The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-06-15
CLEMSON EXTENSION WORK.
Farm Butter Making.

Much Of the butter that is now being pro-
duced Oh the farms Of this state Is OF very
poor quality. This Is not due to the lack
of good materials to work with, but Is due
to the methods p~racticed. Unjust be re,
membered that the first essential in max
ing good butter is to have good cream
By good CREAM we mean cream that has
been obtained from the milk gotten from
healthy COWS and drawn In a clearly man
ner. The udders Of the COWS must be wash
ed and dried before each milking and the
mixers should milk with clean and dry
hands, and In such a way that as little dirt
as possible will get into the milk. !
AS soon as the milk is brought into the
house strain it through not less than three
%thicknesses Of cheese cloth. This will get
out all fine dirt and hairs. Strain into pans
or bowls that have been we'll washed and
summed and place in the refrigerator or the
coolest spot possible. At the end OF twenty
four hours all the cream will have risen
and may be taken off in any convenient
manner. II the milk has been kept cool
enough it will still be sweet, but under the
usual conditions, where no ice is used, 1t
will very probably have clabbered. II the
milk has not %clabbered, it will be more con-
~venient to put the cream where 1t may be
kept cold and hold it until a large churning
may be made. If, however, the milk has
| clabbered when the cream is taken of, 1t
will be best to churn at once. Cream that
is very O never makes a good quality Of
butter.
The quality of butter is due largely to
the following points:
/. Temperature at which the cream Is
| churned. !
2. Acidity Of cream.
8. How the butter Is washed.
f.. Working and sailing.
These points will now be taken up In
their order. The churn should always be
scalded out with water before it is used
After scalding rinse out with cold water 80
as to bring the temperature Of the churn
to that of the cream that Is to be churned.
The temperature Of the cream should be
such that the butter will come in from
thirty-ive to forty-1ve minutes. If it
comes in less time than thirty-tlve min
utes, there will be too much butter left In
the butter milk and the butter is harder to
wash clean. The churning should stop
when the granules of butter are the size OF
grains OF wheat. At this stage all Of the
butter has come and it is easy to wash,
for each grain stands out so that the water
can get to it. II the churning continues
until the butter gathers into Jumps the
size of hens eggs or larger, it will be i'm
possible to wash the butter well, as only
the outside Of the Jumps are exposed to
the water.
When the butter has come draw off the
butter milk and add enough water to float
the butter. The temperature Of the wash
water should be slightly below the tenn
~peaature OF the cream when 1t was placed
in the churn. After adding the water
shake the churn so that every grain of the
butter will come in contact with the water.
1t is best to wash the butter twice. The
purpose of the washing is to get out the
butter milk. Too much washing will de-
stroy the flavor.
After the second wash water has been
drawn off, take the butter out Of the churn
and put on worker While it is still in the
granular form add one ounce Of the best
grade of fine salt to every pound OF butter.
Work salt in with paddle or lever OF work
er, but never with the hands. The object
of working is to get out the excess water
and to distribute the salt. Work until the
butter has a waxy appearance. Too much
working will ruin the grain and cause the
butter to look greasy. At this season OF
the year very little if any color need be
used, but if color is to be added, it should
be put into the churn just after the cream.
Prof. j. NJ. Burgess,
Division of Animal Husbandry and
Dairying.