The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-11-09
The Farm.
Farmers, Gardners, Horticuiturists,
Dairy and Stockmen are requested to
write for this Department.
Washing Butter.

mere ID NO JULIET way VI SO eHeCtlVe'
~ cleansing butter Of its Gaseous and
albuminous matter as by washing. Of
course, the water should be clean and
pure. Very much depends upon the
character of the water. Hard or limy
water is not good. Alkaline waters,
containing soda or magnesia, are worse.
The water may be SO bad that no wash.
ing would be preferable. This is a
question that ought always to be con-
sidered. But whatever the natural
character of the water in the soil, fil-
tered rain-water can always be secured
by the proper construction of cistern,
and this is nextin quality to the softest
and purest spring water from slaty or
clay soil. Add to it little salt, just
so as to make weak looking BRINE,
and it will dissolve the Gaseous matter
in the butter, which, OF course, will De
removed by the water, when drawn off.
But in no case should a strong brine be
used for cleansing the butter, for it
will coagulate and harden the albumi.
nous and ccseous matter and fix it per-
manently in the butter instead of re.
moving it.
Every little while some correspon-
dent, or writer for the dairy depart
ment of some paper, will come out with
TRADE against washing butter. 1t is
declared that washing takes out the
flavor. So it does-the flavor of sour
milk. But this is not the favor that is
desired in fine butter, nor is it the
flavor that will keep. 1t soon changes
to rancid cheesy flavor, and the butter
is spoiled. Washing takes out no other
flavor. Some declare that it washes
out the sugar! Such are probably not
aware that all the sugar there is in the
butter is what is held in solution by the
water in the buttermilk which the but.
ter contains. Get this water out and
out goes the sugar with it-no matter
whether washed out or worked out.
Some even 90 SO far as to put sugar
into their butter with the salt. Moth
ing could be worse. Sugar is very
unstable article, when in solution, un.
less kept at temperature very high or
very low. In butter, it soon decomposes
and forms acid, and this, in turn.
changes to something else, to the great
injury of the favor of the butter.
Hence it is that it is better for the
keeping quality of the butter to have
the sugar changed to Tactic acid in the
cream before it is churned. If it is, of
course washing the butter does not wash
out the sugar-it simply washes out the
lactic acid which has been formed from
the sugar, and which is not wanted in
the butter.
Those who oppose washing butter
appear to be afflicted By a sort of by.
dEophobia. We sometimes wonder if
they ever wash their faces and hands.
They do not seem to be aware that
milk is 81 per cent water, on an aver
age, aud thin cream full 80 per cent
water, while butter, as it comes from
the churn, contains at least 20 per cent
Of water, and 10 to Is per cent after it
is prepared for market. And it is not
held chemically, either, as some may
suppose. 1t is mechanically mixed
with the milk, the butter and the
cream. 1t holds the sugar in perfect
solution, the Gaseous matter in imper-
feet solution, and in it the giobules of
cream float until they rise to the sur
face. Hence, thinning cream with warm
water-provided the water is pnre-is
only increasing the amount of an in.
gredient which it already contains.
Yet some very strenuously object to
this, and favor dilution with skinned
milk, which contains over 80 per cent
of water contaminated with O lot OF
Gaseous, albuminous and saccarhine
matter, which by no means improves
it for diluting purposes. When butter
is washed, impure water is only diluted
by adding pure, and repeating the pro-
cess until the impurities become SO at
tenuated that they disappear from view;
and washing avoids working. if wash
the butter in the granulated condition,
and this saves the grain of the butter,
preserves the aroma, land prolongs the |
keepingSquality. |