Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-02-21
Milk Farm
And Equipment.

just been installed at 1.-The Oaklands,"
the estate of Robert H. Gardiner, is
the first to be placed in this immedi-
ate vicinity and is attracting much
attention. When the reporter called he
was gladly received by the farm man
ager, Oliver f. Merrill, who is enthus-
1astic over the working of the ma
chine. He stated that while it is APP
parent that the machine is a great
time and labor saver the primary OBJ
ject IN it's installation is the produc-
ton of as near absolutely pure milk
as possible. No matter how healthy
COW may be, and the cows at the
"Oaklands" are tuberculine tested,
the act of milking gathers more or
less bacteria from the air in its pas
sage from the COW to the pail. There
are four months of handling the milk
so that it may reach the consumer
sweet and free from bacteria; by the
use of preserVatives which is forbid
den by law; by sterilization, which is
claimed to impair the digestive quail
tiles CT the milk by pastuerization,
which has like effect upon the milk;
by the utmost cleanliness possible
both with animals and all their sur
roundings, or in other words, not by
killing the bacteria after it is in the
milk but by preventing its getting in.
This latter method has been adopted
on Mr.. Gardeners estate.
The visit at the dairy barns was of
much interest. There seems to be
continual washing process in operation
in some part of the establishment.
I'wenty-four cows are housed in the
two tieups which are well lighted,
both by day and night. Mr.. Merrill IS
a thorough believer that kindness and
comfort of the animals do much IN
aiding milk production and as con-
sequence the cows are never struck.
yelled at and have plenty of head
room while In the tieup. Sawdust Is
used for bedding and all droppings
removed at once. The cows are fed
ensilage, about II pounds of hay and
the following grain ration per day:
Five quarts of mixed feed, of glu
ten, of cottonseed and . of dried beet
pulp.
The morning milking is at o'clock
anu tic iii6IiI mining at o'oV@ L iiS ~"
porter was present at the night milk
ing on Thursday and was astonished
with the rapidity at which the process
went along. Although this was the
fifth time the new macine ad been
used the cows stood as still as they
could have done under the old pro-
cess of hand milking.
Tho anbino &c ci,
fair and the power is furnished by
2-horsepower motor There is a pail
holding 10 quarts to which are at
tached four rubber tubes on the end
of each being a teat cup that fits
tightly over the teat. Motion is then
secured by pulsator on an iron pipe
running the entire length of the tie
ups The air is pumped out of a large
tank and compressed into a smallre
one and this gives the pressure to the
pulsator above the COW, while the ex-
haust tank gives the vacuum. The mo-
ton of the teat cup thus obtained is
milking. There is a vacuum pressure
ana an upward squeeze constantly go
ing on alternately. The pail, shaped
like a bell, sits by the side of the COW.
The milking can be done perfectly dry
if desired, but Mr.. Merrill prefers that
the stripping be done by hand to
guard against a possible attack of
gargct
AS soon as the milking is completed
the tubes are disconnected and the
pail sent to the weighing room, where
the daily record of each COW is kept.
From here it is sent to the bottling
room, where it is strained through
cheese cloth and surgeon cotton to
eliminate any bacteria that by any
chance may have reached it. 1t is then
put in the bottling tank which fills II
quart bottles at the same time After
filing the bottles are instantly sealed
by the Gaping machine.
After watching the washing Of the
milk bottles which is done with a
steam turbine washer, pure spring
water being used, and the sterilization
of the washed bottles, one can but
feel that the acme of perfection in
cleanliness has been reached in the
dairy department of The Oaklands.
Oliver F. Merrill has been farm man
ager at the Oaklands, for the past
seven years and is a man with
thorough understanding of farm and
dairy methods. James Elwell has i'm
mediate charge of the stock and is an
exceptionally fine man for the place.
Roy Weston and Harvey Hastings at
tend to the operating of the milking
machines and have charge of the bot
Ting and washing room.
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