Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-06-23
Best Method of Setting MILK, Cooling
ETC., for king Butter.

N'PVuuOut VI INC NeW Englan(
Farmer asks very comprehensive question
as to best methods of the several processe
OF butter making In Mr.. Oheever's excel
lent reply he cnumerates the methods of Col
Hardin Mr.. Ellsworth, Col. Waring, Mr..
Douglass, Mr. Reeder and Mr.. Arnold
Whipple, and makes the following general
response.
"ln view of all recent discussions" and
the claims Of several Of the prominent but.
ter makers OF the country, each of whom
make what is supposed to be 6rst-class but
ter, 1t becomes serious if not a bewilder-
ing question to answer, "what is the best
method Of setting milk for butter making ?"
Butter making, as leading branch in our
farm work, has been our study for more
than twenty years, and we feel that, with.
out being subject to the charge of egotism,
we can claim fair degree of success 10 the
dairy-room. We commenced with one COW
and have gradually increased the number to
twelve. We tried to learn the business by
observation and inquiry, but soon found that
experience was an indispensable teacher in
this department Of domestic industry. Hav-
ing decided to make the manufacture of but
ter speciality, and, also being determined
to make the best grade possible, we soon
came to the conclusion that our only
sure course would be, not only to oversee
aud supervise, but also to do the work per.
sonally; and this opinion has been confirmed
by almost all our subsequent experience and
observation. Indeed, the most successful
butter makers we know Of, at the present
time, are among those who do the work
themselves, whether they happen to be male
or female operators.
There are E.en in this country, scattered
here and there, with their herds of fancy
cows, and their aristocratic and city connec.
tions, who have gained reputation for
fancy butter, which sells at h;gi prices to
friends and relatives, but who know very lit
tie practically about butter making. They
are almost wholly dependent upon servants
for doing the work, and the unavoidable
changes which often occur in this direction
are the source of constant ANNOYANCE and
anxiety on the part of the owners of the
dairies, who, by the way, are often men who
are fully occupied with mercantile or other
outside business and only take up farming
as a sport as pastime.
This class read the books, visit other dali
rles, are close observers, aud provide the
very best Of everything supposed to be need.
tul for making the best butter. Many of
them do make good butter most of the time,
aud they may get dollar pound for it
without realizing over fifty per cent on its
real COST Like all the others, we |
have way Of our own which might, if |
adopted by the others, work ruin with their
reputation as dsirymen. We are sure it |
would with some Of them, but still we have
never yet been ready to adopt either Of their
methods in our practice, unless ours is the
same as Mr.. Reeder's, which it most resem.
bles. MIR Reeder of Pennsylvania adheres
to the old style Of shallow setting in the
open air without water cooling, and is one
Of the "crack" butter makers in that noted
dairy secton)
The fact is, there are several good meth.
DDS OF making good butter, and when a man
has learned one of them, aud has gained
reputation and good run of trade, he is a
little cautious about running the risk of try.
ing new experiments. If one is making
butter that suits his customers, and the
price of it suits both parties, there can be
little induccment to change the method of
manufacture for new process, whatever
that may be. ....
We are sorry that We cannot give more
ieiinite answer to the inquiry of our CORES
pondent We could, by giving the prefer.
'nce TO either Of the methods named above,
bring out howl of opposition that might
DC heard from Maine to Oregon. Some of
he most bitter discussions that have been
carried on through the press upon dairy
matters, have been about the best way TO set
milk for butter, but the summing up seems
o bo that, while good results may be OBJ.
aimed by several methods, no one can be
adopted with equal success aud satisfaction
BY all. 1t must depend something upon the
for obtaining water or ice, the
,ost Of fuel, the prices expected for the but
ter, the breed Of cows, the skill of the one
who is to make the butter, the taste or pecul.
arities Of the consumers, and also the means
1t the command of the dairyman. for some
,f these methods, if adopted in some local..
lies, would involve an expense that many
would hardly feel able to incur.