The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-08-25
BUTTONS NOW MADE OF MILK.
New Use to Which the Lacteal Fluid
Of the Cow rs Now
Being Put.

If anyone were to tell you that the
street peddler holding out was made of
milk you would probably think he was
springing on you the latest thing in
catch questions, but it is a remarkable
thing that science has gone SO far that
the transmutation of the chief product
Of the COW into Il substance almost as
hard and insolub!e as bone is being car
ried on every day. 1t has only been re-
Gently, however, that the substance was
procurable in the markets.
The process by which a ma jor portion
of the tactical fluid, which had hitherto
been thrown away or used. as food for
swine, can be converted into a solid with
great commercial possibilities is curl
Gus and interesting one.
At the present time this process is
controlled exclusively by two firms.
During the last four 3r five months
these concerns have been sending out
agents to crcameries in the eastern
states.
These agents make arrangements
with the creamery rroprietors for the
installation Of the apparatus necessary
fer the manuf;Vl ture of the new sub
stance and are authorized to draw up
contracts binding their principals to
receive all that the creamery can pro-
duce for the following two years and
pav for the same at the rate of five
cents the pound.
Unfortunately, however, as can read
lily be seen, this discovery, while OF i'm
mcnsc benefit to the creamery manage
mcnt, is. like the bulk of the discov-
cries beneficial to mankind made by
science. OF benefit to the middleman
only, while the producer remains in the
same position as he YVES before.
The process of manufacture com
mcnces in what arc known as the enara-
tors, which form part of the regulation
equipment of creamery. The milk, rs
it is brought in by the dairymCn. is
poured into these separators. which
consist OF heavy hollow cylinders, with
small orifice at the side and another
at the top. The whole is then made to
revolve With lightning rapidity by
steam power and the cream is separated
from the milk by centrifugal force the
former escaping through the opening
in the top and the latter through the
one in the side. This residue is known
as ''siim milk"
This milk is stored in one or more
large tanks, according to the size of the
creamery and the quantity of the lac
teal fluid handled. These tanks are
used as reservoirs TO supply smaller
one. When the latter is about three
quarters filled the milk is scalded BIZ
running steam through it and under
this treatment soon resolves into q
sticky, rasty mess, in which form it has
always had limited sale on some
markets, being vari ously known as cot
tage cheese or schmere kase, the Dutch
appellation being the most appropriate
one.
This cheese, after being well-kneaded
by hand, is placed in thin bags and put
under powerful! press, where all the
moisture that 1t is possible to eliminate
in this manner is exuded. When re-
moved from the bags the cheese disin-
tegrates into small fragments and is
placed upon trays in what is known as
the drying-room, q large apartment
the interior of which, on account of be.
ing filled from top to bottom with light
trays having muslin bottoms and which
slide in and out on the cleats, looks
like gigantic incubator or fruit evap.
orator. Around the sides are banks OF
water pipes which are capable of rails
Ing the temperature to an indefinite
height. After being subjected to the
intense heat of this chamber for two OF
three days it is removed, golden yellow
in color and as hard as flint, and is
ready to be packed in bags and shipped
The exact process, technically con.
sidered, which it undergoes after il
reaches its destination is, of course, q
secret. But it is known that it receives
chemical treatment that makes it sus.
ceptble to dyeing, bleaching, rolling
pressing and molding, and that from il
are made collars, cuffs, shirt bosoms
pearl buttons-an excellent imita.
ton, it is aid-doorknobs, toys and, in
fact, an innumerable number of SINH,
lar articles.-Philadelphia Inquirer.