The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-05-05

FIG. XVI1I.-CHURN1NG DAY ON FARM.
enough to provide plenty of light and
ventilation. The floor should be of
smooth cement If the walls are of
the same material or of brick coated
with cement they can be more easily
kept clean than if they are made of
wood. The floor should be scrubbed
often enough to keep it perfectly
clean, and the tank should be cleaned
out frequently.
Use of the Hand Separator.
Within the last few years the hand
separator has come into general use
on farms where six or more cows are
kept. doing away with the old gravity
system of raising cream. With the
separator all the cream can be re-
moved. which is impossible by any
other method. The skimmilk can be
fed to the calves warm and sweet.
which is a great advantage. There Is
less fat in the skimmilk, but this ele-
ment can be supplied to the calves a
good deal more cheaply by fiaxseed
than by butter. There may be much
less space in the milk tank. as only
the cream will need to be kept there.
Where creamery is patronized a
great deal of work is saved by having
only the cream to haul.
In selecting separator the most i'm
portant point to look to is the ease of
cleaning. There is great deal of diff
ference in separators in this respect.
Some are SO complicated that it is al
most impossible to wash all parts
thoroughly. while others can be so
completely taken apart that washing
is an easy task. 1t is not the number
Of parts to a bowl that makes a sepa-
rator difficult to keep clean. but the
ease with which all these parts may
be separated. so that they may be
reached with brush.
Some of the other points to consider
are convenience. capacity and durabil-
ity. The capacity will depend largely
upon the number of cows kept. 1t is
always better TO get machine too
large than too small. The latest mod
els of nearly all makes of separators
are made so that the top of the supply
tank is little more than waist high.
No other kind should be bought. 1t is
a useless waste Of energy to lift heavy
cans of milk FIVE or six feet high every
night and morning With these low
built makes the skimmilk and cream
cans may be placed on the floor. so
that they will require little lifting.
The Importance of Cleanliness.
Serious objection has been made to
the cream separator on the ground
that it lowers the quality of the cream
and butter. In many cases there is,
ground for this complaint. Unless alb
solute cleanliness is the rule the
cream is liable to be of poor quality.
The milk and slime in the bowl are
the Best of food for injurious bacteria.
and these multiply rapidly when the
separator is not kept clean. Never
rinse the bowl with cold water and
leave it until the next milking. 1t can
not be thoroughly cleaned in this way.
In cold weather rinsing with cold wa
ter. followed by half gallon or more
Of hot water, will do at night. At
least once a day in winter and every
time the machine is used in summer
the bowl should be taken apart. wash
ed we'll and thoroughly scalded. Be
sure to remove every particle of grease
and dirt. Use brush. never rag. A
rag is difficult to keep clean and often
forms home for bacteria. The so
called 'dish rag flavor" is often found
IN butter. due to the use of rag In
washing the separator. Neither should
a rag be used TO dry the bowl or other