Ri'RAL School Lraflkt. 797 



Knowledge of the test is valuable also because it is now in general 

 use where good dairy work is carried on. It needs to be more widely 

 adopted and this will be brought about more readily when it is 

 stripped of its myster\% as may be done in the schools. 



Care is also taught by means of the Babcock test. The acid used 

 is very strong, and will cause serious damage if it comes in contact with 

 almost any substance, and painful injury if it comes in contact with 

 any part of the person unless immediately washed off. The one great 

 precaution always to be kept in mind is that the acid must be carefully 

 handled, and persons should not unnecessarily expose themselves to 

 hann from the acid either when it is being measured or poured, or when 

 the bottles are whirling and one might by chance break. 



Those children who live in the vicinity of creameries or other places 

 where milk is bought on the basis of its fat test will find it interesting 

 to visit these places and see the tests made on a large scale. The principle 

 is the same, but when many samples are to be tested, machines run by 

 steam power are used. 



It is to be hoped that the boys and girls who have become interested 

 in the Babcock test will continue their interest in dairy subjects this 

 summer. If milk is skimmed on their farms, thej^ should test the skimmed 

 milk to see whether all the fat has been removed in the cream. If they 

 have no testing outfit, they may send samples of skimmed milk to us 

 here, and we will test them, and report the result without charge. When a 

 sample is sent, it should be in a three or four ounce bottle, filled completely 

 full. It should be sweet when placed in the bottle, and have enough 

 potassium bichromate added to give it a distinct color. This substance 

 will prevent the sample from souring and becoming thick. It may be 

 obtained from a drug store. The bottle should be carefully packed in 

 a larger package, and forwarded by mail or prepaid express, to the 

 Department of Dairy Industry. The name and address of the sender 

 should be sent at the same time to notify us that the sample is coming. 



PLAYS AXD GAMES FOR COUNTRY CHILDREN 



By Mvrox T. Scudder 



Principal State Normal School, New Paltz, N. Y 



Two years ago a few men and women met in Washington and 

 organized the Playground Association of America. This Association 

 already has a strong membership and is of wide usefulness. Evidently 

 the country was ready for it. Among the honorary officers and active 

 members we note the names of President Roosevelt, Mr. Jacob Riis, Miss 



