Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-09-30
Packing Butter for Market.

At a meeting Of the Jefferson
County (Wis.) DAirymon's Associa-
ton, an essay was read fsom Messrs.
Smith & Dexter, of Chicago, from
which the following extract is taken /:
JARs.-Use no Jars except for a
special order, or a known destination.
They cost two cents q pound on their
capacity butter in them is burdened
by q tax Of forty per cent. on the
gross, on which freight or express
charges must be paid they cannot be
sold with the butter to any extent
there Is less by breakage or damage
to butter, which express companies
refuse to make good, and cost OF de-
livering Jars adds still further to
charges against their use. These and
other drawbacks are much more than
tho offset to any advantage derived
from their use.
TUBs.-Tho best packages for gen.
eral use are the Welch tub, made in
New York State Of white ash, In two
sizes, holding si1ty-hve pounds and
thirty.tlvc pounds, They are largely
in use In New York and other East
ern States, and are sold in Chicago at
about 70 cents for a larger and So
cents for the smaller.
F1RKINs,-1t Is an open question
whether tubs or flrkins are the best
to keep butter in. We advise pack
ing of one-tenth Of the product in
flrkins, providing good ones can be
obtained, made of oak clear of sap,
tight, smooth and good style; but in
reference to rough, leaky tlrkins, use
tubs alWays-and use firkins only for
spring and summer make.
DIRECTIoNs.-Mark on tho aide Of
every package its weight, when dry.
Soak twenty or t%wenty-four hours
before packing in strong brine, and
before churning see to 1t that a pack
age Is soaked, ready to receive the
butter as soon as sailed. Pack a
frkin so that when the head Is in ii
will be completely full, leaving no
space for brine, norroom for the mass
to shift from one end to the other,
when the package is turned. This
shocking process in loosely filled
frkins works more mischief than the
lack Of brine causes in a tight
well filled. Cover the top of
the butter with bleached cloth cover
the cloth with a fine sprinkle of fine
salt. Put gross weight and dry tar
on the cloth end Of the package, so
that the seller may bore the head not
marked, and find no cloth. Tubs
intended to be sent at once to market,
Or packed after warm weather is
over, may be filled to the brim, as
as If struck off with a striker.
We suggest roller for finishing tops
ot tubs; cover the top with bleached
reaching over the edge of the
.ub, not tucked down inside sprinkle
With salt, and strap and cover down
snug, with three straps of leather, not
olded over the top, but nailed Il.
trough the rim into the edge Of the ,
over, and cut Off even with the ton.
Tubs intended to be held through
no season may be filled within one
Of an inch of the top; cover
With cloth as before and fill to the brim :
With salt add as much clear brine az !
he package will hold, strap down, ,
md do not disturb till wanted, un- !
ess to add brine. AS the water !
vaporates the salt c~rystalizos. form ,
ng a cover Of hard salt, which should .
lot be broken. Z
Use Liverpool dairy salt, Ashton or .
Their brands. Opinions as to the '
light quantities Of salt differ fifty per :
ent. A slight excess is bettor and !
afcr than a deficiency. l
Allow no paper of any kind in
ontact with butter in any form. Use ,
lew bleached cloth, from which the :
izing Or starch has been removed. !
no salt directly on the butter, !
# between layers in packing, nor a.,
n the bottom of packages, unless i,
hey were soaked in fresh water, then
Ise as much salt in the package as
will stick to the inside when bottom :
p. Use small nails which will not 90 !
through into the butter. Keep pack .
ges bright and clean, remembering !
hat they must not only be clean, but
ook clean, IN order that external .
.eatness may suggest internal excel :
enCe. {