152 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Question. — Why does milk sometimes become thick and yet 

 be perfectly sweet ? 



Prof. Harding. — It is caused by a bacteria which grows in milk 

 in certain conditions. The preventive is the thoroughly steaming 

 or scalding of all dairy utensils and the thorough cooling of the 

 milk directly after it has been drawn from the cow. 



Question. — Do you get bad effects in milk, especially in the 

 flavor by feeding bran mixed with dishwater where soap has been 

 used? 



Mr. Smith. — I never feed any such mixture and would not; I 

 would be afraid of the soap. 



Question. — ■ What do you think of a gravity separator? 



Mr. Smith. — I think but little of it. It is not as good as 

 any other device I know, except under one condition, which 

 is, when a man does not have a room of proper temperature, 

 or no ice, the aquatic cans will help him out in part; but it 

 does not get as much fat, while it makes a soft, loose-textured 

 butter. Another point, the skim milk is not nearly as good to 

 feed. A calf or pig ought not to be forced to drink twice the bulk 

 to get the same quantity of milk. Then, too, butter made from 

 such cream will not keep as long as will that made in any other 

 way; or, rather, from cream raised by any other method. But 

 why call it a separator when it is not one at all, and why pay $10 

 for a double can, one set inside the other — with a thermometer 

 and faucet inserted in the outer one, when you can go to a tinner 

 and get them for $3. 



Question.^ — What temperature is best in which to separate 

 milk? 



Mr. Smith. — If you use the De Laval separator, a temperature 

 of 70 degrees is the right one. If the United States machine is 

 used, have the milk at 80 degrees. 



Question. — Do the condensaries in eastern rTew York pay for 

 milk on the Babeock test basis? 



Mr. Smith. — No; the condensaries do not. All milk is pooled, 

 but it must test 3.5 per cent. fat. 



Question. — What is the feeding value of separator skim milk? 



Mr. Smith. — It depends on how it is utilized. As a rule, it is 

 worth 15 cents per hundred. Some farmers, who are feeding it 

 to pigs, when wheat middlings arc fed with it, get 25 cents, and 

 I have known cases where even 30 cents was obtained; but the 

 farmer will not average much above 10 cents. Skim milk contains 

 all the casein, sugar and albumen — all the solids except the fat. 



