Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-05-27

| made Of fir-wOod, and ranks much below the
! finest grades
BurTER-MAKGNG.
While local characteristics are thus promi-
nently marked, the difference in quality re-
sulting from different degrees of skill and
care in the makers of the same section is no
less striking. some diaries bringing, in the
same state Of the market, ? to 8 cents per
pound more than others from the same neigh
borhood.
Much has been said and written on the art
Of buttor-making. We trust some good has
resulted from these efforts, but still a very
large proportion of the butter sent to market
is Of inferior quality, and sells at low prices,
though more labor may have been bestowed
/ upon it than upon the very best.
Nothing peases commission merchants
more than to receive strictly fine dairy OF
butter-swcot, yellow rosy to the smell, and
delicious to the taste. IL sells readily at a
satisfactory price, and everybody is pleased.
from producer 20 consumer. Common and
inferior butter aicis, notwithstanding its
/ grcdsiHcss, at every stage, causing dissatlsiac-
/ ton from beginning to end. It is either col
/ orloss, milky, sticky, ovcr-salted, under-salt-
/ ed, strong, rank, or rancid, or all these com
bincd--at any rate. it is not what it should be-.
Without pretending to a practical knowl-
edge of butter making, we herewith condense
such of the principal conditions and requi-
sites for making irst-rate butter as we have
been able to gather from various sources.
We will thank any frst-rate butter-makor
for additional hints, or criticisms of what we
have herein stated
CoNDfTfoNs REQUISITE First: Cows of
mail r,fllfu yfolfftfs ,,I
makers think selected natives the best.
Second Food-One of the most expert
cnced and best butter-makers in the State,
recommends a mixture Of grasses, such as
red and white clover, timothy and blue grass
Keep the pastures free from rank and strongly
favored weeds Pungent roots and yegeta-
bles such as turnips and cabbages, will in
iuriously flavor the butter, and injure its
keeping qualities. Pumpkins and carrots are
the best vegetable food when the season of
grass is over, and give a fine color to the but
ter; but ground feed such as the bran Of
wheat, rye, and corn, or ground oats is be-
lieyed 90 be best in winter, as it keeps the
cows in thriving condition, without too much
increasing their fat, and makes the best keep
ing and best favored butter.
Third Keep the cows quiet, particularly
during the warm weather The milk from
cows when in the periodical fever. or when
heated from any cause, will not make the best
favored or the best keeping butter, and
should be rejected from such use.
Fourth Keep the atmosphere Of the milk
room perfectly fresh aud pure and at as even
a temperature as possibe--it should not be
warmer than 6j deg. Fab. As soon as the
milk cougulates, or Just before this change
occurs, 1t is ready to be churned or SIX mined.
Some Of the best butter-makers churn the
milk with the cream; others skim and churn
only the cream. When skinned, the cream
may be kept in the cream-jar six to twelve
hours, occasionally stirred, but never covered.
Tin pans are commonly used for setting milk,
but tin pals, holding twelve quarts, are pre-
| ferred by some of the most skillful
FVh The contents Of the churn should
be at the temperature of 65 deg. and the
dash should be moved at the rate Of about
| fifty strokes per minute neither hot nor
cold water should be TUNED into the churn
to regulate the temperature Setting the
churn in hot or cold water is a better way
hot water turned into the churn Injuries the
color and grain OF the butter Soft water is
indispensable for washing butter to the best
advantage. If you cannot get soft water
otherwise, save rain water and cool it with
ice. The water from ice ia always soft
When thus washed it is ready for sailing
| When the conditions are right the butter vii
'como, in 20 to 30 minutes. When done
the butter should be taken from the churi
and thrown into a smaller vessel, partly fllct
with water, at ~ to A deg. Fab. and tn,
| buttermilk forced out with a small dash o
ladle then put in trays and wash until TIN
water used ceases to be the least discolore,
with buttermilk The great point to be at
tanned in washing and working butter is t.
expel all the buttermilk without overworkin
the butter, which spoils the grain, and rem
dors it sticky or greasy. After the butte
has stood in the trays about twenty iuu
hours, and been worked lightly three or fou
times, 1t is ready for packing Some goo
buttcr-makers do not work SO many time,
1t should never be worked in dry state o
without water, as that would injuro the graf
and damage the flavor at once After tn
trkn or tub is filed. the butter should b
covered with a thin piece Of muslin, and tn
, whole covered with strong pure brine, whic
, must not be allowed to evaporatc or leak ou
, Oyer-saltng is one of the most commo
faults of butter-making. Not uncommon
coarse salt is used in such quantities, an
with such treatment, that it remains undi
solved, and will CRATE in the teeth Sue
= butter must be sold from three to six cen
per pound lower on that account.
nUrTER PACKAGES.
. White-Oak frkins, with smooth. rour
! hickory hoops, holding about 100 lbs a
: most largely used, and decidedly the be
( when the article is to be kept long time
no other can be used for shipping. Hali-f
= kin tubs, or the regular firkin sawed in tw
~ with fiat cover nailed upon the top, is
y favorite package for choice butter. We'll
- tubs, or tubs with straight slaves. largest
u top, with cover or lid shutting over and stra
y ped down with pieces of leather or tin, a
!, much used in some sections They are We
', convenient for the domestic trade. They a
:" commonly made Of ash, which is next
y white oak for this purpose. Maple, whit
~ wood, and other soft woods, are unfit, as Tia
>, soak largely, and impart injurious favors
the butter. Butter may be advantageous.
D. kept under brine while at the dairy, but VII
finally closed up for market the pickle shou
be carefully turned off, and cloth, wet
il strong brine, spread over the top The t
re head of the frkin, or the lid of the tt
~ should never touch the butter
ar DREw u French.
t Neo York, April 20, 1859.