Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-04-16
Treatment of Butter.

Suppose now the butter has "come," as
they say. II it is long left in the condition
in which it is taken from the churn we
should find it very soon becoming rancid.
The caseine which adheres TO the butter par
ticles acting, with the oxygen of the air, up.
on the oily matters, and the milk sugar
which would still remain in the butter,
would soon produce butyric acid and occa-
sion what we call rancidity To avoid this
it is important to get rid of all the curd and
milk still present in the butter, unless the
butter is to be used Immediately in its fresh
form, in which case the milk present in it
rather adds to its flavor than otherwise, and
1t is less necessary to remove it. To get
rid of the milk the butter is usually worked
over, often by hand, but much better by
some form Of butter worker Others again
wash it with pure water while working it
over, continuing this operation till the water
comes off clear. The latter method is very
apt to take from tho butter some of its fine
ness Of flavor and to bleach it out, that is,
to iujure its fine yellow color. We think
the use of the butter worker and the sponge
and cloth far preferable, and we would never
have it either washed or worked by hand.
The hand should never come in contact with
it.
While being worked it is common to work
in more or less salt, usually at the rate Of
about an ounce to the pound. Half an
ounce would probably be quite sufficient.
The less used the better the article, prOvid-
ed the quantity is sufficient to preserve it
fine and sweet. Instead of using common
salt, DR., Anderson, distinguished scientific
man of Edinburgh, recommends using a
sailing mixture composed Of one part sugar,
one Of saltpeter and two of pure salt, the
whole to be powdered and we'll mixed one
portion after another Of the butter TO be
thoroughly Incorporated with this mixture
and carefully pressed down into the jar OF
tub which is to receive il. 1t is worthy Of
trial, because one reason why we find SO
much poor, miserable butter in the market,
is the presence of too much salt of a poor
or impure quality. M. Thier says that
fresh butter can be preserved fresh for O
month, at least, in the very heat of summer
by placing it in a vessel OF earthen ware OF
glass, and when filled and closely pressed
reversing the vessel and placing its mouth
downwards in plate, which is kept filled
with cold water to be changed every day
You can keep it also very considerable
length of time by wrapping around it several
folds Of wet linen and putting it away in a
cool place.
One of the best materials in which to pre-.
serve butter is the common stone jar OF
| glazed earthen waro. but when it is put up
for market or to be transported to consid
erable distance wooden tubs are used, Wher
every precaution ought to be taken to free
them from any impurity, and to avoid i'm
parting any favor to the butter. Filling
them aud rinsing them repeatedly with boil
ing water in which salt has been dissolved
will effect this object, but perhaps 4 surer
way is by dissolving common soda in boiling
water, filling the boxes with the liquid and
letting it stand in them over night. In Europe
it is the custom in some sections, more espec.
tally on the continent, to put glass Of bran,
dy and some leaves Of the bay tree or laurel
in the bottom of the vessel in which thC
salted butter is to be kept, and in Holland q
long root Of liquorice is placed in the centre
of the mass, which keeps it sweet a long
time.
To make finely favored butter regard il
to be had to the food of the COWS. If tur
nips, Swedes and other similar substance,
are fed directly before milking, they will b.