The Somerset reporter., 1895-01-17
FARM. GARDEN and
HOUSEHOLD.
The Butter Score at Pennington.

OF the record of the work OF the Judge at
the exhibition of products of the dairy
At the Harrington meeting, published
in no other paper but the Farmer, is a
volume in a nutshell of instruction to the
dairymen of our State. We proposed
to have called attention to some OF Its
important lessons in the issue next fol-
loving its appearance. but was crowded
out by State Master Virgins annual adj
dress and other Grange matters incident
to the annual gathering at Bangor, of
which also we gave our usual full report.
We now ask that our readers Will take
the Judges score of the exhibits as found
in the Farmer of December 18th, and
with us examine some OF It's important
lessons.
In connection with the work of score
ing the butter the Judge made the state
ment before the meeting that "Maine
was not keeping up with other States in
the Improvement of her product of but
ter" This is an important charge
against our dairymen, for 1t means OF
course a money loss to them. Instead
of disputng the charge as untrue and
undeserved as it is human nature to do,
it will be far better to look up the points
of inferoriiy with a view to efforts to
correct the defects. lust here is where
the scale as made by the judge comes to
be of great value. 1t shows where the
defects OF the different samples lay as
placed by this same Judge. The differ
ent exhibitors took their samples to the
exhibition for this very purpose That
exhibitor who secures the greatest re-
ward from the competition, therefore,
is the one who gets the most information
from it, rather than the person who Sc
cures the highest score and the money
price.
Beginning with the column in the
score marked packing it is seen that
in nearly every sample the packing was
perfect This shows it was neatly print
ed and nicely put up In case OF print
butter, and with the packed butter that
the tub or box in which it was packed
was clean, neat and attractive. In SO far
as this goes the exhibit was OF a high
OF der.
Looking to the next column, sailing"
the score is equally creditable. Color"
also, when not perfect is off only half
point with the exception of but few
samples, and this half point was taken off
in most cases to conform to the rigid
standard set up in the rules rather than
market demand. SO this column passes
we'll under the test.
Grain that quality of butter which
stands only one place removed from that
of first in Importance, is second perfect,
or but trihe below in most of the SAM
pies.
These four characteristics, namely,
grain, color, sailing and packing, are all
that properly come under the control Of
the maker. Hence the score of this ex-
pert shows that in nearly all these cases
the butter makers have done their work
either perfectly, or nearly up to that
standard. Certainly, then, in so far as
the cream and handling the
product through its several processes on
the way to the finished product ready
for market is concerned, Maine butter
makers are not only keeping up with the
around them but are actually,
according to this judge, clear up with the
front ranks OF the procession.
Going further and looking at the col
umn of "favor,n the record is not so
good, and certainly as whole is nothing
to boast over. Flavor, it is well known,
is of greatest importance in the list OF
characteri tics. In the standard OF per-
lection it is given almost as m ny points
as all the others together. Here Is where
the exhibits were most defective, and
where the charge of the expert as 10 the
quality of Maine butter must lay. 1t is
well known by dairymen that it is diff
fout matter to secure as high flavor in
butter made in winter as in the autumn
and summer months, and as a conse-
quence, it is rare indeed, that the high
score, are reached in winter This holds
true with all dairy sections and is ex
emplifed at all winter exhibitions. All
of them, however, may not run as low as
at Pennington.
Another reason for the low score OF
flavor in winter butter of private dairy
make, and one not directly chargeable |,
to the season, is that many of the private
diaries are small and as a consequence |
the cream is kept too long before it is
churned. From our own examination
Of the Pennington collection, we have |
no doubt the low standard of flavor was
largely accounted for in that way Cream
after being taken from the milk soon
begins to take on an old favor, and this
IN its full measure is transmitted in the
outer made from it.
In the creamery butter shown it may
De claimed that the score was fairly cred
table to the State for a winter product
OF the ten ereameries represented with !
Tub butter, eight were above 90 in their
full score, while of the two below one
was only half a point. -Four samples
reached the % mark Here. as in the
p, ivate make, the principle defect was IN
that all important mattel of flavor
AS to the source from which havors
are derived and the methods through
which they may be preserved or improved,
much may be said, and it would seem
from the Pennington score that much is
called for. Dairymen are interested in
this and the columns of the Farmer are
open for their discussion of the matter
Now is the time to talk over dairy pro-
blems.-1fdine Farmer.