The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-08-02
About Butter Making.

The dairy woman cannot do her part well
il she do not have the advantage Of proper
fixtures and implements. Agood, cool place
for setting the milk in summer is absolutely
indispensable and there is no farm where
cows can be kept proftably, that such u
place cannot be provided at small expensc.-
The use Of spring houses is one Of the causes
for the good butter Of the billy regions. But
good spriny house can be made near well
and often much more convenient, as being
nearer the house than the spring. i saw a
very nice one, which answered an admirable
purpose, and is model of its kind. The
ground was cxcavated about four feet by some
twelve feet square, and solid store wall two
feet thick, laid in cement, four feet high
The ioor inside was also laid in cement, slight
ly incliuinL to one corner. The wall was
carried up full width four feet, and then an
Offset Of Is inches made to the rear, carried
up two feet higher, and connecting with the
wall to form the foundation. Upon this
foundation was erected a balloon frame with
cigh, feet posts, boarded outside and in, and
the wall made as tight as possible. Upon
the ledge created by the oHsct wall about
tour inches high and wide, is made on the
front. by which, being well plastered with
the cement, gutter or vat is made some three
inches deep, with u slight descent to the cor
ncr opposite to that where the water is intro
duced. Into this vat the fresh milk is set
while warm, aud cold water conducted into
it from the well, The milk cOOls rapidly.
and low temperature is maintained through
the day or night. At each milking the pans
are removed To the shelves TO make room for
the fresh milk. Some very nice dairy houses
are riggcd up entirely above ground, and one
I saw last summer in the town of SOlon,
Cortland county, was 50 arranged that it
seemed almost as good as spring-housc. In
that and many Others | noticed the pans were
set upon shelves made by turning two narrow
boards edgcwisc, 50 that the least possible
surface was kept from the air. But much OF
this expense and trouble may be saved If the
practice Of churning the milk instead of the
cream bo adopted.
Butter.makers seem to be divided into two
classes upon this question Of churning the
milk or only the croam. BY far the largest
number in this country churn the cram,
while in England, Scotland, and good part
Of Ireland, the milk is more generally churn-
Cd. Carefully conducted experiments have
established the fact that there is gain in
quantity where the milk Is churncd Of full
seven per cent. over the yield from the cream
alone. In small daires the quality must be
much improved, for by churning the milk
the risk. Of tainted cream is avoided. Some
Of our best premium daircs churn the milk =
The most common objection made to churn-
ing milk Is the labor but power (horse, dog,
or sheep,) is now 50 cheap that the objection
has but little force, as compared with the in
ereascd quantity and improved quality
Where water power cannot be had, SHEEP
power Is preferable to dog power, for small
dairie' horse or steam for large ones,
The condition Of the cream or milk when
churned, is Of the highest Importance, for
upon that depends the value of the batter
If tainted in tho slightest degree, no good
butter can be obtained. Every thing abou,
} the dairy must bc sweet and pure. Pure all
Is Us essential as pure water, and as much