Dairy Herd Records. 299 



and curdling, always take place as a result of the introduction of 

 some sort of germ life after the milk leaves the udder of the cow ; 

 that the best of butter and cheese can be made from milk only 

 when these changes are under the control of the maker ; and that 

 it is therefore most important that the handling of milk should 

 be such that it will remain in the condition in which it leaves the 

 udder of the cow as long as possible. The first point, therefore, 

 in the care of milk is to prevent the introduction of anything into 

 it, and the second to prevent the development of any germ life 

 that may have gotten in. The first is effected by cleanliness in 

 milking and in the care of the utensils in which the milk is hand- 

 led. All milk pails and cans should be thoroughly scalded and 

 exposed to the sun. Sour milk or whey should not be brought 

 home from the factory in the same cans used for the sweet milk. 

 Cows should be milked in a clean place free from dust, and the 

 flanks and udders of each cow should be carefully brushed and 

 dampened with a wet cloth or sponge before milking, to prevent 

 the falling of any dust or hair into the milk. Milk should be im- 

 mediately strained, preferably through a cloth strainer that has 

 been scalded since last used. Cans of milk should be left uncovered 

 in a place free from all bad odors. By wrapping the cans in wet 

 burlap the temperature of the milk may be much lessened. Aer- 

 ation and cooling not only retard the development of germs in 

 the milk but free it from so-called animal odors. By following 

 these rules in the care of the milk from the vStation herd we have 

 always gotten our milk to the factory in such condition that we 

 have had no complaint. While the Arizona dairyman's income 

 is somewhat effected by the price of dairy products, dependent 

 upon quality of the same, it is, we think, affected most by the 

 quality of the cows of his herd. We do not hesitate to state our 

 belief that the profits of the dairy farmers of the Territory could 

 be doubled by a judicious selection of dairy cows without increas- 

 ing the number. 



