208 AGRICUWURE OF MAINE. 



CONSTRUCTION, COST AND EQUIPMENT OF THE 



MILK ROOM. 



By Henry G. Beyer, Jr. 



In this talk I conceive I am wanted to outline a milk room 

 for the average dairyman keeping from ten to twenty-five cows. 



These are times when most cities derive their milk supply 

 from remote farms. The keeping qualities and healthfulness of 

 milk depend largely on its cleanliness, and as the source of milk 

 becomes more and more remote from the consumer, the con- 

 sumer is necessarily demanding better keeping qualities and 

 greater cleanliness in his milk. The consumers' demand for 

 clean milk has become so pressing that legislatures and boards 

 of health are making more and more stringent laws in regard to 

 milk production, and these laws are bearing harder and harder 

 upon the producer. 



The production of clean milk is a struggle against bacteria 

 entering the milk. Visible dirt in the milk, although disgusting 

 to the public, is not the actual source of danger. It is the in- 

 visible dirt or bacteria which are the real source of danger, and 

 which have to be guarded against. 



In my own dairy practice I have for several years had the 

 number of bacteria in my milk counted at stated intervals. Our 

 aim has been to keep our bacterial content below ten thousand, 

 which is the standard for certified milk in most cities in this 

 country. To accomplish this we have made a great many small 

 experiments, discarding the fore milk, using covered pails, tak- 

 ing care not to feed to raise a dust before milking time, etc. 



These all help to obtain clean milk; but, of all the practices 

 by which clean milk may be produced, the two things which 

 will aid most are washing the cow's udder and flanks with a wet 

 cloth, so that it is thoroughly moistened before milking, and 

 then chilling the milk. 



