Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-05-15
Cooling from Above.

Sometime since, discussing the "current
theory" of cream-raising, we brought out
quite unexpectedly to us, a letter from Mr..
ID. b. Wooster, which we printed, with some
appended comments of our own. In those
comments we observed that the acknowl-
edged success of Mr.. Wooster's very excel
lent setting-cans was probably due to the fact
that he failed in producing the currents, to
any great extent, which, according to his
theory were requisite for the rapid separa-
ton of the cream. In short, his cans were
success as cream-raisers, we thought, be-
cause, and just in the degree that, they did
not set up useless currents in the milk.
Since then we have been thinking the
subject over good deal, and experimenting
little, and we have satisfied ourself that
this is actually true, and that top-cooling
constitutes an important part of the most
practical plan for bringing milk to an equi-
librium of temperature and the arrest of
currents in the shortest time.
During all the discussion of the last ten
years in regard to different methods of set
ting milk, it has been conceded that the
application of cold water to the bottoms and
sides of the pans was unphilosophical, since
the warmer portion of the milk is always at
the top, the point most distant from the
cooling medium. But it was alleged on all
hands that this unphiosophical method was
the only practicable one, since the necessity
for the free escape of the d" animal odor "
rendered it impossible to make decent ar
ticle of butter from cream which had risen
in closely covered vessel.
The Hardin and Cooley plans for setting
milk have most effectually knocked the
"animal odor" theory on the head. We
contended against it for years, as we have
against the equally incorrect notion that
each butter globule is enclosed in a sack OF
she'll Our criticism met with all the us.
ual varieties of treatment, from the lofty
smile of pity on the faces of the great dons
of " dairy science down through all the
grades of cheap contempt and discourteous
allusion. We are now passing through the
same experience in regard to the butter
globule " envelope but we can afford to
watt in the confident assurance of a similar
outcome.
Another difficulty in the way of top-cool
ing with ice, was the assumed necessity Of
cooling the milk only to temperature moi
less than fifty-eight degrees, " after which al
increase of several degrees may be permitted
with advantage to both quantity and qualit,
of butter" as so able an authority as Mr.
Bliss asserted, no longer ago than 1870. The
Swedish system, with its American modifi
cations, has also invalidated this position
by demonstrating its entire Inconsistency
with now universally admitted experimental
facts. Topcoolng with ice will unques
tonably bring milk to low temperature
more rapidly than any other method, othei
things being equal. But in order to max,
other things equal, the bottom and sides o.
the vessel containing the milk must also b.
surmounted with ice-water. The top-cool
ing must come in 10 add TO the efficiency o
the other means. 1t will not do to rely upoI
it alone, exposing the rest of the can to thu
atmosphere, which in warm weather will
partially undo the work of the ice, anC
greatly increase the expense for that article
Another difficulty in the application o
topcooling is, that portion of air inter
venes between the cool metal of the top o
the can and surface of the milk, and thi
enclosed air is poor conductor. There i
a chance here, we think, for five or six NOR
patent cans, with arrangements to have tn
cover in direct contact with the milk, or T.
have tubes from the cover immersed in tn
milk, near the surface, to carry down In
ice-water.
But after all, what is likely to be better
more simple, or more effective, than the entir
submerging of the can, top and all, with ic
above, in an enclosed refrigerator tank ?
looks to us as though this fills the bill Ell
tirely, and we do not believe there is an
patentable novelty about it, either.