Composite Samples of Milk. 151 



Where it is desired to vary the size of the samples 

 according to the quantity of milk delivered from day to 

 day, it is necessary to adopt the method of collecting 

 drip samples, just explained, or to make use of special 

 sampling devices, like the "milk thief" or a Scovell 

 sampling tube. The principle of both these tubes is the 

 same, and it will be sufficient to describe here only one. 



180. c. The Scovell sampling tube. This convenient 

 device for sampling milk 1 (fig. 51) consists of a drawn 

 copper or brass tube, one-half to one inch in diameter; 

 it is open at both ends, the lower end sliding snugly in a 

 cap provided with three elliptical openings at 



the side, through which the milk is admitted. 

 The milk to be sampled is poured into a cylin- 

 drical pail, or the factory weighing can, and the 

 tube, with the cap set so that the apertures are 

 left open, is lowered into the milk until it touches 

 the bottom of the can. The tube will be filled 

 instantly to the level of the milk in the can and 

 is then pushed down against the bottom of the 

 can, thereby closing the apertures of the cap and 

 confining within the tube a column of milk rep- 

 senting exactly the quality of the milk in the 

 can and forming an aliquot part thereof. The 

 milk in the sampling tube is then emptied into 

 the composite sample jar by turning the tube 

 upside down. 



181. If the diameter of the sampling pail used 

 is 8 inches, and that of the sampling tube \ inch 

 (these dimensions will be found convenient in 

 sampling milk from single cows), then the quan- 



i Kentucky experiment station, 8th report, pp. xxvi-xxxii. 



