COMBINED BUTTER AND CHEESE FACTORIES.

Wellington Independent, Issue 3293, 4 September 1871, Page 3

COMBINED BUTTER AND CHEESE FACTORIES.

The subject of the following paper deserves the careful consideration of our agricultural readers : — " Is it practicable and profitable to combine the manufacture of butter nnd cheese in factories ?" is a question of great importance just at the present time, for now the attention of dairyman seems to be turned in that direction If it is practicable to thus combine tho manufacture of our dairy products, hero iv this convention is the place to give it encouragement. On the other hand, if it is impracticable, we should throw out safeguards' that the hopes raised in this branch of agriculture be not wrecked upon the rocks of disappointment. The magnitude of tho butter business in the west is greatly underrated. We are better posted upon the extent of cheese manufacturing. But th<? butter question none can answer. It is thought by good judges, however, that wo would not be far out of tho way, in finding the amount of butter, if wo multiply every pound of cheese by five. If all tho butter used in the west was made in factories, then we should have nearly five butter factories to each cheese factory. No wonder they asked us to leave cheese for a time and take up the butter question. Tho fact that I havo been connected with tho pioneer butter and cheese factory of the west since its erection, I fear, will lead rnuny to suppoee that I can give them just the information desired ; but tho truth is, I have run a butter and cheese factory just long enough to learn that I know comparitivcly nothing. Had I been-called upon in the earlier part of my experience, I should havo entered upon the task with more confidence of giving satisfaction. I find theory in butter and cheese making of no avail, unless backed up by practical experience. Fi'om what I have been able to learn, butter and cheese-making can only be combined where an abundant flow of spring water can be obtained. Milk for the manufacture of both butter and cheese must be kept at an even temperature, and cold enough to preserve the milk sweet while tho cream is rising, in order that a good article of cheese may bo made from the skimmed milk. Well-water with ice might bo used, but ice keeps it too cold for the better rising of the cream. Well-water might be used, but only where the pump is kept constantly at work, for as soon as the water is raised from the well its temperature beginß to change — it either gets colder or warmer as tho surrounding atmosphere may influence it. Factories built with refereuco to tho manufacture of both butter and cheese cannot receive milk from as long distances as where cheese is made exclusively, especially when it is delivered but once per day. M ilk for the manufacture of butter must como to the factory sweet, as it must be kept from twenty-four to thirty six hours after being delivered in order that tho most may bo made from the milk after skimming. Greater care by patrons must bo taken of the milk than when delivered to a cheese factory. i Milk poorly cured for at home, and brought long distances over rough roads, is of but little valuo for butter and cheese. Therefore we conclude that tho combining of tho manufacture of both butter and cheese in the factory can only be successful in those localities favored with springs, and where patrons live noar at hand. If theso requisites can bo found in one location cheese and butter can bo made ! successful. With about one-third added to the expense of building a common cheese factory, it may bo fitted for both butter and checoo making. Then wo aro prepared to mako the most of our milk ; we can skim partially or wholly, as the season of the year or -market may influence. Wo havo found iv ! our experience that at certain seasons milk made into butter would bring patrons two or three cents, more per gallon than when made 1 into cheese, while at other times tho profit would be in favor on the cheese. I look upon tho adoption of this practice in places where it [ can be as ono calculated to assist in equalising the prico of these two products. When. our factories are built in this way wo have the business better under our control. I look upon the associated plan of )naking butter as one calculated to improve tho quality of this most important article of food. If the northwest needs reform in any ono thing more than another it is in this most important branch of industry. If wo of tho west havo achieved a I name for anything — a name high over all — it is for the manufacture of miserablo butter. In all the markots of the world where a poor package of butter is found and they wish to consign it to tho lower grades, they brand it western butter. Not that it is impossible for us to make good butter, for there is a limited amount of good buttormado in tho west, whose quality will compare favorably with thut made in tho eastern states ; but tho amount is so small that it is consumed in the immediate neighborhoods whero it is made, und only the poor is sent to distant markets. Shall this state of thing 3 remain ? We have redeemed ourselves from tbo stigma that rested upon us as choose makers, and we look to tho associated plan of dariy ing to do for us ac butter makers what it has done for us as cheese makers. Not that all the butter is to be made in factories ; but when factories, having tho advantages they do over small dairies, sell their butter for ten or fifteen cents, more por pound than that made in tho ordinary way, then farmers will begin to look about themselves and ask from whence comes this loso. They will begin to remodel

