Name/Title
Letter to Ebenezer Bull from Chas L Sleeper (butter factory?) date ?Entry/Object ID
002094Tags
Ebenezer Bull, Charles L SleeperSubject
Leiperville Delaware Co. Pa. 12th Mo. 2nd 55
Esteem'd friend Ebenezer Bull,
Thy kind letter came to hand this forenoon - it afforded us
much satisfaction, and we feel inclined to
write a reply thereto, perhaps it will prove a mutual
benefit - my wife and I are surprised that you
churn the milk - you certainly do not obtain more
butter than we do from a like quantity of milk?
our method is to strain the milk into pans of 10 or
12 qts and let it stand until the cream rises and the
milk is thick, then we skim off the cream with a saucer
and put it in large tin pans or pots until churning day
twice a week in warm season, in winter our cows of
course do less and we churn only once a week -
(in particular my wife says that the cream should be taken off as soon as
the cream will adhere together free from the milk which state may
be known by pushing the cream from the side of the pan with the
finger, it will stick together and not remix with the milk below
or not swim back again to the side of the pan)
we put the cream into a barrel churn with dashers and
a crank at each end and one or two (according to the quantity)
can make Butter in from 3/4 to 1 hour - in the summer -
we always obtain butter in rather less than 1 hour when
the cream is at a temperature of 60 degrees - our Butter
sells at the highest price in Philada - my wife yesterday
sold at 44 cts per lb - as regards the sour milk after
taking off the cream as before mentioned we pour all
of that into large tubs and prepare that also for market -
we put it into bags after warming it, and let the
whey run off till of the right consistancy - this we call
smear case or cottage cheese and it sells for 3 cts per bowl
of 1/2 pt & thee would be surprised at the quantity we make
and find ready sale for at all seasons of the year
we seldom have enough for our customers - if thee writes if Transcription: 2094a.jpg
wishes to know more about it we will be more particular in our
next - I will close by saying that thy letter has raised a
desire to visit your county - how far from New York
is Monroe Station? - we are members of Darby Meeting and have not been
there to day - which is an uncomfortable feeling to me
if thou art a Friend thee can appreciate my feelings -
we live 5 1/2 miles from Darby - yet it is a loss to not
get there - from thy friend - and may we so live as
to honour our profession - Chas. L. Sleeper
I feel as if I should be benefited by a more particular
acquaintance with thee - write!
I think I will write to Nicholas Cocks on the
subject - Land here is very high price we have 66 acres
which is valued at 10,000 dollars - some small farms
say 30 or 40 acres have sold recently for 3 & 4 hundred
[struck through word] dollars per acre - this has been caused mainly
by the West Chester & Phil.a R. Road which passes through
this neighborhood and the West-dale station is near
our place - it may be interesting to thee to know that
the celebrated painter Benjamin West was born
within a few yards of this station the house is
still standing and is an object of interest to travelers
we are also near the county seat call'd Media.
the attention of the farmer along the rout beyond media
on to Westchester will be turned (as soon as it is finished
to W.C.) to the Milk business - The cars now run only
to media - but will be finished next summer -
