156 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



that he is taking chances of having it sampled properly. Every 

 lot of cream is sampled immediately after reaching the factory. 

 Then the sample is put into a bottle and preserved with bichro- 

 mate of potash until the first of the month, when the tests are 

 made. We pay toward the last of the month and we keep those 

 samples until after the patrons have received their returns, and 

 then if there is any dissatisfaction we are willing that they should 

 have the sample and send it to Orono and have it tested. Also 

 our collectors are all instructed to take samples for the farmers 

 when desired. Then the farmer can send the sample to the 

 Experiment Station if he has not a tester of his own. We are 

 careful to carry out our process of testing according to improved 

 methods advised by the United States government and by our 

 Dairy Instructor, and by law, and, as I have said, there seems to 

 be but little dissatisfaction among the patrons. 



VARIATIONS OF TESTS. 



By W. G. HuNTON, Readfield. 



Those of you who were present at the Dairy Conference at 

 Pittsfield last year will remember that we had there a most able 

 discussion of this same subject by Prof. Hills of Vermont, from 

 the theoretical, scientific standpoint. I am not a disgruntled pa- 

 tron of any factory. I have been producing cream for factories 

 for over twenty years and never had any trouble but once, and 

 we fixed that up in 15 minutes. But I know there is a feeling of 

 unrest between creameries and patrons, whereas there ought to 

 be the utmost confidence and mutual respect. They are so far 

 dependent on each other, that one cannot afford to lose the other. 

 I went home determined to find out, as far as I could, with a 

 herd of cows which I thoroughly understood, if the statement 

 made by Prof. Hills was in any degree true in my particular in- 

 stance. He said that 90 per cent of the causes of dissatisfaction 

 were with the farmer rather than the creamery man. With my 

 cows I have no period during the year when they are all, or a 

 large per cent of them, strippers. For a number of years I have, 

 been endeavoring to get up the same flow of milk during the 

 year, and I have about an average of two fresh each month. I 

 have 25 cows, and raise my own calves. I took my Babcock 



