Nebraska advertiser., 1877-09-27
Suggestions for Packing Butter.

An important matter with retail
dealers and consumers who take but
ter out of the original package, is to
have It cIeave smoothly from the sides
of the package. In many instances tile
butter adheres 10 the sides of the tub
or firkin, causing a loss of from one to
two pounds OF butter, more or less,
since the PARTICLES adhering to the
wood are, at best, flt only for grease.
This loss not Unfrequently will am
cunt to penny or more per pound on
the whole weight of butter in the
package, and retail dealers as we'll as
consumers who purchase their sup
plies In original packages, very justly
complain that this Is waste imposed
upon them by the producer aud sho'd
be charged to his account. And with
out doubt the producer should bear
this loss, if he could be reached, be-
cause 1t is the result Of negligence or
want of knowledge in packing.
In the first place, the tub or firkin
should be well hooped and made per-
fectly tight 80 as not to sllow of the
least leakage. Then In preparing 1t
for use, the pores of the wood should
be completely filled by soaking in
brine, for IL these are left open the
butter Will work into them, and this
causes the adherence or sticking of the
butter TO the package. The package
should be first soaked for day or two
with cold brine made with pure salt
and clean spring water; this should
then be turned out, and is not fit for
use again, as the brine will draw out
the sap and other impurities In the
wood. New brine should now be
made by dissolving salt in clear spring
water and heating the solution. and
when boiling hot, 1t is poured into the
package, completely filling it. When
left to stand until cold, the brine is
turned off and the pores of the wood
will be filled and the package when
cool Is At for use.
Packages prepared in this way do
not impart the woody taste to the out
side surface of the butter coming in
contact with the package, while the
pores of the wood being filled renders
1t impervious to air and at the same
time allows the butter TO be removed
without loss, the surface, in contact
with the wood, cleavlng off clean and
smooth. The cover of the package
should be treated In the same way
This last is seldom attended to, even
by many who make practice ofsoak-
ing the tub or firkin with brine,
and the consequence is that the sap
and gum I'm the cover are drawn out
by the salt and brine placed an top of
the butter for its preservation, and
this gives the top layer a woody and
disagreeable taint. Butter should al
ways be packed as solid as possible,
and In putting Ii down in layers, care
should be taken 10 pack from the GEN.
tire outward, keeping the the center
always little higher than the outer
edges. In this way the pressure is
both perpendicular and outward to-
ward the edges of the tub, all the parts
being filled solid with the least injury
to the grain of the butter. This is an
important point, for butter is often
more or less injured in the grain by
unskillful packing; when the center
of the butter In packing, is kept lit
tie higher than the edges. the mois-
O ture or surplus brine flows naturally
to the edges of the tub, where it is
most needed, to exclude air, and pre-
vent the wood from drawing too
much moisture from the outer edges
q Of the butter, which are in contact
with the tub. Again. in packing, If
there Is not sufficient butter to fll the
tub at once, great care and attention
should be given to the different chur-
nIngs or parcels of butter Of the same
color. In boring the butter the color
must show uniformity on the tryer,
throughout. A white layer of butter
in the center of the tub, or tub show
ing butter of two colors will not sell
In market at top prices even If the
grain and flavor of the two packages
be perfect. The reason is obvious
since plate of butter with two colors,
on the table. is unsightly, giving the
impression OF negligence and, per-
haps gross unclesnliness on the part
of the maker; and this impression,
even THOUGH 1t be pure imagination,
will destroy all the pleasure In eating
the butter, though filled with the ar
oma of the sweetest June herbage.
A quite common fault in packing is
in using too large quantities Of butter
for the layers. In this way the air
cells OCCUR, as 1t is difficult to getit
down as solid as can be readily done
. by putting in small quantities at a
time, and stroking It lightly q few
times with the ladle.
That there are immense losses sus-
tanned annually from poor packages
and improper paekings, is well known
to every large dealer In butter, and
this refers particularly to butter that
is well made and which, by proper at
tentioa to the points we bave named.
would 60 to the consumers In prime
condition and withoutloss. Thegrest-
est neglect, or want Of knowledge in
regard to packages and packing. Is
among the farm dairies, and when
butter IS made upon the farm. The
matter Is one of great moment at the
present time when the price of butter
"a comparatively low; and while the
markets are crowded with INFERIOR