Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y., February 22, 1899. 



The Honorable Commissioner of Agriculture, 



Albany, N. Y. 



Sir: This bulletin is submitted for publication under Chapter 

 67 of the Laws of 1898. 



The abnormally viscid condition of milk and cream, commonly 

 designated " rop)%" is familiar to many dairymen, and its occur- 

 rence causes most serious loss. 



This publication contains a brief resume of the conclusions 

 reached by earlier investigators together with a detailed 

 account of the investigations carried on by the College of 

 Agriculture. The conclusions reached in this publication, based 

 upon actual experience and supported by those of other investi- 

 gators, indicate that this trouble may be arrested or prevented by 

 the exercise of precautionary measures intelligently directed. 



Further, it has been found that ropiness in milk is a trouble 

 which may be transmitted by the unclean milk utensils of the 

 dealer or by those of the consumer. Because of this fact, certain 

 dealers have been unjustly accused of delivering faulty milk, 

 when the true cause was the unclean milk utensils used by the 

 consumer. Therefore the information convej^ed by this bulletin 

 is of interest to those dealers who, although exempt from this 

 trouble, are anxious to preserve a good name, as well as to those 

 suffering losses as a result of faulty methods. 



I. P. Roberts, Director. 



