216 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



that of the Caucasus and the Russian steppes. Kefir and kumiss are 

 limpid, mildly acid, and distinctly alcoholic; but the yoghurt, ya- 

 hourth, or jugurt of the Turks, the kisselo mleko of the Balkan peo- 

 ple, the mazun of Armenia, the gioddu of Sardinia, the dadhi of 

 India, and the leben or leben raib of Egypt are all thick curdled 

 milks, decidedly acid, and with very little or no alcohol. The 

 method of preparation is also quite different. Goat's, buffalo's, or 

 cow's milk may be used. This is usually boiled and sometimes is 

 reduced by evaporation to one-half its original volume. In the lat- 

 ter case it is not used as a drink, but is eaten, frequently with the ad- 

 dition of bread, dates, or other food. (Dep. Agr. Bu. An. Ind. 

 Circ. 171.) 



Covered Milk Pails. The demand for a good wholesome grade 

 of milk produced under sanitary conditions is steadily increasing. 

 People in the cities are taking more and more interest in the san- 

 itary quality of the milk which they use in the household. The 

 general awakening in regard to the sanitary qualities of milk which 

 as taken place in the last few years can be attributed chiefly to two 

 causes. The first of these is in harmony with, and a part of the 

 general desire on the part of consumers for pure and wholesome 

 food products of all kinds and the milk supply has come in for its 

 share of investigation. The general supply of the cities has been 

 studied, methods of transportation have been considered and more 

 recently the conditions existing upon the farms where the milk is 

 produced have come in for their share of investigation. 



The ordinary market milk which reaches the larger cities nor- 

 mally contains high numbers of bacteria. These are the result either 

 of more or less dirty conditions in the production of the milk or of 

 too warm a temperature after the milk has been produced or a com- 

 bination of these two conditions. It is perfectly possible to produce 

 milk containing a very low number of bacteria, a fact which has 

 been demonstrated by many producers of so-called sanitary or cer- 

 tified milk. Consumers in general at the present time are not will- 

 ing to pay the increased price charged for the so-call*ed certified 

 grades of milk which are now available in practically all cities. 



Most of the detrimental changes which occur in milk are caused 

 by bacteria. The chief source of these organisms is the dust and 

 dirt which fall into the milk, principally while the milk is being 

 drawn from the cow and before it leaves the stable. Any means, 

 therefore, for preventing the entrance of dirt into the milk during 

 the process of milking will tend to improve the sanitary quality of 

 the product. One of the most practical devices used at the present 

 time for the purpose of excluding dirt and bacteria from the milk 

 during the process of production is some form of covered milk pail. 

 The ordinary milk pail is about twelve inches in diameter and if it is 

 entirely uncovered it is easy to see that a considerable amount of 

 dirt might fall into the milk during the process of milking. If, 

 however, this opening can be reduced to a small proportion of the 

 entire area of the pail the amount of dirt which could fall in would 

 be correspondingly reduced. The demand for some form of covered 



