DAIRY FARMING.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2143, 7 January 1881, Page 3

DAIRY FARMING.

PEBHCH BTTITBB, t" Mark Lane Express.”] As much of the butter which is so largely produced in various parts of Franco is generally acknowledged to be of superior quality, and that portion of it which is exported to our markets ranks deservedly high in London, and is preferred by some large consumers to the average quality of English fresh butter, we think a consideration of the way in which it is produced may be useful. Mr Richardson’s “Corn and Cattle producing Districts of France,’ published by Cassell, affords valuable and interesting information on this subject, There is also a special report on this subject, written by Mr H. M. Jenkins, in tho "Journal ” of the R A.S.vol. 15, pt. I, 1879. It has been commonly asserted that the superior quality of French butter is due to tho excellence of the pastures ; but we find from the authorities quoted that very much of the butter is made where arable dairying is tho rule, and where the dairy cows are mostly fed upon forage crops. The inference therefore is that the excellence of the butter is chiefly due to care and skill in the manufacture. The butter which ranks highest in the Paris market (known as Isiquy batter) is made in the Beasin district of Normandy. There is nothing special in the feeding and management of the cows. The milk is skimmed at 12 or 24 hours and chained twice or thrice a week in a Norman barrel churn which has small fixed dashboards. The dashboards are perfectly plain laths, and the churn is simple in construction as well as effective. The best butter makers do not churn at a greater pace than from 30 to 40 revolutions per minute, and the temperature of tho cream when put in the churn is about 57 deg. Fahr, A great point is made of stopping churning as soon as ever the butter comes. This is generally in from 20 to 30 minutes. As soon as tho butter is come in small particles the buttermilk is withdrawn by moans of a spigot, and filtered through a small seivo which returns any small quantity of butter which may flow away with the buttermilk. This butler is returned to tho churn, and fresh cold spring water put in until the churn is half full, A few turns are given, and tho water withdrawn, this process being repeated until the water comes out of the churn as bright as when put in i(. This washing in the churn completely removes tho buttermilk, and consolidates the butter, which is then removed by large wooden spoons, and worked slightly to press out the water without the necessity of ever touching it by band. This Isiquy butter goes direct to the Paris markets, and so much in request is it, that the makers receive 2s per lb and upwards, according to the season of the year. The choicest butter does not, however, come to the London markets. The bulk of the French butter which we import is made vrith far less care and skill on the small dairy farms of Normandy and Brittany. It is taken to tho numerous local weekly markets in lumps wrapped in clean linen cloths, and bought by wholesale butler merchants, who take it in hampers to a factory where the lumps ore sorted according to quality into several classes, each of which is separately dealt with. It is then thoroughly worked and washed in a butter worker of a sizs sufficient to do ten or twelve tons per day. The best butter for the English market is not salted, but washed—the last time in salt water. Other qualities have 3 to 5 per cent, of salt mixed with them. The French dealers are very particular in packing their butter, extreme cleanliness and neatness of packing adding to the value and attractiveness of tho commodity. The contrast between tha mode of packing of the Irish and French butter has been hitherto very noticeable.

There can be no question that the working of second class and i-ferior batter _ in the manner described greatly improves its condition, and renders it far more saleable and uniform in quality, and we think that this system might be adopted with advantage in Ireland and England. The best managed butter does not need it; but a large proportion of what is offered for sale in our markets in the dairy districts is by no means of fine quality, and would be improved by manipulation. Some large hotels and refreshment rooms are entirely supplied with French butter, not because it is better, or even cheaper than_ the boat English, but because it is more uniform and reliable than what can readily be bought. The quality of English butter is so variable that constant discrimination has to be exercised in its selection in the market. The manager of the Midland Hotel, Derby, with a weekly consumption of 2001 b. of butter imports all his butter from Normandy, although living in a town in the centra of one of the best dairy districts of England. A thorough practical knowledge of correct principles of buttermaking is much needed by many of those who have been familiar with the process most of their lives. We are convinced that with churns of proper construction and attention to tho main points of cleanliness, churning the cream when not too sour, not churning too fast and too long, and washing tho butter in tho manner described, first class butter would be the rule instead of the exception. The useful information on dairy matters now extensively diffused by means of tho press, the careful trials of dairy utensils at the meetings of our large agricultural societies, and the stimulating effect of severe foreign competition in dairy produce, making it more than ever necessary to produce articles of the best quality, will surely eventually result iu the general improvement of our dairy practice.