Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-07-10
Gbt Aairp.
THE PROGRESS IN BUTTER.

In all the dairy regions Of this country,
and especially at the West, there has been
manifested, for several months, an unusual
interest in the improvement Of butter prod.
uct. The excellent returns made by skilful-
ly managed creameries and butter factories,
the wide margin which often exists between
the prices gained by some single dairy and
the average price Of the neighborhoOd, have
led butter makers generally to cast about for
reasons which shall explain the difference be-
tween their neighbors' profits and their own.
Memory does not reach to the time when there
was not great difference between the but
ter.making skill of farmers wives The abil-
ity TO make the finest article was regarded
as 4 gift Of genius In some cases, while in
others the good results were attributed to
some mysterious turn in the making, some
pet flop of the product, which added SIX
pence pound to the value of the material.
There is no doubt that much superstition
has prevailed in the matter; there is no
doubt that often the real cause Of success
was lost sight OF and prominence was given
to non.essentials, for many times tho success
tul butter maker has explained her process
to her neighbor, and the neighbor has OBJ
served il carefully in her dairy with no i'm.
provement IN the yield. Lately, much OF
the mysticism has been removed from butter.
making. Differences which were thought to
be Occasioned by certain twisting Of the
wrist, have been found to lie much deeper.
1t has not been proved that milk is anything
but milk, but il has been shown that milk
may be robbed and enriched, may be kept
pure or laden with the germs Of destruction.
The discussions Of butter making have shown
that there are things to be considered which
did not enter into the oldest butter makers
philosophy. They reached SUCCESS by the
observance Of these things, but it Vas an OBJ
serVance by intuition, by accident by habit.
They succeeded By things which they did not
consider of Importance, and did not speak
about. The progress of inquiry and enlight.
eminent has changed to a great extent the
popular view Of success in butter making
A thousand men aud women are now think
ing, studying and experimenting upon mat
ters which few years ago were unthOughI
Of. 1t is the accomplishment of this
prevalent spirit Of inquiry and investigation
to which the improvement may be accredited
1t is worth while 10 recognize this fact, and
to believe that improvement is within the
reach of any one who honestly and perseyer
ingy seeks it.
The success Of the creamery and factory
system in making butter has proved that BY
right treatment the butter Of neighborhOod
| may be raised to uniform level and to I
level much above an average Of old methods
This fact has in itself done good service BY
|, awakening the people TO their own capacities
for improvement. 1t has done much u
: sweep away the ideas of genius and myste
. riOus secrets which once prevailed, by show
ing that both genius and mystery consist il
an observation Of natural conditions. Il
the dissemination Of such ideas as well as II
Q securing the dairymeu better material prOht
4 has the creamery success been blessing b
the butter industry. In our older dair,
regions the benefits are noticeable, but II
> in the newer regions that the improvement
has been most marked, and in these just nov
the eagernsBs toward greater improvement
Q apparent. - Utica Herald.