Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-12-07
Butter Making.

Vclitli lualcu ~ LOW 49,
Mr. President and Gentlemen In max
ing the few suggestions which | shall to you
to-day, would say that the production Of
butter in Washington County is Of more i'm
portance than any would almost say all other
interests Although you haye,other branches
Of farm husbandry, your most successful far
mors use every other to attain the largest
amount from the dairy.
Much is said about individual COWS making
from ten to fifteen pounds or more of butter
per week, which shows that your herds OF
cows are far below what they should or might
be. You admit that if you make two hund.
red pounds per COW in a season, that it is an
extraordinary amount. Probably four out OF
five diaries in this County fall below this
Now if your cows should average but six
pounds per week for twonty-six weeks, then
four pounds for six weeks, and then three
pounds for the next seven, at first thought
you would say that they had not done much.
But you have got two hundred and one
pounds of butter, and have thirteen weeks Of
the year remaining Therefore you need to
do something to increase the quantity Of but.
ter per COW, either by improving the breed,
higher feeding, better care, or all combined
so that two hundred pounds would not be
your maximum. 1t does not make SO much
difference what the breeds Of cattle you have
are, as it does that those you have are well
taken care Of
\ COW that drops her calf in April is Of
more profit than one that comes in earlier in
the year, with the same care and feed. II
your cows should drop their calves in Febru-
airy, or the first part Of March, you have to
feed largely with grain, roots, &c, the rest Of
the feeding season, and you will make an nv.
ticle of butter which must be sold immed-
ately, as you cannot keep spring butter. AT
the first Of June, whether you have fed extra
or not, your cows will fall off in quantity and
quality of milk, and you will have a small
yield of butter through the best part Of the
season. When, if they had come in six or
clBhi "tNhS ihtcIi thuy hOulh hnNV BohV OuN
to grass heavy and strong, aud capable Of Civ
ing the largest quantity and the best quality
of butter. For you cannot expect to get
an extra article from cows that are thin in
flesh.
And it you expect to make hundred
pounds Of butter when the thermometer stands
from 100 to 400 below zero, and have it cost
you less than when it ranges from 800 to GOs
above, you will be very much mistaken
BY the frs. of October your cows will be
nearly or quite dry, when if they had dropped
their calves in April, you would have found
that October was the most profitable month
of the season. And further, you will fine
this month and the next, the best to FEED
grain TO COWS.
All cows in herd should drop their calves
as near the same time as possible. If one
should drop her calf after you have commenc
ed to pack and put away butter do not pu
her milk with the rest for two weeks or more
as it is impossible to keep butter made from
1t, and il will damage the rest. This is one very
common source Of an occasional bad tub o.
butter.
In the care and management Of the dairy
regularity should be observed. You should
milk at just such times, night and morning
and when you are milking let that be your onl,
business
Garry your milk Immediately to the mill
room before it cools and strain into pans
and have nothing else in the room. Keel
the milk room cool in summer, and well ven
tilated, and when the milk has stood abou
thirty-six hours generally, so that the cream
will separate freely from the milk, remov
the cream carefully, taking great pains no
to get any sour milk with it. This is poin
wish to impress on you, that when yol
once get the cream separated, not to tax
in in skimming, sour milk.
Sometimes the cream will not separate read
lily, which is owing to the milk room being to
warm. Now be sure and skim it before an
white spots or mould appear upon the cream
which will show themselves in such a case i
very short time, and as putrefaction ha
commenced, and it is impossible to make goo
butter Of such cream, keep it by itself, an
do not ruin other cream by putting this wit
it, but put it in the coolest place possible I
stop farther damage. And by the way,
supply of ice is necessary in making goo
butter-almost indispensable
When skimming milk, have can that wi
hold what you take of at one time and pr
the cream in the same and let it stand in thi
few hours in a cold place, then remo'
it carefully to another can, so as to lea,
what sour milk has settled at the bottom
the can. Do not churn the cream immed
atcly upon taking it from the milk, as
should stand few hours-otherwise it wi
not churn even, not only damaging the qualit
but lessening the amount of butter
warm weather, ehurn as often as once in tv
days, at least. Do not because you have
churn six times too large for your dairy, wa
several days for cream enough so that yc
can possibly use it, aud then let portion
il spoil, and thus damage all Of your butte
Better tumble the useless concern into the baC
attic out of the way, aud buy new one.
churning, have slow, even motion. as
quick motion creates more friction, generat
heat and gives an oily look to the butte
When the cream has separated into butter,
too warm, put in cold water before drawn
of the buttermilk but if the butter is fri
draw away the buttermk first, then wash Il
butter thoroughly with cold water, and thu
take it from the ehurn upon table, and wi