REPORT OF STATE DAIRY INSPECTOR. 37 



reduce milk to this temperature, but also to hold it at this low 

 temperature until delivered to the consumer. 



After milk has been delivered it belongs to the consumer 

 and even if it has been produced under the best of conditions, 

 its keeping quality from then on depends largely upon its treat- 

 ment by the consumer. Milk should not be left on the door 

 steps where the sun will raise its temperature to the point 

 where bacterial growth is greatest, from 70° to 90° F. This 

 high temperature may even sour milk in a few hours. The 

 milk should be removed from the sun at once and placed in a 

 refrigerator where its low temperature may be maintained. 



RECOM MENDATIONS. 



In order to improve our dairy and milk supply of the State 

 of Maine to the degree that public sentiment is asking that it 

 be improved, I make the following recommendations : 



Licenses. 



I recommend that a fee of one dollar, or some such amount, 

 be placed upon milk licenses. There are approximately 4,500 

 licenses issued every year and this small tax would amount to 

 as much, and perhaps a little more than, our annual appropri- 

 ation. 



Many dealers have little or no regard for a license because 

 it is free from cost. 



Further inquiries regarding the method of producing milk 

 will, in a measure, help to control the sanitary quality of the 

 dairy supply. 



The only questions regarding the sanitary condition of milk, 

 asked on the application cards for licenses, are relative to tu- 

 berculin tested cows and to delivery in cans or bottles. Fur- 

 ther inquiries regarding the method of production should be 

 required of every producer before a license is granted. 



Dairy Inspection. 



Every dairy applying for a milk dealer's license should be 

 systematically inspected. This inspection should be done by 

 properly qualified inspectors, or rather instructors, with the 



