1104 
October 26, 
Live Stock and Dairy 
•• THE OLD-FASHIONED BUTTER.” 
Is it necessary in butter making to 
sterilize the cream and ripen it for churn¬ 
ing by the use of a starter, as the dairy 
books say? If so, why? Thirty-two years 
ago, when my parents were paying for their 
dairy farm in Delaware County, New York, 
wholly by making butter, no such thing as 
a starter was known. The milk from 12 
or 10 cows was set in shallow pans holding 
about 10 quarts, on milk racks in a light, 
airy milk room, which was used for no 
other purpose. In 36 to 48 hours, accord¬ 
ing to the weather, when the milk turned 
sour, and sometimes had thickened, it was 
skimmed. If the cream was not likely to 
get ripe enough for churning it was some¬ 
times left by the kitchen stove all night. 
The next day it was brought to the proper 
temperature and churned. The butter was 
better than I have ever been able to'find 
since. Surely some of the editors remem¬ 
ber when Delaware County butter topped 
the quotations in the New York City mar¬ 
ket, and “starters” were unknown. 
We used to pack and ship each week in 
50-pound firkins or half-firkins of oak with 
wooden hoops until the first of .Tune. After 
that until about the first of October the 
butter was packed in 100-pound firkins, 
placed on a plank in a long row in a cool, 
dark cellar, covered with a white cotton 
cloth and a layer of an inch of damp salt; 
there was no question of its keeping in¬ 
definitely. I have known the whole sea¬ 
son’s product to be kept more than a year. 
When broken the surface presented the 
appearance of (fractured metal; and it 
would stand on the table during a meal 
without ice and without assuming the con¬ 
sistency of vaseline. The butter buyer and 
his semi-cylindrical “tryer” was a regular 
institution, and he had keen competition. 
Those days are gone probably forever, and 
butter making, in that county, at least in 
the western end, is a lost art. The butter 
served on the tables of the farmers of that 
section averages poorer than in city 
restaurants. Three trains devoted ex¬ 
clusively to milk run through that county 
every day in the year on one road and 
endless quantities of milk are produced, 
but not enough butter to supply the tables 
of the milkers. It will surely need a 
“starter” to start those dairymen to mak¬ 
ing butter and keeping their skim-milk for 
the raising of calves and hogs. Seriously 
speaking, however, I would like to know 
if it is no longer possible under proper 
conditions to make butter of a uniformly 
superior quality without the use of a 
laboratory culture. c. w. B. 
Washington, D. C. 
I confess to being a little old-fash¬ 
ioned myself, and therefore somewhat 
inclined to sympathize with the ideas 
that seem to be in the possession of 
this questioner. I do not really mean 
to call him old-fashioned, only he, like 
myself, has a longing for the kind of 
butter that mother used to make. Yes, 
it was good butter whether made in 
Delaware County or Chenango. 1 once 
asked the superintendent of a line of 
creameries why it is that we do not 
get good butter any more, especially 
from the creameries. He laughed and 
said that he supposed it was better than 
the old-time butter. I assured him of 
his mistake, and he acknowledged • a 
certain kind of superiority in the butter 
that we used to get at the home dairy. 
He then attempted to assign a reason. 
He admitted that the pasteurization did 
not improve the quality if the milk and 
cream were good. Indeed, pasteuriza¬ 
tion seems to be detrimental to the qual¬ 
ity if we use the standard of good but¬ 
ter that was used 40 or 50 years ago. 
The trouble is that some of the milk 
or cream is not of fine quality by the 
time it has gone through all of the 
processes of preparation for the cream 
vat in an average creamery. The cream¬ 
ery man will blame the patron, and the 
patron will as likely lay the blame on 
the creamery. I have no doubt but that 
the fault may be divided without doing 
injustice to either. 
I want to take this opportunity to 
speak of the great amount of poor but¬ 
ter that is made in this country. It is 
next to impossible to find good butter 
many times, in the country districts, and 
I presume the same is true in the city 
unless one pays what seems like a pro¬ 
hibitive price. This vast amount of 
poor butter is aiding the oleo people to 
a greater extent than many realize. 
Farmers and dwellers in villages are 
using oleo when they would not do it 
if they could get really good butter. It 
is claimed that grading the cream will 
help the matter, and that is doubtless 
true to some extent. Grading milk is 
just as important, but in either case 
there must be some sensible method of 
grading, and as sensible a standard for 
the grades, with corresponding pay¬ 
ments for the different values of the 
product sold. As yet no method for 
doing this has been devised that meets 
with very general approval. It has been 
tried to some extent and with a degree 
of satisfaction in some cases. It is 
liable to lead to trouble with patrons 
and between different creameries. It is 
held in abeyance largely, and the in¬ 
ferior butter continues to come on the 
market to the disgust of consumers and 
the profit of the oleo fellows. Speaking 
of the poor butter on the farmer’s table 
THE RURAP NEW-YORKER 
I must admit that he is likely to get 
the worst of the deal. One creamery 
butter maker said to me, “If we do have 
bad luck in making a batch of butter 
we sock the salt to it, and the patrons 
get it when they come for their supply 
to the creamery.” He is not the only 
one that is following that practice. It 
is not fair to leave this topic with the 
blame all resting on the farmer. There 
is an entirely too large a number of 
butter-makers who are not fit for the 
work. They think they can lay the 
fault of poor butter to the farmers, just 
as many shippers lay the blame for poor 
milk sent to the market to the farmers 
who supply the article. There may be 
some reason for finding fault with poor 
milk or cream, but that should not 
shield the one who handles it from cen¬ 
sure if he is delinquent in his part, as 
I am very sure some of them are. It 
is poor policy to put a little poor milk 
into a lot of good stuff and so spoil the 
whole. It is more culpable to neglect 
doing all that can be done with either 
poor milk or good to make a fine grade 
of product. Men of supposed skill are 
paid good wages to do expert work. 
