Agriculture. THE CHEMIST IN THE DAIRY.-No. 4. BY R.W. Emerson MacIvon, F.I.c.,F.C.S. AUTHOR OF " THE CHEMISTBY OF AGRICULTURE."

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1595, 23 September 1882, Page 6

Agriculture . THE CHEMIST IN THE DAIR Y.-No. 4. BY R. W. Emers on Maclv on, F.1 .c.,F.C.5. AUTHOR OF " THE CHEMISTBY OF AGRICULTURE."

CauitNTNG should cease as soon as the butter comes, for if carried too far the "grain" or texture of the product is sure to be injured. "When {he butter has collected in the ohurn it is taken out and washed in cold water (preferably in hard spring water), with a view of the butter milk and particles of jf^seine which, if allowed to remain, would fcodn decompose and turn the butter rancid. '\^t©f"it J*as been washed, the butter is careSjJKQy (WorKecf tond pressed for the expulsion of MXI matter. Over-working in this be guajrded against, as it will make Hhe butt#£#ve»sy land spoil its texture. ■^Pftß^BnvxTroN Jof Butter. — When made ffiroin ci'fiJ^m butter has a more agreeable odour '\. and tasjte than when made from whole milk ; tat ityis said that the latter yields the best :- jcedpi/g product. Butter from sweet cream ) conjoins less curd than that made from sour and hence it is not so liable to decomf" pose. In order to preserve even the best 1 /butter it must be salted or treated in the /- ancient Tartarian fashion, recommended by the eminent French chemist Thenard. This plan is thus described : — Melt the butter in a stoneware or a well-glazed earthen pan set in k\ i water-bath at a heat not exceeding 180 Jr dog. Fahrenheit, and keep it heated, skimming • it from time to time until it becomes quite * f transparent ; then pour off the clear portion -' into another vessel, and cool it as quickly as possible by placing the. vessel in very cold ' water or ice. In this condition it may be preserved perfectly fresh for G or 9 months, if kupt in a "close vessel and in a cool place. It is stated that butter, melted by the Tark tarian process and salted by ours, will keep Lsound and fine-flavored for two years. usual way of salting butter is the fol- : — The butler after washing is spread in a tub and the salt shaken over it. The then turned over on the salt by the pwt of the palm of the hand, and rubbed |diwn until a uniform mixture is obtained. I Only one half of the salt to be used need bo ■ st first added and rubbed in, and the whole f allowed to stand over night. It will then bo found that some butter ni'Mc was exuded, and this being poured off the rest of the salt may be mixed with the butter. Fresh butter should contain little more than 1 per cent of salt, and good salt butter from 3 to G lbs. per cwt, according to local circumstances. 1 Dr. Thomas Anderson, the eminent Scottish agricultural chemist, recommends the following process for pioserving butter: — Saltpetre and white sugar, of each 1 oz., best large grained salt, 2 ounces, all in fine powder, mix thoroughly and add 1 ounce of this mixture to eveiy pound of fiesh butter, and thoroughly incorporate them together. The butter thus prepared is next to be tightly px'essed into clean earthenware vessels or well seasoned casks, so as to leave no vacuities. It is sfiidjthat this butter will keep in a cool place fo^ years ; and will bear a voyage to East India if stowed so as not to melt. It does not taste well before it has stood for three or four weeks, after which it aequhes a rich marrow-like flavour, which belongs to no other butter. An excellent means of protecting the butler from the air consists in filling the pots to within an inch of the top, then to lay on it some large giained salt to a thickness of a J to £ an inch and lastly to cover each pot with a plate, blato or other Hat article. The .salt absorbs water and in time changes into brine which forms tin airtight layer on top of the butter, and can at any moment be poured off by simply turning the pot on one side. i The common proportions of salt and saltpetre iised for the finest salt butter of commerce are 1 1b. and 1 oz. respectively for every 21 lbs. of fresh butter. A better mixture consists of butter — 18 lbs; salt, 1 lb., saltpetre, 1 J oz., and honey or fine brown sugar, 2 qz. The quality of the salt employed for dairy purposes is of importance and merits particular attention. If it be infeiior it will spoil good butter. When salt is damp in appearance, through its having absoibed moi&turo from the air, it is almost sure to contain a bitter salt, chloride of magnesium. The addition of half a pint of hot water to*every stone of salt will dissolve the greater part of this objectionable constituent and thp. cleansed salt may be set to drain. In concluding the subject und^i' notice it may in general terms be stated that butter I **-ffi4gnded for immediate-use needs only { oz. of vfootysterirpex pound to preserve it ; but, if intended for exportation to distant localities, fro|n to q oz. of salt will be required.