Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-08-05
farmers 9rpartmtut.
How to Make Good Eutter.


the process of making butter. Mr.. Dickinson
is thorough practical farmer, and his opinions
and suggestions are Of more than ordinar,
value. The following is his letter =
| will endeavor to give the general outlines,
the essential leading principlesiwithout attempt
ing to give all the exact details, as 1t would
be a much easier task TO teach a man to make
a watch, than how to make the first quality
of butter as it is the most sensitive, 1t Is
the most liable to injury of all entableS extract
ed from the vegetable kingdom. The first
important thing for making butter is the COW,
Without stopping to give full description for
selecting she must give good rich milk, as FIRST
quality of butter cannot be made from poor,
pale milk, as pale milk lacks the essential
quality of good butter.
The idea of coloring butter with anything
after it is made, is as absurd as would be the
painting of rye bread to make it white. with
the expectation of changing its flavor. Butter
is so sensitive, it partakeS of everything that
can effect it, that it comes in contact with !;
as onions, carrots, parsnips turnipS, fish, or
anything else that would make it uppalatable
either in the butter or the milk churnng Not
only So but the butter partakeS Of everything
stands after being made, the more perceptble
will the unpalatable things on which she fed
make themselves manifest. BY this it will
he seen that the most important thing for first
quality butter, is the food for the COW. Neither
from roots of any sort or kind, nor grain of any
description, can first quality butter be extract
ed. 1t must he from something that imparlS
a sweeter and finer flavor, and from nothing
growing in this country that know, except
timothy, white clover, blue grass, red-top and
foul meadow, can first quality of butter be
made, that will stand the test so as to remain
sweet until the winter or spring after it is made
aud each of these grasses must have been
sowed or-Seeded down sufficiently long and so
cared for as to have q sod thick enough to
make it produce a fine solid grass, to make
it perfect dairy pasture, though many other
grasses will make good butter for immediate
use, but not to keep. The COW, too, must be
we'll wintered, however good she may have
been TO make good butter, because if poor her
milk will also be poor and white, and of course
the butter ditto. Your correspondent says.
g If you had seen as | have DONE the farmers
wives and daughters with tears in their eyes,
when told that the product of their summers
labor, as shown in their butter, was a poor
article" &c, &c. For none of these things
are the dairy women in the least responsible, and
no one else but the dairy man, or provider of
the COWS food yet in this, as in many, very
many instances, the wrong persons are held
accountable for things over which they have
no control The manufacturing is an essential
part of the business, yet the neglect of any of
the above mentioned requirements is fatal to
o first rate dairy for winter use.
The cow must be looked efter as soon as
she comes IN, and MIXED sufficiently after to
prevent her bag from becoming ieverish and
cakng, as one milking from fcverSh COW
would spoil whole churning, and that would
spoil whole frkin in which it was packed
though it might not be pereceptibe for mme-
diate use, and and Rone but the skilfu butter
maker would perceive it in the chGrnng of the
butter. Such milk froths and foamS, and when
it does this as well as from other causes, it is
always safest to sell it for immediate use, or
pack it separately in firkin to sell for what
it will bring. The churn should be as nearly
straight up and down as possible as the dash
should stir all the milk every stroke it makes
so that the butter in the churn should ali
come at the same time. If the milk is too
cold, the only safe way to warm it is TO place
q pail of milk in large boiler of warm water
to bring it to the exact temperature, which is
about So deg. to GO deg,,-a few degrees war
mer in cold than in warm weather AS soon
as the butter has come and gathered, take ii
Immediately from the chnrn in its warm state
and put in large wooden bowl, which is the
best vessel for the purpose than put in cold
soft water then commence pulling the butter
;tI ho 10 Io in Il, .r,l
manner as not to affect the grain
for as sure as that is injured at the washing OIL
working, the butter becomes oily aud ear
never be reclaimed. Every particle of milk
must be washed out, and then seasoned with
the best of Liverpool salt Set the bow
away until the next day, and when sufficiently
cool, work the mass thoroughly, but not so a;
to affect the grain, and on the third day pack
it away if it has assumed the right color FIX
anime it well before packing and be Sure there
is no milky water runs from it, for as sure as
it is packed with the least drop in the butter
You will hear from it the next March or April
The sooner You dispose Of uuwashed buttcr
the better as little mix would not harm i
much for immediate use.
If your spring or well water is hard. Shonl(
advise saving the ice from river or stream
though the water is hard, as the lime neyel
congealS with the ice Save rain water. ant
then with ice You will have soft water SulliceIl
tly cool to wash your bntter, without which NJ
man or woman can get the milk without niur
ing the grain. so that The injurious effects o
the lime water will not exhibit itself in FIVE o.
six months. Soft water is as indispensable u
wash butter as fine linen. From all this d.
rot wish to be understand that washing butte
is positively necessary fiji be used within fe,
weeks.
A. b. DICKINSON
HoRNBY, March Is, 1883