li)Oi).] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 47 



operator is proficient in testing whole milk, it docs not neces- 

 sarily follow that the exi)eriiiient station is justified in giving 

 him a certificate until he has shown the requisite skill in the 

 whole field. It is obvious that a tester may pass a perfectly 

 satisfactory examination and yet employ careless and slovenly 

 methods in ])rac'tiee. The writer wishes to re-emphasize the 

 point made by the head of the department in the last annual 

 report, " that the present law should be so amended as to give 

 the experiment station the privilege of revoking the license 

 of all operators who employ dirty glassware and who are not 

 conscientiously performing their duties." 



Testing Glassware. — All Babcock glassware intended for use 

 where the Babcock test is a basis for fixing the value of milk 

 and cream must be tested for accuracy and marked " Mass. 

 Ex. Sta.," to signify that it has been so tested and found cor- 

 rect. During the past year 2,713 pieces of glassware were 

 examined, and only 1.22 per cent were found incorrect, an 

 improvement of 5.4 per cent over the previous year. 



Annual Inspection of Babcock Machines, — This inspection 

 was made in November, 1908. Of the 31 places visited, 19 

 were creameries, 10 milk depots, 1 city milk inspector and one 

 a chemical laboratory. Thirteen of the creameries were co- 

 operative and 6 were proprietary. The 10 milk depots were, in 

 every case, proprietary. Thirty-one machines were inspected, 

 of which 2 were condemned. As a whole, the machines were 

 in good condition. Those in use are 13 Facile, 5 Argos, 6 

 Wizard, 3 electrical and 4 Stoddard. The glassware, as a whole, 

 was clean, but a few still use very dirty bottles. In one case 

 the pipettes were not tested. The creameries and milk depots 

 in operation that pay by the Babcock test are as follows : — 



