PROCESS OF MAKING BUTTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 313, 28 November 1857, Page 7

PROCESS OF MAKING BUTTER.

The following letter has been handed to us (Nelson Colonist) for publication, and we think it may be useful to many of our readers :— " Waimea East, October 20th, 1857. "Dear John,— As you have lately married and begun the world on your own account, and having settled too far off for me to be popping in every now and again, I shall take the liberty of occasionally writing a few lines to remind you how things are done at the old house at home. It is true you may have learned at your uncle's a good part of the profession of a farmer, yet I think I can inform you of some things worth knowing. You have a few cows, therefore I shall first give you the most prominent points to be observed in butter making, since that article is mostly allowed to keep a family in groceries. " When the milk is skimmed every morning the cream in the jar should be stirred thoroughly before and after each addition, and if not skimmed daily, the cream should be stirred every day to prevent it moulding, and assist it to churn easier. Never let the cream rise more than thirty-four hours ; that is, let it be skimmed off while sweet ; let it also be sweet at churning ; yet there is a proper maturity obtained by keeping. The cream should not be placed near the fire when cold, but warmed gradually in a room of the proper temperature— this may easily be known by placing your thermometer in the cream ; when the cream is too ■warm the butter comes too quick, is soft, and difficult to be separated from the cream. The churning is much easier when the cream is at a right temperature at the beginning of the process. The moist, delicious butter is obtained at a temperature of fifty-five degrees, though some say sixty, and others as high, as sixty-five degrees. As soon as the butter is well gathered take away the butter-milk and add pure water in its stead, and for a few minutes the churning must be resumed, thus the water must be changed several times till the milky appearance ceases. One ounce of salt may now be added to the pound of butter, for in the second working of the butter the salt is partly lost in the milky matter that is worked out. The butter is now hard and unyielding, and if you have a large quantity to make up, obtain a brick, something like bakers use and it will facilitate the labour materially. Butter can be worked too much ; therefore, do not work it longer than to get rid of the milk. "At some dairies the butter is not washed in water, under the impression that it spoils the flavour, but that is a mistake you will learn by experience. " One piece of advice more— don't be too anxious when you begin to rhurn ; turn the handle without haste and wait patiently. " I dare say on reading this you will exclaim What a lot about butter! Well, John, nothing is done without trouble, and as I have observed many times when I have gone to town some wretchedlooking butter the colour of lard, and not near so wholesome, and as I wish you to obtain a good name in all your farm operations, I have certainly been a little particular. However, you observe these directions and you will produce as good butter as my friend Jones, late of Arlington, used to. " In my next I shall tell you something about preserving butter, but at present adieu. " Your well-wishing father, "Stoker." Gum Leap Gas.— A New Gas. Every one must have noticed the brilliant light thrown out by gum leaves when placed on a fire, particularly when the leaves are dry. It seems this feature in the combustion of the leaves is likely to be turned to useful account in the production of gas. The following is the process : — The gum leaves being first placed in a retort, previously heated to a red heat by means of a furnace situate immediately below it, quickly evolve gas which passes from thence to a hydraulic main. It then proceeds through a purifying process, effected by the intervention of lime. Having in this manner been freed from all offensive matter, it next finds its way into the gasholder, and into the pipes destined to convey it to the gasaliers. The total expense incurred by Mr. English in constructing the apparatus 13 about £250. A cart load of leaves per week is sufficient for the sustenance of 50 burners, emitting jets of flame equally brilliant and innocuous. — Hobart Town Daily Neics. Singular Effects of Electricity.— a singular occurrence took place a short lime since at the locomotive works, illustrating the powerful effects of electricity. A locomotive was being moved from the manufactory to the I central depot and had arrived in the middle of the street, when suddenly all hands dropped the bars with which they were moving the machine, and fell back in amazement. Resuming them at the order of the man in charge, they applied them again lo the wheels, and again fell back paralyzed the instant they touched the iron. The director of the job caught up one of the bars, and making a savage thrust, planted it under a wheel, preparatory to giving a huge lift. No sooner had it touched, however, than he saw it fall from his grasp to the ground, as it had done in every case before. Such singular occurrences excited attention, and an 'examination was made as" to. the cause, when it was found that the locomotive, in passing under the telegraph line* had come in contact with a broken wire that hung "sufficiently low to reach, it. The whole mass of iron composing the locomotive had thus become charged with electricity, which had communicated itself to the bars that the men held in iheir hands, and caused the effect above' described. The wire was then removed, and the difficulty obviated in a moment.— Detroit Free Press.