=Treatment of Butter.=--The crude butter secured by churning is subjected to washing and seasoning processes in order to prepare it for the market. The washing or working of butter is accomplished by means of water. The object of this “working” is to separate from the crude butter as much of the curd and other non-fatty constituents of the cream as can be conveniently accomplished. The removal of these mechanical particles not only makes a butter of a higher grade but also one of better keeping qualities. The working of butter also has much to do with its grain or texture, which is one of the characters of butter to which great attention must be paid. The best grade of butter and that which brings the highest price in the market is that which receives no treatment other than that of the washing and working process to which attention has been called. This kind of butter is known as natural or unsalted or uncolored butter, that is, a fresh, sweet product of an agreeable aroma, palatable, of fine texture and grain, and is the best product of its kind for human consumption. It also brings the highest price on the market and, by reason of its method of preparation, the consumer can usually be assured that it is fresh in character. =Salting Butter.=--In the United States, especially, consumers of butter generally require that it shall be salted. For this purpose fine grades of dairy salt are used as free as possible from impurities and consisting of fine particles or crystals which rapidly dissolve in the residual moisture of butter. This promotes a uniform distribution of the salt in the form of brine throughout the mass of butter. The existence in butter of undissolved particles of salt is highly prejudicial to its taste and character. The quantity of salt used in butter is determined by the taste of the consumer. The more salt the butter contains the less value it is as butter and hence the quantity should be limited to the smallest possible amount demanded by the consumer’s taste. Often butters are found in commerce which are so full of salt as to be wholly unpalatable and there is a tendency on the part of the greedy manufacturer to add excessive quantities of salt because it is very much cheaper than the butter itself and thus he hopes to add to the profit of the industry. On the contrary this practice usually results in loss, since such highly salted butter naturally brings the lowest price. The amount of salt which is used in butter should not exceed two percent. It is a common supposition that salt in butter is a preservative. This is true when used in large quantities, that is, in quantities which render the butter somewhat unpalatable. The very small quantity of salt used purely for condimental purposes cannot be regarded as aiding in any material way the preservation of the product.