DAIRYING. 247 



surprising variation in the mechanical efficiencies of the separators tested. The 

 power required to drive two of the machines [the Baby and Victoria separators] of 

 not very different capacities, is seen to be 0.15 and 1.95 horsepower, respectively, a 

 variation large enough to arouse a suspicion as to the accuracy of the results, were 

 it not that the other tests show a gradation in power required between these two 

 values. 



"The friction of the machine is seen to absorb in each case the major portion of the 

 power expended, while the actual work in separating the milk ajDpears to be roughly 

 projiortional to the weight separated. The work done in separating is about 0.07 

 horse power per 1,000 lbs. per hour. 



"A noteworthy conclusion to he drawn from the test is, that the geared form of 

 separator is much more efficient than the belted form. This may be due in part to 

 slipping of the belts at the high speed used. Much work is also absorbed in bending 

 the belt as it passes around the small pulleys. 



''It may also be noted that the two machines in which rope belts were used were 

 considerably more efficient than the one in which a leather belt was employed 

 between the intermediate and the machine." 



The Babcock test as a basis for payment in cream-gathering 

 creameries, A. L. Winton and A. W. Ogden {Connecticut State Sta. 

 Bui. 110, pp. .24, Jig. l,pl. 1). — This is an account of tests of the present 

 method of payiug for cream in cream-gathering creameries by the space 

 as compared Avith paying for it on the basis of its composition as shown 

 by the Babcock test. The practice of patrons of these creameriesis to set 

 their milk in deep, submerged cans which are skimmed by the cream- 

 gatherer, who reads off the number of spaces of cream on the cans before 

 skimming. Payment is made by the sj)ace without regard to composi- 

 tion. Tlie cream furnished by each of the patrons of 4 cream-gather- 

 ing creameries was sampled and tested and a record made of the 

 number of spaces furnished. From these data and the ruling price for 

 cream per space, the calculations were made of the value, according to 

 test and according to the old method, of the cream furnished by each 

 patron. The unfairness of the old system was shown by the fact that- 

 the cream collected contained all the way from 7.25 to 24.5 per cent of 

 fat; and that from 4.72 to 11.72 spaces of cream were required to make 

 1 lb. of butter. 



"Even when the directions of the makers of the apparatus and of the creamery 

 manager are closely followed the cream raised from the milk of one and the same 

 herd, which is fed, handled, and milked as uniformly as possible, will yet show mod- 

 erate differences in the quantitj' of butter-fat present per space from day to day. 



"The time which elapses from the setting to the skimming of the milk has consid- 

 erable effect on the number of spaces gathered. For a certain tims after setting, 

 the depth of the cream layer aud the number of spaces increase; then follows a 

 period during wliich the number of spaces slowly decrease, on account of the 

 coalescence of the fat particles, but the per cent of butter-fat and with it the value 

 of the cream for butter-making is nevertheless all the while increasing. 



" But when the prescribed method of setting is not closely followed by a part of the 

 patrons differences in the quality of the space become so large as to work great 

 injustice to other patrons and generally to those who are jiroduciug the most aud 

 the best cream." 



The station has worked out a system for paying for the cream by tbe 

 Babcock test, which has been adopted by a creamery in this State. 



