Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1921-12-08
CALIFORNIA LETTER.
Dear Editor Tribune f:

How this great Kerckhoff power plant
of $4,000 horse power is radiating its
energy over its many thousands of
miles of power lines, from the grinding
up OF the 'nigger heads" into gravel
for concrete work and baby chic, feed
to the operating of the ladies sewing
machines or the dainty little instru-
ments in the hands of the dentist when
drilling into the tooth of his patient.
But the most unique purpose to
which this monster servant of man is
giving its service, | think, is that of
milking the cows and Matching the baby
chicks throughout the San Joaquin
valley The great diaries are fast
adopting the milking machine operated
by electricity and the modern incubator
is equipped with electrical heat These
two industries are rapidly coming to |
the front in California, especially in
this great miracle valley, as the fol |
lowing figures Indicate. The business
of the dairy industry for 1920 was as
at 500. 1892, SOB; receipts from dairy prod
ucts (sold) s1S,055, SOP These are gov
eminent census figures. On poultry ! |
can give figures for Fresno county alone,
which was-value of chickens and eggs
produced, $795, SIG. There were |, 1885,
290 dozens of eggs produced, 703, 692
dozens sold. 1t must be remembered
that both these industries are in their
infancy as this great valley is developed
only in spots. Frequently you will
travel for miles along the highway and
see no sign of Improvement just wait
ing for the hand of man to subdue it.
In speaking of the milking machine, |
presume but comparatively few of my
readers have seen them in operation. |
am lead to believe that description of
visit | made to dairy farm where
one was in use will be of interest.
This farm, or ranch" as we call
them, was in Kings county. AL
though not what we term big dairy,
yet it was well equipped with modern
appliances. | first entered the milk
house, about 10xI2 feet in size, where
the cream is separated. Here found
a FIVE horse power electric motor, a
cream separator and small air COM
pressor The motor also operated
feed cutter in the feed yard On enter
ing the milking barn an interesting
sight presented itself. There in one
long row were sanctioned nearly 100
cows, all Holsteins. all slick and of
uniform color. all registered stock and
in fit shape for the show pens of state
fair In separate shed were about 20
handsome young calves, pretty as any
picture | ever saw ! was fortunate in
being there just at milking time. The
regular milking hours were at a m.
and again at Up m. One man attended
to the milking of all the cows and the
separating.
The milking machine was novelty
to me. There was metal tube about
IL inches in diameter resting on the
top of the stanchion rail its whole
length, one end being connected with
the air compressor in the milk house.
Between every other two cows was a
small valve to which the sucker tubes
were attached; they are of rubber. At
the other end of the rubber tubes were
the four appliances which slipped over
the cows teats. By turning little
valve the air was applied which forced
the little funnel shaped appliances to
adhere to the cows bag and at the
same time begin the sucking process, a
rubber tube conveying the milk to 10
gallon can that sets between the two
cows, the arrangement being such that
two cows were MIXED at the same time.
A little glass space in the tube per-
mitted the man to see if the milk is
flowing When the two cows are
MIXED the apparatus is moved to the
next pair. While the machine is milk
ing the last two. the man will be strip
ping the first two. 1t required about
six minutes to milk each pair of cows.
Inc IuIlh rs CJuFeyeu W JlS oSpaia
house, where the same man attends to
the separating.
1t is difficult to secure men that will
qualify for handling of these machines
consequently those who do so are well
paid, receiving from $l25 to $3.50 per
month and board. This fact, too, ex-
plains why so many milking machines
are condemned as impracticable and are
often discarded. But the same condl-
ton prevailed many years ago with the
cream separator, which now is SO uni
versally used by the farmer, whether
he has half dozen or hundred cows. |
But the milking machine, like the
cream separator, has come to stay. We
are gradually, and rapidly may say,
applying electricity, this subtle servant
of man, to every human endeavor and