Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-08-02
Butter Making.

Butter mixing.
The Co""try Gcntiemda thus
states the practice OF Il good butter
making Of the present day:
The production of milk for butter
making is essentially the same as
that for cheese making. There is
this difference to be observed, how
ever: For cheese, we must look
principally to the quantity of caseinc
in the milk; for butter, we must
consider the yield Of cream entirely.
Cows must be selected accordingly.
For both purposes, the same care as
to cleanliness, quality of feed, purity
of water, and gentle treatment of
the cows should be observed. The
milk in both cases needs to be aired
and cooled soon after milking.
From this point, quite different
handling is required. For cheese,
we constantly agitatc the milk to
keep the cream from rising; for
butter, we must set the milk to rest
MS soon as possible, and not only
avoid all stirring, but not allow it
to be even Jared. The more per-
feet the rest, the more completely
the cream will rise.
1t is still 4 subject Of debate as to
whether the cream rises better in
shallow or deep dishes. But it is
certain that it will rise in either
kind Of vessel, if all the othe: condi-
tons arc right. The tendency is
toward setting milk in deep pals
and in large masses.
There is no dispute as to the
propriety Of cooling the milk, or Of
keeping it in moist atmosphere
and in light room. Moisture pre-
vents the cream from drying Oh the
surface and making flaky butter,
while light is essential to develop
the color so much desired.
The temperature, it is asserted,
may be allowed to go lower for
butter than for cheese. We would
not allow it to go below fifty-fivc
degrees for butter, and believe it
would be better to keep it at sixty
degrees. The best temperature for
churning is admitted to be between
sixty and sixty-tivc dcgrces-thc
latter for cold and the former for
hot weather, making a mean TEN.
perature of sixty-two and sixty-threc
degrees us the proper point. Pos.
sibly different diaries may require
a slightly different temperature. TIL.
cream should be allowed to become
slightly sour, if a good keeping
article is required, but care should
be taken that the cream does moi
get too old and seriously injure tho
flavor. Sweet cream makes tho
best favored butter, but the yield
is smaller and it docs not keep sc
well.
The best method of churning has
not yet been determined. Many
patent churns have been presented
to the public, but none of them have
been any real Improvement ON tho
old-fashion dash churn. There il
some dispute as to what causes the
separation Of the butter from the
milk. Some say it is the conclusion
some that it is the incorporation o.
the air with cream. Certain it il
that agitation is necessary. Forcing
air through the cream while agita
ting it makes the butter separate
quicker, but it Injuries the quality
What is wanted is some method thai
will agitate every particle of cream
alike, making the butter all come al
once, and Of the same texture. b,
every method yet devised, there il
some cream at the sides, corners OF
ends, that does not get so much
churning as the rest. This lessons
the yield, and makes the quality
uneven. At least u half hour should
be consumed in chnrning. Where
the milk is churned, it is allowed to
change somewhat. The yield Of
butter it larger, but it contains
more caseine, and is, therefore, in.
fcrior. More power is required to
churn with. ft4ts
If the butter comes firm and solid
and separates freely from the milk.
but little working will be required
to expel the buttermilk.' The less
it is worked the better, if the but.
termilk is got out and the salt is
evenly incorporated. 1t is better
to wash the butter than to work il
too much without; but whether
worked or not, the buttermilk must
be expelled, or it will injurc the
flavor and the keeping quality. In
deed, it is asserted that pure butter
will keep almost indefinitely without
salt. But such butter cannot be
produced by the ordinary process.
So salt must be added to make it
keep. The quantity used by our
best buttcrmakcrs varies from one
half to one ounce Of salt to one
pound Of butter. Some salt con-
sidcrably higher and 60 entirely by
the taste. Enough salt should be
used to convert the remaining but
termilk and water into brine, or
the butter will soon lose its flavor
and become rancid
COMPETING MARKETS FOR Iowa.
One Of the great advantages of Iowa
is the chance afforded by her rail.