The Worthington advance., 1897-01-07
.FLAvoRaoF BUTTER.
Why the Choice Of Food 10 IN Important
- Part Of Dairy Practice. -.

10 =
3'35. Part Of Dairy Practice.
tits matter of surprise among all
intelligent, practical dairymen, that
the scientific experts should differ 10
directly on SO many important points
of the dairy work with practical ex-
perts, men who have been engaged for
as many years, in many instances, az
the scientists have weeks, in gaining in
formation in their special line. One
of these differences is the cause of the
flavor of butter. And this is of really
primary Importance, for flavor is, of
course, the first point of value in any
article of food. Flavor, we may be sure,
e&cites the appetite and has much to
do with digestion, for it induces that
flow of saliva which is the first agent OF
the digestion of food. This is of the
greatest Importance in the preparation
of food, for, as it's flavor is pleasant, it
is eaten with relish, and the indispens-
able saliva flows all the more profusely
as the flavor is savory and sipid. Thus
we very properly place the quality Of
the flavor of butter at the top of the
scale of points of excellence of this
distinguished article of our food.
Now, the practical expert is very sure
that it is from the food that flavor is
developed in the butter. This should
go without saying, for if ill favors are
derived from the foods, why not the
good favors? Who of us do not know
that the fresh June grass gives more
desirable flavor to the butter than cab
bagcs or turnips; and who doubts that
the wild onions, rag-wced and other
highly favored weeds do really give
flavor to the butter of cows which feed
in pastures infested by them? So 1t
is with the other foods; linseed meal
gives quite different flavor from that
of cottonseed meal, and cornmeal from,
oatmeal or bran. Buckwheat has its
special effect, not only on the flavor,
but even on the color and texture of the
butter. And that this must be SO we
know, because it is also known that it
is from the oils in the food that the
chief flavors of the butter is made from
them are derived. Thus it is that but
ter made from cottonseed meal not only
has the flavor of this special oil, but
it has also precisely the same chemical
reaction in the hands of the analyst.
If, then, the dairyman whose expert
ence goes back for score or two of
years of intelligent practical work dif-
fers from the scientist, whose work is
only of few weeks or months stand
ing, whose testimony should we accept,
or whose advice should we follow?
There is no doubt on this point, we
think.
1t is now the fashion to give too much
Importance to those organisms which
we know affect milk and its products,
and too little to the influence of the food
OF the cows. Unquestionably these
have their effect on the milk, and on
the cream and the butter; but so far
these effects have been found all unfa-
variable, and to be striven against by the
bEttcr-maker. They are all agents OF
decomposition, which in the end are
destructive, but as far as they may be
wisely controlled, they are useful. AS
to butter, it is quite certain that the
real natural butter flavor, that which
is inherent in the fats which make the
ooSICAs 10 q pAOuuCt u 1uCIplcuC UcCOu-
position, which, like the ripeness OF
fruit, gives the exquisite flavor to
pear or grape, and which, if it goes
too far, is the beginning of a flavor
which disgusts instead of pleasing. So
it is with butter, and this process OF
ripening is to be controlled, just as
the cheese-maker controls the ripening
Of the cheese. But there are other
flavors which are clearly due to the
food, and as these differ very much as
the foods may vary, they are to be
studied by the butter-maker in such
way as to avoid the undesirable ones
and encourage the useful ones. And
thus it is that the choice of foods for
the cows comes in as one of the most in,-
portant parts of dairy practice. It is
not all of this to get and use the foods
which will most increase the product
of butter, but to use those of which the
finest favored butter may be made-H.
Stewart, in Ohio Farmer.