Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-02-13
AaricuIturaI.



In Paschall Morris Practical Farmer for
January, we find an account OF visit to one
of the best Butter Diaries in the yicinit, Of
Philadelphia, from which we make the toll
lowing extracts
We took an opportunity recently to pay
visit for information to the dairy farm Of Al
bert Darlington in Delaware county about
20 miles from Philadelphi who is one Of
our most celebrated bntter makers, whose
butter last winter was all engaged before Ia
king to the city at S 90 per To-, who is now
delivering it to regular customers at 80 to 50
cents. The details Of his process, SO far az
we can Tecolect are, that in the first place
butter making with him is a matter Of busi
ness, and all the minutia receives his personal
attention The quality OF his butter would
appear to depend on a number Of very small
but very important minute processes, not one
of which is allowed to be neglected. The
doing everything in the right time and in
proper manner lie made system, which he
thinks cannot be done by proxy. One thing
we learned which we did not know before,
that butter made from s,oeet cream will not
keep we'll. Our friend Darlington fully dem
onstrated this when be first commenced bus
mess as dairyman complaints being made
on this score by his customers, and the rea-
son of which he found out only after consid.
cradle loss. Thifty-six hours is the average
period for the pan Of milk to stand before
being skinned. Till the milk sours, all the
cream cannot be obtained and if left longer,
ranoidity ensues. A email quantity Of sour
milk is usually put into each pan to hasten
this process, and to bring it within this pc
Rod. II, however, the weather is such that
the souring Of the milk takes place within
the sc hours, this addition is not necessary.
The skimming requires to be done eractly at
the right time.
In winter the milk pans are kept on shelves,
in a small room usually kept dark in the
main dwelling built for the purpose, and adj
Joining stove room. The temperature GO,
is regulated by thermometer, The cream
when skinned is put into tin vessels thirteen
inches deep by twelve and half wide, and
holding about % quarts. These are kept in
the spring house in water at low tempera-
ture. Regularly tioice dag these cream pots
are stirred round thoroughly with wooden
spatula. 1t is considered desirable TO keep
them at a low temperature, no matter how
low, if above toe freezing point This, Of
course, is to prevent mouldiness or ranoidity.
AT churning time these cream pots are pung-
ed into boiler of hot water, and stirred
round rapidly with stick, till the temporal
ture-of the cream reaches 600 ascertained by
thermometer, when they are Immediately
empted successfully into the large horse
power churn. This matter Of regulated
temperature for the milk previous to skimming
and for the cream at churniDg time, are no
doubt important. When the churning has
progressed so that The butter begins to
break, or appear in small Jumps about the
size Of shot or small peas, quantity OF cold
water is poured in, which tends to harden il,
and cause a more thorough separation Of the
buttermilk. This is then drawn eff and more
water thrown in, to wash any still remaining.
When the butter is finally taken from the
churn, there would not appear to be much
buttermilk left The butter is put on the
working table and salt applied at the rate of
OF. to every three pounds Of butter. This
is thoroughly incorporated with plain pad
die with two handles, about 20 lbs at a time,
any remaining water or buttermilk being
allowed to run off After the working, the
butter is laid in the water on clean cloth,
spread for the purpose, for couple Of hours,
when II is again gone over with The paddle
and weighed and printed into pound and hall
pound Jumps ready for market This in a
general way is bis process of making a very
fine article of butter, not only tempting to
look at, but delightful to taste, and on cutting
through pound Of it with knife, present
ing smooth, perfect solid section, without
the trace Of water, buttefmik or streakiness.
There would seem to be many small -mstters
Of detail which can hardly be described, and
which nothing bat experience and praotic,
suggest. 1t is Indispensable that butter
should come hard in the chutn. If it does
not, no subsequent manipulstions can make
good article out Of il. This is secured il
warm wes1her by ice, pounded fine in bag
being thrown into the churn exactly at the
proper time. This mixes through the freshly
graduated particles of butter. compaclne
and hardening them. We learned here also
that butter may be worked too much, and
enough to spoil il. The smallest amount Of
handling and working 80 as to extract the
water and buttermilk would appear desirable
and in point of fact, his butter gets but com.
paratiyely little working because it does not
need 1t. Here perhaps is one u the secrets
At the last churning before our visit, Nhicl
yielded ~ l-2 lbs. Of butter, the amount o
buttermilk worked out was but one quart
At a previous churning wien the temperatui'
OF the churn being accidentally too nigh, ow
ing 10 the water with which il was sealdec
having remained in rather long and the butte
-Quently came soft the same amount o