their places for keeping milk, and will onquire of those that hare make butter-making a life study, how boat they can improve their plan of making butter. And as factory _ after factory is built up in the west, each trying to outdo the other, then will come up a healthy competition that is bound to result in a great improvement in our butter. A well regulated factory where a considerable quantity of milk is received can outdo the small dairies as they are now managed. For instance, when we go to the private dairy for a tub of butter, it is filled from a number of different churnings ; and just as many different cburnings as we have, juefc so many different kinds of butter there will bo. In the factory wo fill a number of different tubs from the same churning, and as in the factory they salt and work by rule and weight there can be no difference in tho butter. Then again, in the factory, we put our milk in deep setters which are immensed in water, keeping the milk at a perfectly high temperature The groat depth to which tho milk is set causos the cream to rise sooner than when set in shallow pans. Tho setters in our factory are twenty inches deep and six inches in diameter, so that but very little of tho cream is exposed to the light and air. Cream taken from milk in these setters makes bettor butter than that taken from milk set in the ordinary way. When we add to these and other advantages that might be mentioned, the fact that butter of uniform and superior quality, in large amounts, finds a readier market than when found in small quantities, wo shall find it safe to erect butter factories where practicable. In this connection wo propose to speak of some of the difficulties in tho way of making good butter in 3mall dairies, and to show that these obstacles can be overcome by the associated system. Wo often find butter coining from the same neighborhood, at the same timo of year, of very differont quality. One lot will bo whito, and another will bo yellow j one will be sweet, another will bo rancid ; one maker (jet 30 cents per pound, another 18 cents ; one has a good place to set milk, and understands the principle of mukiwg butter ; another knows little or nothing of how butter should be made — the first is satisfied with tho business, the second is discouraged : one thinks that the room they live in is just as good as any to set milk in, or sho fails to sco why the vegetable cellar is not a good place for tho raising of cream ; the other realises that in order to make good butter tho milk must be set in a sweet cool, dark place. I have becomo satisfied thatmost of this strange differencein butter arises from the different conveniences for setting milk. And when tho errors now prevalent in the construction of our milk and butter cellors are corrected, a more uniform article of butter will bo found. When first I went into the manufacture of butter I felt anxious to learn how the best butter that came into our markets was made ; also how the poorest was manufactured, that I might puttorn after the good that I found in the one and avoid the mistakes of the other ; and that I might the sooner como into possession of this knowledge, I made inquiry of one of our largest dealers in this article, und was referred to two makers some ten miles away. I drove my ponies there, and to show you how different management will produce different kinds of butter, I am inclined to tell you what I saw. The first place I visited was that of the good butter makor. As I approached bhe house it I exhibited anything but an air of neatness, and the insido was in keeping with the outside. I was fortunate in finding the good lady in tho , act of churning. Upon introducing myself and making my errand known, I found her williug to show tho cheese maker how good butter was made. I soon came to tho conclusion tho good qualities of her butter did not come so much from her neat habits, as it did from her knowledgo of tho first principles of butter ! making, and tho superior place she had for setting her milk. Sho skimmed hor milk nearly sweet, and churned tho cream not long after taking it from the milk ; and when she worked hor butter, she workod it just enough and not too much. When she salted it she did it by rule and weight. Her placo for keeping milk was a spring house with an abundant, flow of cold water. From this place I passed on to tho house where it was said poor butter was made. As I approached the premises everything looked neat and tidy. As I entered the yard filled with flowers, I said, can it be that poor butter is made here? And, again as I entered the house and noticed the marvellous neatness on every side, I said, can it be that poor butter is made here ? Upon making my errand known, the lady lamented over the state of tho butter market. She felt discouraged ; not getting but 17 cents for tho last butter sold. I found that she set her milk in a vegetable cellar, without ventilation ; and the cream while raising was exposed to a flood of light, spread out in thio pans, with a large surface exposed to the foul odors of the cellar. Her notions of economy led her to think that milk must set long after it is sour, in order to get all the cream. Upon the oldest milk I discovered a vigorous growth of mould. And then, again, when she had the cream in the pots it was left until another growth of mould had appeared ; and when this decomposing mass of cream came to the churn, she warmed tho cream too much ; and when tho butter was churned she worked it too much. As I left her house I did not wonder that this lady had poor butter. The objections raised by many to the multiplying of these factories, is the fear of overdoing the business. But if all butter factories will make good butter there is no danger. The building up of new factories, to a great extent, is but. absorbing small dairies without any material increase in tho products. To improve tho quality of our butter wo must improve our faculties for making it. When we have tho proper arrangements we can easior make good butter than we can good cheese. Our butter factory, in Elgin, commenced operations on the lllh of last July, under very unfavorable circumstances ; with tho intenso hot weather, unfinished factory and lack of water, coupled with our inoxperienco, all operated against perfect success in the manufacture of all our goods. The amount of milk received and tho manufactured product, up to the Ist of November, I will give here : Gallons of milk received, 78,345 ; gallons shipped to Chicago, 1,200; pounds of made, 19,560; pounds of full cream cheese, 11,282; pounds of skimmed cheese, 19,153 ; pounds of curd sent to chemical works, 27.73 G. I regret that I have not been able to throw more light upon this important subject. I regard tho manufacture of butter in the west in the same light that Ido cheese making. Wo have therefore looked to tho east too much for our own good. Wo have milk composed of different chemical qualities; we have a different market and different climate ; and we must depend upon ourselvos. And, if this bo so, let us, like brothers of ono family, advise each the other, until our name as butter makors shall favorably compare with tho reputation we have gained as cheese makers. I hail the associated plan for making butter as one calculated to improve tho quality of this article. I hail it as one more powerful engine calculated to assist in developing the mighty rotourses of the west. I welcome it because it will lift a heavy burden from the tired arms of tho over- worked wives and mothers of the west. As I entered the dairy business for life, I need the counael of my brothers in the business ub I pass along, and shall bo free to ask and give information in turn. I tender you the hospitalities of my homo, and hope in tho future to be favored with calls from the butter-makers, as I have ever been with tho cheese-makers in tho pa;t.~ l. H. Wanzer, in " Prairie Farmer."

