PACKING- BUTTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1419, 1 February 1879, Page 15

PACKING- BUTTER.

In packing butt-r ie is essential that ib be well tamped together, leaving no fipsures or air-cells. rr l his can be well done only when in a mellow condition, .and by putting in omall quantities at onca, and stroking it lightly a number of times with a ladle ; never rub it, but give a direct, positive impression at each stroke. The butter should never be placed against the edge of the package, but always in the cfntre, and be kept there all the time, a lit! la the highest. Inthis way there will always be both a perpendicular and lateral pressure on it, which will exclude the air and close up all fissures. By so doing, the brine, or excess moisture, will alfo get to the edge of the package, where it will finally be taken into, and keep filled the pores of the wood, thus rendering it constantly air-tight, and preventing the butter from getting into the wood, and so earning it to adhere to the package. If this is allowed to be done there will be a losa of a number of pounds to whoever undertakes to use it by a little that adheres, and by far more that gets affected. On tbe other hand, when the pores of the wood are entirely closed with the salt from this brine, not one particle of butter will be either wasted or damaged ; it will cleave from the package perfectly clean and sweet. Two pounds of butter wasted ia equivalent to one cent a pound on the whole package. Retailers and consumers generally understand this; and when they find a package that really costs them two or three cents a pound more than they expected, by reason of wastage, they are very apt to try another dairyman's butter, or if tbey are compelled to buy more of the same kind, to do so at a reduced price. A poor ohuraing of butte' sandwiched in between two good ones will condemn a packet of butter on almost any market, and the whole package will bring but very little if any more than if all was equally poor as the poorest in it ; or a churning of good white butter between two of fine yellow will detract from the price fully as much as would be equivalent to throwing the white away altogether. It is therefore far better to pack such churnings separately, or to use them up at the dairy while they are new and in their best condition. Such butter is useful if consumed soon after it ia made, while, if ' kept a short time, it will become nearly worthless, and so detract from the good, which, had it been packed by itself, would have commanded a good price. I have known a dairy of butter to bring more money after throwing out a whole package that had a poor churning in it, than was offered for the entire dairy. If a churning of butter does not fill a package it should be covered with a damp clean white cloth with salt on, to protect it from dust and air, until another churning shall fill it, when damp cloth and salt may again be put on.— N. Y. World.