The Penn's Grove record., 1907-02-01
MILKING BY MACHINERY.
A Glimpse Of Advanced Agriculture
At the University of Illinois.

equipped Agricultural School IN America
In the midst of a number OF artistic and
picturesque buildings, OF modern archltec-
ture. which adorn the beautiful campus
of the University, is a group OF buildings,
spacious in proportions, known as the
agricultural Group. In these Halls,
are to be found i'll the various depart
ments for instruction and scientific inves-
tigation along agricultural lines. Here
are splendidly equipped laboratories, for
the chemical analysis OF the soil, and for
experiments OH soil fertility; here, the
attractive and finely finished, we'll fur
nished auditorium for the assembling OF
the Agricultural students; the dairy
rooms wainscoted in marble, containing
huge white churns, of more than a barrel
capacity and operated by electricity; here
the ~stock.judging room, with elevated
seats large, tan bark and oval for the
students; the beautiful Office of the Dean
of the Department, with adjoining rooms
for his assistance is here, and also society
rooms, lecture rooms etc.
Adjoining this section OF the campus
is one of the College farms. containing
about two hundred acres of well improv-
ed and highly cultivated soil. The build
ings upon this farm are each built upon
the most modern convenient and scientific
agricultural plans. There are barns for
the housing, feeding and attending of
farming cattle, dairy barns and adjoining
each stall silos for storing green corn for
winters feeding. The buildings serve as
models OF farm structures to the student
of the college, and the scientific farmer,
and to the visitor, outside the field of
farming, they possess the novelty and
charm of a museum of any other science.
Very Interesting to the visitor at the
college farm is the milking done by me-
chanical appliance. AT about four o clock
of a short afternoon the herd of sixty re-
gistered Holsteins, Jerseys, Guernseys
and Ayreshires wend their way to the
large, well lighted, cement.hoored dairy
barn. Upon two raised cemented plat
loIui elSuG lICuSS iiSi dHu luiihinS AOoi
ly the entire length oil the barn, file the
COWS one after another, and take their
accustomed places, with as much exact
ness and order as if they had been es-
pecially trained.
A good meal Of grain, insilage, and hay
await them and while engrossed in eat
| inn ON offonAaDt nact 90 dnun honG Of
the herds, hooking a chain to a dividing
post between each animal, thus securing
them in their proper places.
The milking machines are 10Y brought
forward and preparations are made for
their adjustment. One machine is placed
between each COW near their head and
sufficiently out OF reach of the foot of the
stepping or kicking animal.
The devise for milking is very simple.
1t consists of a receptacle holding about
six gallons and to secure stability, it is
shaped like a cone, or the reverse of the
long-used, old styled milking pail, which
a tap from the hoof of the too active COW,
so frequently and so easily overturns.
On tie top OF The milking machine. a
cover fits closely and to it are attached
the appliances for milking the COW and
the means Of connecting it with motor
power for manipulation. The cover, fit
ing closely the top of the receptacle pre-
vents the entrance of either dirt or dust
andinsures perfect cleanliness and freedom
from bacteria to the milk.
From the top Of the receptacle, run two
flexible tubes, long enough to reach the
rudder Of each COW, and to each Of the
tubes is attached a four pronged device
which is adjusted to the teats OF the cow.
The cover contains a hollow air cham.
Der, which when connected to motor
power, acts III the capacity OF a vacuum
pumps, reducing the air in the chamber
to half an atmosphere and by a mechani-
cal device, the outside air again enters
the air chamber and a complete pressure
is restored, thus causing an alternating
suction and release, identical in it's effect
upon the teats OF the COW, as the pressure
and release OF the hand OF the mixer.
The motor power, at the dairy barns of
the College, is furhnised by electricity but
any motor power, horse power, water
power, or gasoline engine may be utilized
just as effectively.
The time required for milking by the
milking machine is about the same as
required by a person, but one machine
will milk two COWS at the same time, and
one man can attend four machines at
once, thus eight COWS are MIXED in the
same space of time in which one is milk
ed by the old method.
1t requires but little mathematical
reckoning to compHte the time required
by automatic milking, to milk a dairy of
thirty ar forty COWS; and but little con-
sideration is needed to see the great saving
of, tiresome labor and expense, accom-
plished by the new mechanical method
of carrying on a dairy. The utilization
of automatic appliances in milking means
great Improvements and possibilities of
great expansion in dairy farming.
Thus the Agricultural Department has
tested the invention and behold at is
very good". The students will carry the
suggestion of their Alma Mater, with
them, out into the world and dairy farm
ing will advance to-a higher plain in
consequence.
L. D. THOMPSON.