cl'UIL FRANCKLYN, 72 Bearer St., N. I. 
Milk Oil 
F or 
Cattle, Sheep, 
Hogs. 
Oldest American Dip. Cheapest, 1 
most effective, strongest obtainable. 
1 gal. can $1.60, 52 gal. barrel $40- 
Catalog Stockmen’s Supplies Free. . 
F. S. BURCH & CO.. 177 Illinois Street, CHICAGO 
STEEL STANCHIONS 
Write for new circular and prices. 
F. R. & H. J. WELCHER, 
BUTLER ST„ NEWARK, N. Y. 
WARRINER’S hSKSIKg STANCHION 
I. B. Calvin, Vice-Presi¬ 
dent, State Dairy Associa¬ 
tion, Kewanno, Ind.,says: 
“I think them 
PERFECT.” 
Send for BOOKLET. 
W. B. CRUMB, 
73 Main Street, 
Forestville, Coon. 
CHAIN-HANGING 
CATTLE STANCHION 
The Most Practical 
CATTLE FASTENER 
ever invented. 
Manufactured and for 
sale by 
O. H. ROBERTSON, 
Forestville, Conn. 
SILOS 
The kind that "Uncle Sam" uses. Contin¬ 
uous opening Front, Air-tight Doors. Per¬ 
manent Iron Ladder. Also Silo Filling 
Machinery, Manure Spreaders, Horse and 
Dog Powers. Threshers. 
HARDER MFG. CO., 
Box I I, Cob leskill, N. Y. 
BUILD YOUR OWN 
SILO. 
We make the best, the cheapest and the Simplest 
Silo In the world. Parts shipped complete, all ready 
to put up. Directions make it easy. 
WE PAY THE FREIGHT. 
MAY WE SEND YOU A CATALOGUE? 
VAN SLYKE & CO., North Tonawanda, N. Y. 
