Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-28


give this matter an intelligent and unpreju-
diced investigation, that much better modes
Tor the manufacture of butter may be intro
duced than those commonly practiced that
the art of butter-makinR may, and should, be
systematized and improved that uniformity
of product may take the place Of the present
wide extremes in quality; that an increased
quantity may also lie produced from the
same amount Of milk, aud at less expendi-
ture of Labor.
Systematic methods Of manufacture are
more indispensable to success in this than in
most other callings. He who adopts no in-
telligent system, and has net the proper
means and appliances with which to perform
his labor, will be at the mercy Of the wealth
er, the sport of circumstances and accidental
surroundings.
Ii is the province of mind to devise means
to overcome all surmountable obstacles in the
way OF success in this as in any other pur-
suit.
he Systematic.
Perfect results can no more be attained in
the art Of embarrassing without correct
system, and close attention to, and ration.
al execution Of every step of the process
from the production o the milk to the mar
keting of the buttef4 Than correct result
can be reached IN the working Of a mathe-
matical problem by carelessness and inatten-
tion to the various steps Of that process.
But unlike the working of undemonstrated
problems,-the application Of system when
once understood is easily accomplished,-it
becomes a constant repetition OF known proc
cess, in which success depends upon the ex-
actness Of the repetition. Like causes pro-
duce like effects, and if the repetition is per-
feet, perfect uniformity in product will re.
suit.
If the food which a healthy COW consumes
in July is like that which she eats in Octo.
Der, the milk which she elaborates from it
will be substantially the same and il Of
the same quality, and If it, and the cream
produced from it, are subjected to the same
conditions Of temperature. &C., as that of
October. the result will be the same.
Systems are not the work of chance. The
careful attention TO natural conditions, and
the application Of natural laws to the various
steps of any process is called system. Aud
he who perfectly understands these laws aud
conditions aud applies them perfectly, works
! by correct system, and will accomplish
perfectly uniform results
THIS as fully applies to butter.making as
to any other process. We must understand
the laws aud conditions of success. aud un-
derstanding them we must observe them, or
failure will result just in proportion to the
extent OF our failure to do so.
Is the art of butter-making, as generally
practiced, rational application of these fun
damental laws and conditions This is the
question which our butter>makers ought to
investigate, and to which | ask your careful
attention. Is it not rather an antiquated
barbarism with nothing TO commend it but
its antiquity We should not continue our
present mode, merely because it has been
long practiced. We should not accept in
trust from our fathers even. that which we
ought to know ourselves neither should we
accept of new theories or modes of practice
with regard to our own business, without
thorough personal investigation.
The object sought in butter-making is per-
feet separation of the particles OF butter from
the caseine and other Ingredients composing
the milk, and its preservation in its most per-
feet state for table and culinary use. hold that
the common practice violates nearly every
known condition of success in the attainment
Of this object. | am aware that these are
radical views, but | believe that a radical
change in this practice must be introduced
before any tolerable degree Of perfection or
uniformity can be realized in our product.
What are some of the known conditions OF
success in butter-making2 To what extent
are they complied with in common practice 7
Let US consider these questions, for in their
correct solution will be found the confirmation
or retutation OF the position which | have
taken.
Uniform Temperature Essential.
One well known condition OF success is the
maintenance of right and uniform tempera.
ture through the entire process of collecting
and churning the cream This is not now ac.
compished, nor is it attanable by the pres.
ent process of shallow setting. Shall We
leave this matter so Indispensable to success
with an improvidence characteristic of a
barbarous age, to the ever changing temper.
ature of the weather to regulate : But per.
haps it will be argued that this should be &C.
complished by properly 'tempering the air il
!
any practicable means. And if possible is II
not more rational way to temper the milk by
the use Of water rather than to attempt to ten,
per the constantly changing air, and endeav.
or to reach the milk through that medium?
The use Of water is not practicable in con.
nection with shallow setting in common pans
The outfit is costly, aud the results are neces
sarily imperfect, while it requires needless
amount of ice or water, and imparts an un-
favorable degree of moisture to the air in tn,
room. These reasons, together with the
greatly increased and unnecessary amount Of
labor required, if there were no other, prac
tically prohibit the use of this mode of reach
ing the required object.
Other Objections 60 the Common Process
Another condition of success is, that tn,
milk and cream shall not be unnecessarily
exposed to the communicating influence of tn,
air. In common practice it is spread ou
much like the spiders web, especially in ho
weather, and exposed not only to more rapiC
chemical changes, but to all the flies, otheI
insects aud dust which may chance TO gaiI
= access TO the room, and to the absorption o
: all the nOXious gases and elements of decom
position which may chance to be floating
about. The Importance of this exposure
though recognized in nearly all other mat
Q ters, is overlooked in this. The careful
l. housewife excludes the air from everything
else which she wishes to preserve in its periec
state, aud why should she unnecessarily expos
= her cream, the most delicate aud susceptible Il
taints and decomposition OF all the substance
in her possession ? The microscope reveal
. . the fact that every cubic foot of air in ever
y the best ventilated aud cleanIiest milk rooms
contains, especially in hot weather, nnumera
Bile microscopic spores of mould, &C., rsad,
= to fasteu upon those substances in whcl
+ chemical change has commenced, and hastel
s their decomposition IA fruitful source o