The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-04-08

e'AS $40 AoL Ouly CompIeucAN "AeA' ~
meant by milk testing but can make
the test for you and from their own
experience in testing milk find it an
interesting subject of conversation as
we'll as discussion. At nearly every
meeting Of cow owners, or dealers In
milk and its products, some persons
will be seen comparing notes with each
other on their own practice In the
work. OF the 205 students connected
with the agricultural department OF
the University of Wisconsin during the
past winter only one has been reported
as having never heard of the Babcock
milk test before coming to Madison.
Other institutions could doubtless re-
port the same familiarity with the sub
Ject among their students. A thorough
course in milk testing is generally con-
sidered an important part of the in
struction now given at all dairy
schools, as we'll as in the agricultural
departments of all American UNIVERSE
Ties. At the Wisconsin Dairy School
about one-third IF the students in
struction is devoted to mix testing, or
laboratory work Of which this SUBJ
]ect is the principal feature. It con-
slsts not only of the twenty-four lee
lures given by Mr.. Babcock, the inven-
tor of the process, but about six hours
each week of actual work in the milk
testing laboratory. The students work
begins with all the apparatus, acid,
etc., In as nearly a perfect condition
as we can supply them. After they
nave become acquainted with the eight
olferent testers, which we have this
winter, and are sufficiently familiar
with the operations to become conf
uent they can make accurate tests
when every thing works right, they are
given drill in the various conditions
which, are found to give inaccurate
tests, with instructions regarding the
best way of overcoming milk testing
dl11cultles. In this department of the
dairy school they are also taught how
to use the lactometer in connection
with the milk test, and by it's use to
determine the total solid substances in
milk and to detect the adulteration of
milk which has been either SKINNED
or watered. This, together with the in
struction in testing the acidity of
milk and cream, occupies, as previous
ly stated, about one-third of the dairy
students time at the Wisconsin Dairy
School. The remaining two-thirds Of
the instruction is given in practical
and theoretical butter and cheese-mak-
ing. The necessity Of thoroughly and
properly mixing sample of milk be-
fore testing it is clearly demonstrated
by comparing the tests of the top and
the bottom Of quantity Of milk about
ten inches in depth that has stood
quietly for about fifteen minutes. If
a ten quart pail is filled with milk and
allowed to stand undisturbed for about
a quarter of an hour, it will be found
that tests Of the top layer Of this milk
will be perceptibly higher than those
made of the last inch of milk left in
the pail after the bulk of it has been
poured out. Neglect of this simple
precaution of thorough mixing of the
sample before testing it, and failure to
remember that some of the fat globules
will rise to the surface very quickly,
are the causes of many surprises in
milk testing. Anyone familiar with
milk will also understand the necessity
of pouring it from one vessel to an
other in order to evenly mix the fat
globules throughout the whole sample
II milk is stirred with dipper or put
into a covered vessel and shaken for
the purpose of evenly mixing the fat,
1t very often happens that some of the
fat is separated by this churning pro-
cess, and an accurate test of this milk
is impossible, as any amount of pour
ing will fail to evenly distribute this
churned fat throughout the milk. This
property of the fat, to- separate by agi-
tation, should always be remembered
by persons sending samples of milk
by mailsor express to be tested at some
other place. We have received many
such samples and almost always find
a lump of butter floating on it's surface
when the sample arrives. If the test
OF such churned sample is very i'm
portant, and another one cannot be OBJ
tanned, this lump of butter can some
times be dissolved and mixed with the
milk by adding about teaspoonful
of ether to the milk, then by corking
the bottle and shaking it until the but
Ter OlSSClVeS MI the eLQer. Il1S ether
solution of the fat will mix fairly we'll
with the milk, and it will probably rep
resent more nearly the original mix
ture of the fat in the milk than the
churned sample with a lump of butter
floating on it's surface. The dilution
OF the milk by the ether introduces an
error in the testing, and only the small
est quantity Of ether necessary to dis
solve the lump of fat should be used.
All this trouble of ehMrning samples
In bottles could be avoided If the SEN
der would fill the bottle full of milk.
The agitation by transportation will
not churn out the fat when the bottle
is full. This simple precautfon of COM
pletely filing a bottle when milk il
sent to other parties for testing will
preveat it's churning and save many a
disappointment to the sender.
To crowd the fattening rapidly. feed
1t least five times q day.