Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/438

406&#93; 4©6] BUT When this refined butter is- be- come somewhat firm, yet soft enough to be handled, the pure part should be separated from the dregs, then salted, and packed in the usual manner. There is another, still more cu- rious, way of preserving this refin- ed butter, stated by Dr. Ander- son. After it is purified, add to the butter a certain portion of firm honey, mix them well, and they will thoroughly incorporate: this mixture, when spread on bread, has a very pleasant taste, and may be given to aged persons, if they relish it, instead of marrow 3 and to others, as being useful for coughs and colds. The proportion of ho- ney employed was considerable ; and the Doctor remarks, that this mixture has been kept for years, without acquiring the least degree of rancidity ; so mat there can be do doubt that butter might thus be safely preserved during long voyages. The food. of cows very often arfefts the taste of butter. Thus, if wild-garlic, charloc, or May- weed, be found in a pasture ground, cows should not be suf- fered to feed there, before the first grass has been mown, when such pernicious plants will not again appear till the succeeding spring; but milch-cows must not partake of the hay made of those plants, as it will likewise com- municate their pernicious influ- ence. Cows should never be suffered to drink water from stagnant pools, in which there are frogs, spawn, &c. ; or from common sewers, or ponds that receive the drainings of stables — all which are exceedingly improper. As turnips and rape impart a BUT disagreeable taste to milk and hutg ter, Mr. Arthur Young directs, the dairy-man to boil two ounces of saltpetre in a quart of water ; to bottle the decoction ; and, when cold, to put a large tea-cupful of the mixture into ten, or twelve quarts, of new milk, immediately after it comes from the cow. As the turnips become stronger, the proportion of nitre may be in- creased. — A shorter, and equal- ly effectual method, is, to scald the pans, or trays, with boil- ing water, just before the. milk is poured in, and it will answer the purpose intended. — But it is not generally known that the bad flavour, or rancidity of turnip-hut- ter, arises solely from the green food, or the tops of that plant. By previously cutting these away, the evil is completely prevented. Lord Egremont has adopted this expe- dient : he fed from 25 to 30 cows, for the greatest part of the winter, with turnips, the tops of which were carefully separated : and the butter prepared from their milk was equal to the very best cf die kind. For removing, or rather pre- venting, the biiter taste of barley- straw butter, as well as the ran- cidity of turnip-butter, Mr. Mar- shall suggests the. following sim- ple, and rational means : Instead of putting the cream, immediately after it is skimmed off the milk, into the jar, or other retaining ves- sel, it is first poured upon hot ?raler, and having stood till cool, it is again skimmed off the wa- ter. According to experiments ac- curately made by Mr. Joseph Wimeey, to determine the com- parative value of butter and cheese, 105 j gallons of milk; properly dis- posed