Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/434

402&#93; 40*] BUT state, -while it is rendered unwhole- some, and unfit for keeping. See also Balance. Butcher's Broom. See Knee- hoi t.y. BUTTER, an artificial prepara- tion of cow's milk j which, either in its entire state, or in that of cream, is agitated for a consider- able time, till all its unctuous par- ticles are separated from the whey, 3nd a soft consistent mass is formed. The Greek writers, though fre- quently speaking of milk and cheese, do not mention butter : and die Romans, while they lived Without physicians for six cen- turies, never used it as an article of food, but only as a medicine. In modern times, the art of mak- ing, improving, and preserving but- ter, has kept pace with the un- wholesome custom of eating this animal oil, from an early period of infancy. Thus, we have reason to think that many diseases of chil- dren, especially those of a scro- phulous nature, are wantonly in- duced, or at least rendered more malignant. As butter is, at present, used in our daily food, chiefly on account of its agreeable taste, we shall first speak of its physical proper- ties. — To render it less hurtful, it ought to be perfectly fresh, and free. from rancidity; which it easily acquires, if the butter-milk has not been completely separated. Fried, or burnt butter, is still more detri- mental to health ; as it is thus con- verted into an acrid, and e en caus- tic fluid, which cannot fail to dis- order the stomach, to render di- gestion difficult and painful, to excite rancid belchings, and, ulti- mately, to taint all the fluids with a peculiar acrimony. Hence, tcaot BUT and butter should never be eafer? by persons who value their health ; as there are many who, even by fresh butter, are affected with those inconveniencies. Nor can we re- commend the prevailing custom of melting butter with flour and wa- ter; for, in this manner, it forms a compound more indigestible, than sweet butter is in its natural state. Notwithstanding the injurious tendency of butter, especially after it is salted, this substance forms a considerable article of trade. It is affirmed that not less than 50,000 tons are annually consumed in London ; of which the counties of Cambridge and Suffolk are said to furnish 50,000 firkins, each con- taining 561b. None, however, is equal to that produced in Essex, and known by the name of Epping butter, which was formerly sold at from 12d. to 14d. per pound avoir- dupois : but, lately, at the exorbi- tant price of Is. 8d. With respect to the various me- thods of making butter, Ave shall state only those practised in Essex ; to enable the reader to select the most useful parts of the different processes, and apply them to par- ticular situations. The Epping method has been described by Mr. Josiah Hazard; from whose directions we extract the following particulars : After having stated the proper requisites for a Dairy-house, which we shall communicate under that head of the. alphabet, he observes, that a good milch-cow may be worth from / to 101. a year, whereas an indifferent one will bring in no more, than from 5 to 61. during the same period : hence the farmer should never keep any but such as~ . -.{ an abundance of milk. No milk