River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-10-09
Packing Butter in Brine.

notice that the subject of packing butter
in brine is being discussed, as though it was a
new idea. On the contrary, know that butter
was shipped around the Horn to California in
that way in 1S49, for L was there and used the
butter myself. 1t was first packed in small
kegs and then these kegs headed up and full
of butter, were placed in large cask and that
filed up with brine and headed up tight The
butter was in pretty fair condition, although
it was ordinary store butter, and of course was
not first quality when packed. 1t sold readily,
however, for 81. so per pound, and to those of
US who had not seen nor tasted butter for six
or eight months, you can be assured it seemed
good, even if it was little strong
About that time, or soon after party pat
ented a method of preserving and shipping
butter, which consisted in packing it in cases,
the same as farmers used 10 do their sausage
meat and then immersing theso in brine
1t was claimed that butter thus prepared could
be shipped around the world and in all chimes,
and preserve its flavor, but whether true or not
l am unable to say
When l was boy, residing in the state of
New York, my mother used to pack her butter
in stone jars to within an inch or two of the
top, and then cover it with brine, as /
presume others did the object being to
exclude the air from contact with it as perfect
as possible 1t would be worth while for some
of your butter makers TO try the experiment of
packing in brine, because if successful it would
enable the butter to be sent long distances
without deterioration, and in as much as there
is no known substance which so readily abb
serbs favors as milk and butter. 1t is especi-
ally subject to injury by being shipped or
stored in the vicinity Of other substances.
AS an illustration, | recollect once, that a
skunk was killed in the vicinity of our house,
and every particle of milk and cream in the
cellar was so bitter in couple of hours af-
forward that it was impossible to use it. and it
was all thrown away.
For that reason, milk, cream, and butter
should always be kept by themselves, and new
er stored in cellar or room with meat, vege-
tables, or any other substance which has per-
ceptible flavor Even the shipping of it in tubs
on the cars, or keeping it in store houses in
connection with other substances, viii injure it.
Hence if packing in brine will preserve It's orig
inal flavor and sweetness, and prevent the abb
sorption of bad fiavors, 1t Will be great thing
for both producer and consumer.
There can be DO doubt that it will exclude
the air from contact with it and preserve it for
longer period, and it seems reasonable that
it should prevent the butter from absorbing
bad smells and iiavors
1t is quite probable that other preseT vative
chemicals can be added to the brine with adj
vantage. but this is matter that requires the
chemical knowledge of experts, and experiment
to demonstrate. Why not have some of your
agricultural college professors give this mat
ter their attention? Nothing could be of more
interest to the people of State that makes as
much butter as Iowa does as well as the coun-
try at large Observer, in Iowa Homestead