A Willing Martyb.— Scotch carrier— ' Eh, bit that's strong whuskey ! But u'll no epilo the taste wi' water. U'll rather thole't!' Vbet Unkind.— lnfuriated Commanding Officer — ' Hi, there, get away, you madman — got away from the target! 1 Easy-minded Lunatic — ' Hold on, guvnor, I ain't as mad as I look. I was here oil day yesterday, and found it much tho safest place in the field.' Complimentary.— Collier (about the dog) Yes, sir, »w got him in Manchester, yonder, an' doctor, aw's going t' ax ye, hey y' ony objection tiv us namin him efther ye ? Young medical man (rather pleased).— Oh, dear no, by all means— don't know about the compliment, though ; he's not a beauty to look at ! Collier. — Mobbees not, doctor ; but— smash ! — mun, he's a beggar to kill ! A Hit por the Hian Joints. — The other day one of the * High Joints,' as the commissioners aro irreverently called by the Washington capitol, said to a pretty girl, * Where are all your handsome men ? The ladies are very well, but, 'pon my word, you know, I haven't seen a handsome man since I've been hero.' ' Ah,' said the young lady, sweetly, ' but you have handsome men in England, I presume ?' 'Oh ! yes, of course, plenty of them !' ' Then why,' she asked, ' did not tho Queen send oho here ?' — American Paper.