Independent Statesman

Premium Butter.

Daniel H. Hale, of Rowley, Mass., who received the Essex Agricultural Society's first premium for butter, makes the following statement of his methods:

The sample of butter entered for premium was made from the milk of grade Jersey cows. The milk is strained in shallow pans, in a cool room, and allowed to stand until the animal heat is gone, when it is removed to the milkroom. In 36 hours it is skimmed. The cream is kept until it is a little changed, then churned until it comes to the granulated state, when the buttermilk is drawn off and cold water put in. After churning briskly a few seconds this water is drawn off, and more water put in and churned as before. The butter is then taken out, thoroughly worked over and salted, about nine ounces to ten pounds of butter being used. The butter is then put compactly in earthen pans and set on a cool cellar bottom. After remaining 24 hours it is again worked over, much care being taken that all the buttermilk is extracted, weighed, balled up and again set on the cellar bottom for 24 hours when it is ready for market. I prefer this method to the use of ice, as it will arrive at market in better order than butter which has been subjected to the influence of ice. I intend to keep the temperature of both milk and cream as near 60 as possible. For winter use, pack the balls closely in nice wooden tubs, or stone jars, care being taken that they are perfectly sweet; fit a cloth closely over the top, and have a tight fitting cover to exclude the air as much as possible. Butter so made and packed I have found will keep sweet any desirable length of time.