Some of them do it but not all. 
Maybe I have said too much along 
this line, but it is an opportunity that 
I have long desired. It is clear, I 
think, that with a mixed lot of milk, 
with some of it poor and perhaps some 
or all of the creamery appliances in 
improper condition, something must be 
done to correct the bacterial tendency 
to deterioration, and here comes the 
reason for killing off the whole lot and 
starting with a new lot of better breed¬ 
ing. That is pasteurization and adding 
starter. I want to stop here to say that 
I am writing this as a farmer and ob¬ 
server apd not as a butter-maker or an 
expert in the business. I know that ex¬ 
pert men say that where there is a 
mixed lot of milk or cream, pasteuriza¬ 
tion and the addition of a starter is 
necessary. It would be unwise for me 
to advocate a different procedure, but 
good butter is now made from good’ 
cream in some creameries without 
either. In our own home we have suf¬ 
fered from poor butter many times 
since we gave up making our own prod¬ 
uct. This Summer we have been able 
to get from a farmer who makes and 
sells to the neighboring farmers. This 
butter has been much superior to that 
we have usually been able to get. It 
came nearer to the old-time product 
than any butter we have obtained from 
a creamery, with one exception. That 
one exception indicates that good but¬ 
ter can be made in a creamery as well 
as on a farm. There are other excep¬ 
tions also, but they are too rare. This 
butter was not made by the use of a 
starter. Good milk contains the right 
sort of a starter when brought from 
the stable. Good lactic acid develops 
normally under right conditions. It 
may be that a better fiavor comes from 
cream ripened in contact with the milk. 
There is no reason that I know of why 
good butter may not be made now by 
the use of the small pans and the old 
dash churn. Both have served their 
time and new methods must prevail. 
We do not have the labor available to 
make butter by the old method now. It 
is a question whether any considerable 
number of people can be found who 
possess the skill to make butter by the 
old process. The labor is out of the 
question at any rate for any except an 
occasional farm home. Another point 
is in the fact that it is impossible to 
sell farm-made butter to any advantage 
except in localities where it may be de¬ 
livered direct to the consumer. It will 
not sell on the markets of the cities, to 
any advantage. All must be creamery 
butter if it is to bring a fair price. Let 
me say here that pasteurization is prac¬ 
ticed far less than it once was, but I 
think that the use of a starter or lactic 
acid former is used quite as much as at 
any time. h. h. l. 
Where are the Sheep ? 
On page 1008 II. M. O. of Frinceton, 
N. ,T., asks where are the sheep, In Bellows 
Falls, Vt., where I lived several years ago, 
there were driven by my house (during the 
Summer months) hundreds of sheep in 
flocks, to be shipped to Boston, Mass. At 
Cold River, N. H., one mile south were 
large sheep pens and any day during July 
and August one could see as many as 
1.000 sheep pastured there, waiting for 
cars, to ship to market. That is history 
now because of conditions I will mention 
later. I contemplated purchasing a farm 
in Vermont and raising sheep for the local 
market, but was informed by the butcher 
that he could not buy beef or mutton 
from me. When I asked why, he informed 
me that if he bought from me and the 
beef trust knew it, they would refuse to 
sell him meat of any kind. With that 
kind of intimidation, where is the incentive 
for raising sheep in Vermont? I presume 
those conditions exist in other States, and 
still we wonder why the price of meat ad¬ 
vances. g. H. M. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
A retail druggist in a “ live horse town ” within 30 
minutes ride from New York City, writes t “I am sell¬ 
ing three times more Save-the-Horse than any other 
one Veterinary remedy s when they want the GOODS 
that cures they come back for Save-the-Horse." 
SAVE-THE-HORSE 
(Trade Mark Registered.) 
SPAVIN REMEDY 
Whether on Spavin, Ringbone (except Low). Curb. 
Thoroughpin, Splint, Shoe Boil, Windpuff, Injured 
Tendons or other disease, n perfect and perma¬ 
nent cure is guaranteed, no scar or loss of hair. 
Horse works as usual. 16 YEARS A SUCCESS, 
W E Originated the Plan of—Treating Horses— 
Under Signed Contract to Return Money If 
Remedy Falls. But write, describing your case, and 
we will send our—BOOK—sample contract, letters 
from Breeders and bustrtess men the world over, on 
every kind of case, and advice—all free (to horse 
owners and managers). 
