MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY PLANTS 



The Indiana Experiment Station l suggests that one-third 

 of the meniscus be included, and readings taken in this way, 

 checked with the gravimetric fat estimation. It further 

 recommends that glymol colored with alkanet root be added 

 immediately after the last centrifuging. 

 Glymol, being lighter than the butter fat, 

 will float on top; the meniscus is formed 

 from the glymol and the line between the 

 fat column and the glymol is straight, so 

 the reading can be taken with greater de- 

 gree of accuracy. 



Professor C. H. Eckles first conceived the 

 idea of leveling the fat column when testing 

 cream. He recommended the addition of 

 amyl alcohol colored with fuchsine. As al- 

 cohol is a fat solvent, Farrington recom- 

 mended the saturation of the alcohol with 

 fat before using it. As it is also poisonous 

 and the odors therefrom injurious to health, 

 glymol should be recommended for labora- 

 tory and for commercial work. 



The author has obtained satisfactory re- 

 sults when reading the fat column of a 

 cream test from d to b (Fig. 25), the reading 

 taken at 130 F. It is most satisfactory, 

 however, to level the fat column, as that 

 overcomes all disagreements in reference to 

 the reading. 



It cannot be too strongly emphasized that 

 great care should be taken in reading the 

 cream test. With the glassware used for 

 the Babcock system it is practically impos- 

 sible to read closer than to one-fourth of 

 one per cent and by being a little careless the test is readily 

 overread or underread one per cent. One per cent overreading 

 on a 30 per cent cream, from which butter containing 80 per 



1 Bui. 145, Indiana Experiment Station, 1910. 



FIG. 25. Reading 

 a butter-fat test. 



