SAMPUNG MILK AND CREAM 135 



only and, in order to hasten the melting of the cream, to keep 

 a stream of water at 95 degrees F. flowing through the tank 

 constantly. In this way the cream melts in a natural manner 

 and without "oiling-off" and the continuous removal of the 

 cooled water surrounding the cans by the circulation of the 

 water greatly speeds the work. Cream so treated is in ideal 

 condition for sampling and there is no danger of its producing 

 a mealy-bodied butter. 



Amount of Cream for the Sample. It is the general prac- 

 tice among the creameries to make one test only of each 

 sample. It is often desirable, however, to retest a sample in 

 order to prove the accuracy of the first test, especially when 

 there is an abnormal variation in the tests of successive deliv- 

 eries or shipments of cream from the same patron. Frequently 

 test bottles break in the tester and a second test is necessary 

 to determine the per cent of fat of the cream which the broken 

 bottle represents. For these reasons it is advisable to take a 

 sample large enough for two tests. Since about 15 to 20 c. c. 

 of cream, are sufficient to make one test, the cream sample 

 should contain about 30 to 40 c. c. of cream, or about one and 

 one-half ounces. 



Larger samples than this are not only unnecessary, but may 

 cause considerable waste of cream. This latter objection holds 

 true only where preservatives are used as is especially the case 

 w'ith composite samples. When single samples only are taken 

 and these samples are tested on the day received or shortly 

 afterward, the use of preservatives is unnecessary and the un- 

 used portion of the sample may be returned to the cream vat 

 or forewarmer to avoid loss. 



Care of Cream Samples. In the larger creameries, espe- 

 cially those operating the cream station system or the indi- 

 ' vidual-shipper system, the farmer's checks are made out daily 

 for each individual delivery or shipment. In these creameries, 

 or their stations, the samples are tested as soon as they are 

 available and their care requires, therefore, no special attention. 

 In a good many of the smaller creameries, however, the sam- 

 ples are not tested on the day they are taken or received, and 

 they are often several days old before they are tested. Few 



