BUTTER-MAKING- IN AMERICA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3232, 22 June 1871, Page 3

BUTTER-MAKING- IN AMERICA.

Mr J. B. Corbau, a gentleman of large experience" in farming matterß, writes as follows in the " New York Tribune" :— 1. How deep Bhould milk be set ? If in the common eight quart pans, and the milk is to be skimmed, they Bhould not be filled over half full in hot weather ; but in cold weather they may be filled as full as convenient to handle. If all tho milk is to be churned, then fill them full or use pails. Many of my acquaintances use the large patent pans with good results. The size of the pan is made according to the size of the dairy, requiring only one pan for a milking. They are placed iv a vat, wilh an ice box, at one end, and so constructed that water may pass from the ice under and around the pan, and escape at the other end, or come back to the same end and dipped in to the ice again. The milk may be brought and kept to the proper temperature in them. Cream will rise in a higher temperature than, it will do to churn, but it is advisable to keep it about right for churning which is 58 to 62. There is a factory system of making butter carried on in some places, with very good success. They use pails and coolers, 8 inches across and 22 inches deep. They are filled with milk, then set into a pool of cold, circulating water the depth of the milk, and kept there until ready to bo skimmed. 2. How long shall the milk stand before skimming P From 38 to 48 hours, when it should be sour, and lapper on the bottom of the vessel. In the factory system they usually take the cream off before the milk sours, and make cheese of the milk. They let the crenin stand until it sours a little before churning it. 3. How old may- cream be to make good butter ? It should bo churned very soon after it is taken off, or is brokon up, as sour cream will very soon wliey, or rather commence to decompose, after being disturbed, especially in hot weather. I think it advantageous to churn all of the milk, rather than, to skim and churn the cream only, if coolers, or the large pans, are not used. The butter will be of much better grain, and usually of better flavor, and commands a higher price, besides, there is less waste of cream sticking to so many vessels and utensils, it also saves skimming and much washing. 4. What is the best churn ? The up and down dash churn. There are many hundreds of churns patented, and I have seen a great many, and the results of them. I have visited a great many butter makings, and many of the most noted ones, with a butter worker, and have seen and worked butter made by many different kinds of churns, and do not hesitate to say that I never found as good butter as that which was produced by the old up and down dash churn. The only objection to the dash chum is, ifc is hard to work, but the grain in quality of butter more than pays the difference of labor. 5. Why is some butter so slow to come P There are many reasons for this. The cows may not get proper food or water, or sufficient salt. Perhaps the cream or milk is not properly cared for, or it may not be of proper temperature which is of the utmost importance both for the production of good butter and the time required to bring it. If below 58 deg., the buttery particles do not readily separate, and if above 62 deg., the grain, color, and flavor of the butter are all materially injured, besides it will not come as readily. The shape and construction of the churn, also the way it is operated, will make quite a difference in bringing the butter ; also, in the quality of it. The churn should be made with a bulge about one third from tho bottom. The dash should be two pieceß, three to four inches wide, halved together and as large as will go on the bottom of the churn. There should not be any notches or holes through it, but the under side should be cupped out, and very fine holes, not larger than a knitting needle, through from the cups. In operating, the dash should always be brought out of the cream and to the top of the churn. The cups will carry air down to tho bottom of the churn, and the pressure will force it through the fine holes into the cream, which will help to changeitandgivecolortothebutter. There should be a tube about three inches long through it so that the air might pass through it freely. The dash should not bo operated too fast, causing too much agitation, which will make the butter come pasty white. When everything is all right, if will not require at any time over 30 or 40 minutes to bring the butter, and it should not be done iv less than i about 20. G. How should the buttermilk be got out ? Should the butter be washed out ? This is a question that has been discussed, perhaps more than any other connected with butter-making, and is not settled with small or family butter makers ; but in the best butter-making districts, butter is washed and dairymen in general wash it. My way of removing the butter milk from the butter is to put the butter from the churn into water enough to cover it, or more, and work it very little, only open it

so that the water will como in contract with the milk ; then pour off this milky water and put more on, and handle as before. Twice rinsing will generally cleanse any butter of its milk, also toughen the grain of the butter. But is not near as liable to got injured by washing the milk out as it is when tho milk is worked out ; besides, the sourness will nil rinse out, which is almost impossible to be got out by working without injuring tho grain. 7. How much salt to the pound? If for use, suit the taste, or the market it is designed for, but if for long keeping there should be grains of salt in it after it has dissolved all that it will want at present. About an ounce of pure fine salt to a pound of butter is about right for keeping or for the general market. 8. How should butter be put down P Sprinkle the packages with salt and then press the butter firmly, but not pound it as that will break the grain. When the package is full, spread a cloth wet in brine over it, and put about an inch of salt on it, and covered with brine, and see that it is kept covered. Butter that is properly manufactured and put down may be kept perfectly sweet for many years. The packages should be such as the butter will sell best in, but for keeping white oak firkins are best. 9. Butter in July.'— ln very hot weather the cows should be kept as quiet as possible, with plenty of feed and water. Tho milk should be cooled to the proper temperature, and kept so, and watched closely, and, as soon as sour, churn the cream, and, as the butter comes, waah it in cold water, but put no ice on the butter, as it will chill and whiten it. Salt it pretty strong, and keep it in as cool a place as possible, and work it when it is soft. 10. Butter in January. — In cold weather heat the milk by setting it over hot water until a skin forms on the top, and wrinkles up, then set it where the temperature is about 62 deg., If the cream does not rise readily, warm the milk again. If the cows have sweet food, even if nothing but sweet hay, you will have no difficulty in making butter in freezing weather. But it will not do to keep cream till it has a butterish taste, for you can never get that taste out of the butter, nor to let the butter get so cold that you must warm it in order to work it over.