TROY CHEMICAL CO., 24 Commerce St., Binghamton, N.Y. 
Druggists everywhere sell Save-the-Horse WITII 
CONTRACT or sent by us Express Prepaid. 
$3 Package^ 
will cure any case or 
money refunded 
$1 Package 
cures ordinary cases. 
Postpaid on receipt of price. 
Agents Wanted 
Write for descriptive booklet 4 
MINERAL. 
i- 0 "rJHEAVE 
Fifty 
.Years 
REMEDY 
NEGLECT 
Will Ruin 
Your Horse 55 
Send today for 
only 
PERMANENT 
CURE 
Safe—Certain 
Mineral Heave Remedy Co., 461 Fourth Ave., Pittsburg, Pa. 
•» will reduce inflamed,swollen Joints, 
Bruises, Soft Bunches. Cure Bolls, 
PoU Evil, Ouitor, Fistula or any 
unhealthy sore quickly: pleasant 
to use; does not blister under 
bandage or remove the hair, and 
you can work the horse. f2 per bot¬ 
tle, delivered. Book 7 E free. 
ABSOKBINE, JR., liniment for 
mankind. Reduces Painful, Swol¬ 
len Veins, Goitre, Wens, Strains, 
Bruises, stops Pain and Infiamma- 
,tion. Price *1.00 per bottle at deal- 
|crs or delivered. Will tell you more 
_'if you write. Manufactured only by 
W.F.Y0UNG, P.D.F., 88 Temple St.. Springfield, Mas*. 
Jaw Cured 
in three weeks with 
one application of 
Adam's Raped Lump Jaw Cure 
Easy Method. No Scars. Positively Guaranteed. 
Send for valuable Free booklet on animal diseases. 
II. C. ADAMS 31FG. CO., Dept. 60, Algona, Iowa 
'.J'i’a 
.---S 
... 
PM 
m 
m 
$$ 
n 
if 
0m 
—the one sure way to keep out 
rats. Concrete lasts forever—- 
no repairs—no up-keep cost. 
LEHICH 
PORTLAND 
CEMENT m 
is the strongest, the most uni- 
form in color and fineness—the 
best all-round cement work on 
the farm—for building barns, 
sidewalks, feeding floors, cis¬ 
terns, culverts, watering troughs, 
fence posts, etc., etc. gj 
2 Valuable Book9 Free || 
showing over 29 practical, money 
savingusesior concrete on the farm 
One is called “The Modern Far- 
Hier"—the other Concrete Silos. 
Every up-to-date farmer should ■ 
read these two books. Just send /YT 
your name and address to — ® 
Lehigh Portland 
Cement Company 
Dept. 3897, Allentown, Pa. 
.1 Mills, 11.000.000 Barreto 
Capacity 
"Lehigh Sets 
the Standard” 
(73) 
MILK BOTTLES 
Perfect cap seats, color, weight, 
annealing, capacity, thickness and 
even distribution guaranteed : : : 
WISNER MFG. CO. 
230 Greenwich Street, New York 
COOK YOUR FEED and SAVE 
Half the Cost—with the 
PROFIT FARM BOILER 
With Bumping Caldron. Empties 
its kettle in one minute. Thesimplost 
and best arrangement for cooking 
food forstock. Also make Dairy and 
Laundry Stoves, Water and 
Steam Jacket Kettles, Hog 
Scalders, Caldrons.etc. iS^Seno 
for particulars and ask for oircol&» J 
D. It. Sperry & Co., Batavia, Ilk 
EXCELSIOR SWING STANCHION 
30 Days’ Trial—Stationary Whkn Open 
NOISELESS SIMPLE SANITARY DURABLE 
The Wasson Stanchion Co., 
Box GO, Cuba, N.Y 
r DI 1 M D'C IMPROVED 
UKUITIDO WAR Ft I HER 
STANCHION 
Henry H. Albertson, Burl¬ 
ington, N. J., writes: “My 
new Stanchions add greatly 
to the comfort of my cows.” 
WHY TORTURE 
yours with rigid stanchions? 
Send for specifications 
of inexpensive yet sani¬ 
tary cow stable to 
WALLACE B. CRUMB, Box MS, Forestvilic, Conn. 
KENDALL’S 
SPAVIN 
CURE 
spavin or 
other lame- 
n o s s. 3 5 
years of re- 
__mar le u b 1 e 
esults. $1 abottle,6 for $0. At 
11 drug stores. Ask for Free 
iook, “Treatise on the Horse.” 
r. B. 3. Kendall Co.,Enosburg, Falla.Vt. 
The old reliable remedy for 
curb, splint, bony growths,^ 
ringbone, 
Here’s the sure 
_J speedy way to 
your horse of spavin or i 
ringbone, or for removing t 
curbs, splints, etc. 
- Save Your Horse f a/. 
_ With A St.OO Bottle 
['That’s all this 30-year old remedy costs.—Get a 
bottle today—save veterinary bills. At 
all good druggists or by mail. 
Y/.B.Eddy&Co.Bo* W Whitehall N.Y 
