Chapter XVI. 



Milking. 



MILKING is not so easy an operation as at first sight 

 may appear, and it is only properly learnt after some little 

 practice. There are two ways in which it may be per- 

 formed the one being termed " nievling " and the other 

 " stripping." The former is that generally practised by 

 milkmen and dairymaids, and is certainly the better of 

 the two. It is effected by firmly grasping the teats, one 

 in each hand, and gently but rather quickly forcing them 

 down, at the same time closing the fingers upon them, the 

 pressure commencing with the first and terminating with 

 the little finger. As soon as the stream thus caused to 

 flow has ceased, the grasp is slightly relaxed, and the 

 hands are sprung quickly upwards, when a fresh supply 

 rushes from the udder, and is again squeezed out as 

 before, the streams from each teat following so closely in 

 succession as to sound like one continuous flow. 



Stripping consists in taking hold of the teat at the part 

 nearest the udder between the fore-finger and thumb, 

 which are slid down its whole length, exerting at the same 

 time some considerable pressure, thus causing the milk to 

 flow in a forcible stream. This process is continued until 

 the udder is completely emptied. 



Of these two modes of milking, nievling is, as I have 

 remarked, the better to practise, being done with greater 



