The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-08-10
MILKING.
Broome Co., N. Y.

Milking is an art. It can be learned
only by practice. All the elaborate in
structions that were ever published as
to How to Milk" all the lectures that
were ever given on this subject at
farmers meetings, or all the talk given
by the deirymen to their hired help,
never yet made a good mixer, Many
persons cannot, though they try ever
80 faithfully, be good mixers.
Some, in giving Instructions, will tell
all the particulars of how to handle
the teats; another will say, milk the
two teats next to the mixer first, then
the other two. Another says, milk the
two front teats together, then the two
hind ones, and still another insists it is
the best way t milk ~diagonally:
We remember the statement of n
man who was sure he had discovered
the only good way-the way that would,
every time, with every COW, insure the
most and best milk-and that was to
milk the streams with both hands at
the same time, and not alternate as is
usually done. He knew that was so
because he had tried it with all his
COWS.
In u opinion, all this kind of talk
is for the most part useless. All the
instructions we care to give, after in
sisting on cleanliness, of course, is to
urge each mixer to milk in such q way
as to get the most milk possible in the
shortest time, and in such a wey that
the COW will stand quiet and c~ontented,
and seem to enjoy it. If the mixer
he will succeed, unless he should be
one of those who, not having natural
gumption and sense enough, can never
learn.
The best mixers do not milk every
COW in the same manner, by any
means. Tney practice till they find
out the best way for each COW. One,
perhaps, has very short teats which
milk easy, but one of such a peculiar
shape that the mixer finds stripping
with thumb and finger, for most Of the
time, is best for her. Another cow he
finds, milks better by taking hold with
the whole hand, just squee zing the
milk out by closing the foretinger
around it first and the other fingers in
succession, then open the hand and let
the teat fill up, and so on. Another
COW he finds does bettt r by pushing the
hand UP against the udder each time,
or putting the thumb and fore finger
up onto the udder, and giving a little
pressure. When the mixer fuds u
which is the best way for each COW, he
should milk her the same way each
time. 1t will be seen that there should
bo no change Of mixers If the COWS are
TO do their best.
e. B Gurler relates in his "Ameri
can Dairying," how he offered prizas
TO those who would have the least
shrinking Of milk with the COWS they
MIXED for a certain number Of mouths.
His COWS held out their milk that year
F0S9AJ SOeESA SA41A CFO& SSiOlGa Lbs
mixers, under that stimulus, learned
to milk in a manner which brought the
most min, and get we have no idea
they MIXED each COW in the same
manner.
A good mixer is a very valuable
man for the dairyman. whilo a poor
mixer may CAUSE his emploUor IN loeo
more than the amount of his yearly
wages. The mixer who can get the
most milk from a COW is worth a great
deal more than the man who gets only
just a little less, because his COWS will
keep up the flow much longer, and be.
sides that, the one that gets the most
milk, gets the richest milk.
nAgRANRRRFsARH