TESTING CREAM BY THE BABCOCK TEST 8l 



managed. When the cream of each producer is first 

 taken to .a shipping-station and sampled there at the 

 time of delivery, or when the cream is collected by an 

 agent going from farm to farm with a wagon and is 

 sampled at the farm, difficulties are met. The trouble 

 in obtaining samples of cream under these conditions 

 is primarily due to lack of care of cream on the farm, 

 which results in souring, thickening, drying, etc., con- 

 ditions that cause lack of uniformity in consistency 

 throughout the mass. 



Proper conditions for producing cream that can be 

 readily sampled may be outlined as follows: Cream, 

 separated so as to contain about 40 per cent, of fat, is 

 at once placed in cans in cold water and kept there, in 

 order to prevent souring in warm weather and freez- 

 ing in cold. The cream is stirred occasionally to keep 

 the fat well distributed and to prevent drying on the 

 surface. It should be delivered at the creamery at 

 least three times a week in summer and twice a week 

 in cold weather. In transporting cream that is to be 

 sampled at the creamery or shipping-station, the cans 

 should be full enough to prevent churning, but not too 

 full to prevent thorough mixing of the cream in the 

 can previous to sampling. 



Responsible sampling agents. It has been found 

 that persons charged with taking samples, such as 

 shipping-station agents and cream gatherers, are more 

 often than not lacking in ability to do this work pro- 

 perly, either through want of adequate training or 

 through insufficient appreciation of the importance of 

 details. Thorough instruction, intelligence and care in 

 details are absolutely requisite in this work. 



