VERMONT DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 109 



ilar grounds I oppose doing - away with a statute standard for 

 milk because there is an ideal that is better. It seems to me 

 that under the circumstances the standard is a good thing. 

 It guarantees to the consumer milk of average quality and in 

 doing so increases confidence and hence creates a larger de- 

 mand. It takes away from the producer the competition of a 

 lot of low grade stuff; and the broader interests of a more 

 dignified, progressive agriculture are promoted by putting a 

 stop to the continued breeding of cows that would give quan- 

 tity rather than quality. 



There is a sentimental kind of point sometimes made to the 

 effect it is unjust to fine a man for selling milk just as the cow 

 produced it, and a shrewd lawyer gifted with a good flow of 

 language, can ring the changes on this in a court room with 

 much effect. It seems to me, however, that the point is more 

 sentimental than practical, because every producer knows what 

 the law is. He has the means of testing the milk of his cows 

 and of knowing what he sells; and if he deliberately sells milk 

 of less than standard quality, or deliberately owns cows pro- 

 ducing low-grade milk, why should not he be punished as much 

 as if he watered the milk through the medium of the pump. 

 The consumer is defrauded by getting less than he pays for 

 in either case, and it seems to me that the transaction is 

 equally reprehensible, whether the pump or the cow is the 

 means used for reducing the quality of the milk. 



The statute standard is of great assistance in preventing 

 the sale of milk that is actually adulterated, because where 

 milk is not largely adulterated with added water, it is difficult 

 to tell whether it is the milk to which water has been added, 

 or low grade milk just as the cow produced it. 



I said the producer has the means of testing the quality of 

 the milk he produces. Let me explain. The Babcock tester 

 is now well known to the butter maker, and its advantages to 

 the butter making dairyman have been emphasized in no ex- 

 aggerated way. But sale milk producers and dealers do not 

 yet realize the possibilities of the Babcock for them. Pat is 

 the element of milk that governs the amount of total solids. 

 The solids not fat are comparatively constant, the fat vary- 

 ing greatly. What variation there is in the solids not fat is 

 in the line of an increase with the amount of fat. The more 

 fat the more solids not fat. Milk of twelve per cent, total 

 solids should have about three per cent, of fat. Milk of four 

 per cent, fat will have a strong thirteen per cent, of total 

 solids. From this you readily see that a milkman with a lit- 

 tle two-bottle tester can obtain a very intelligent idea of the 

 product in which he deals. 



While there is need of great accuracy in the use of the Bab- 



