The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1851-07-02
AGRICULTURAL
Suear-Curing of Butter.

Persons whop put keg butter for their own
use, or for distant market, usually salt their
butter very high. This high sailing neces-
sarily detracts from its quality, injuries its
ready sale, and reduces its price. If 1--WE can
modify this excess of salt, by using more
palatable substance, of equal efficiency, as
preservatives, it will be an improvement
Chemists tellusthat sugar is of these substan-
ces; and experience gives the same informa-
ton. Who is not familiar with "sugar-
cured hams?" Ifpork can be cured with
sugar, why may not butter be so preserved
alsos is the common sense inquiry. Expe
rienee has shown that it may. DIR. James
Anderson, the celebrated agriculturist, whose
treatise on Encouragement ofthe dairy, par
ticularly with the making and curing of but
Ter, is still our highest and best authority on
the subject, found some years trial of it, that
the followingnamed composition the prop
critics of which, we believe, were discovered
by his amiable lady-was far preferable to
salt alone, as it only preserves the butter
more efectually from all taint of rancidity,
but makes it also look better and taste sweet
er richer, and more marrowy, than portions
of the same butter cured with common salt.
COMPOSITION of sugar, one part /;
of nitre, one part and of the best Spanish
great salt, Tor rock salt, mix them we'll to-
gether, and put them by for use. The
Doctor continues;
''Of this composition one ounce should be
put on every sixteen ounces of butter; mix
this salt thoroughly with the butter as soon
as it has been freed from milk and put it
without loss of time, down in vessel pre-
pared to receive it, pressing it so close as to
leave no air holes or any kind of cavities
withinit; Smooth the surface, and if you ex-
peot that it will be above day Or two be-
fore you can add more, cover it close with a
piece Of clean linen, and above that piece
of Wetted parchment, or for want of that fine
linen that has been dipped in melted butter,
that it exactly fitted 70 the edges of the yes
sci all around, 50 as to exclude the air as
much as possible, without the assistance of
any wattery brine; when more butter is to
be added the coverings are to be taken off,
and the butter applied above the former,
pressing it down aud smoothing it as before,
and so on till the vessel be full. When it is
quite full, let the two covers be spread over
1t with the greatest care, and letalittle melt
ed butter be poured all around the edges,
SO as tofill mp every Granny, and effectually
exclude the air. A little salt may be then
strewed over the whole, and the cover firm
ly fixed down to be close shut till it be opened
for pse. If all this be carefully done, the
butter may be kept perfectly sound in this
climate for number of years. How many
years Icannot tell; but have seen it two
years old, and in every respect as sweet and
sound as when but month old"
1t deserves q be remarked, that The but
ter cured in this manner does not taste well
till it has stood at least fortnight after it is
salted but after that period is elapsed, eats
with marrowy taste, that no other butter
ever acquires and it tastes SO little of salt,
that person who has been accustomed to
eat butter cured with common salt only,
would not imagine it had got fourth part
of the salt that would benecessary to preserve
it.
1t is to be hoped that some ofour farmers
on reading the above, will follow its recomen-
dations Farmer d Mechanic.