3. Amount of Cream.—If only a small amount of hand-
separator cream is being received, then usually it will not pay
to carry it through by itself. By experience the authors have
found that the best way to dispose of a comparatively small
amount, providing it is not too sour, is to empty it into a
receiving-vat with the milk, and stir it well, re-skim it and


CREAM-RIPENING. 205


pasteurize all the cream, add a starter, and ripen in the usua
way. If the cream is sour, and there is a danger of souring
the remainder of the milk, or clogging the separator, it is ad-
visable to add it directly to the cream-vat. The sourness of
the cream is not so dangerous if the flavor is clean. If it is
very unclean, and not sour, the mixing with the whole milk,
the separation, and pasteurization will eliminate a great many
of the undesirable flavors and check the activity of a large
portion of the undesirable germs present. When the starter
is again added and ripened, a good quality of butter is ob-
tained. If a comparatively large amount of cream in poor
condition is received, then it is advisable to retain it by itself.
