Agriculture. THE CHEMIST IN THE DAIRY: No. V. By R. W. Emerson MacIvor, F.I.C., F.C.S. AUTHOR OF " THE CHEMISTRY OF AGRICULTURE."

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1598, 30 September 1882, Page 2

Agriculture. THE CHEMIST IN THE DAIRY: No. Y. By R. W. Emerson Maclvor, F.1.C., F.C.S. AUTHOR OF " THE CHEMISTRY OF AGRICULTURE."

EESTOEATION OP EANOID BUTTEE. It may be useful to know the means whereby stale butter may be greatly improved, and even in most cases, restored to excellent condition. The butter is carefully melted in a water-bath, some freshly burnt and coarsely ground animal charcoal (which has been freed from dust by sifting, is then added, and the melted material strained through clean flannel. Another and less troublesome mothod consists in thoroughly washing the butter first in new milk, and next in cold spring water. The objectionable fatty acids which occasion rancidity are easily dissolved by the new milk. PACKING BUTTER. The main point to be borne in mind by those engaged in packing butter is that air must be completely excluded from this perishable farm product. Tbe firkin or other vessel iB scalded with hot water, rinsed and cooled with cold water, then rubbed all round with fine sail; this will prevent the.butter from adhering to the sides of the vessel. In filling the firkin, the butter should be pressed firmly against the bottom and sides. If the firkin is only partially filled the top of the butter should be furrowed, so that the next addition may unite more completely with the butter first introduced. It is considered best to fill the firkins by degrees; about 6 inches of butter from each churning being a sufficient quantity, and in a large establishment two or more firkins can be filled at the same time. When tho butter has reached within an inch or so of the top of the vessel its surface should be covered with a while linen cloth, and the remaining space filled with dry salt, not with pickle as is too frequently the case. COLOIUNG 13UTTEK. White or pale butter, as a commercial commodity, does not generally command so good a price as that which has a fine yellow tint. Hence the practice of imparting this hue by the addition of annato to tho cream, or of grated carrots to the milk when they strip over night and are strained off next morning, when tho milk is poured into the churn. \IELD OF BUTTER. It requires from 22 to 24 lb. of milk, according to the quality, to make one pound of butter. A cow that yields from Bto 12 lb. of butter per week during the season is considered a good one for dairy purposes. Mr. J. Chalmers Morton, the well-known English authority, states that well-chosen cows will give from 2 cwt. to 2£ cwt. of butter each per annum on an average. The majority of dairies, however, throughout Victoria and New Zealand can hardly be estimated higher than I.J cwt. per year. Tim MANAGEMENT OF THE DAIRY. In the colonial as well as in the home markets there are many qualities of butter, and some of them sell at higher prices than the others. It is frequently the case that the low qualities are the result of careless management on the part of the dairymen or their servants, or of both. The dairy should not be situated near a dung-heap, cess-pit, stable, or pig-sty. Milk and butter readily attract and absorb, ancl are injured by, decomposing animal matters and bad gases. The building should be —(l) so situated as to avoid excessive heat in summer —(2) well ventilated, and —(3) kept scrupulously clean. " The cleaner" — < says Dr. C. A. Cameron, the Irish agricultural chemist —" everybody, animal and thing in connection with the production of butter is, the better is the butter." The milk vessels should be thoroughly washed both bofore and after being used, the udders of the cow kept clean, and her stable (if housed) maintained in good order. Lastly, the dairymaid should be clean in person, clothes, and habits; ancl no one should be employed who is disposed to perspire too freely. In a word the butterproducer's motto should be Cleanline&s.