No. 4.] REPORT OF DAIRY BUREAU. 311 



Babcock Milk Tester. 



Another department of work in which much has been done 

 has been the popularizing of the Babcock milk tester (which 

 readily shows the amount of butter fat in milk), and testing 

 milk and cream. This tester is one of the most important 

 dairy implements of recent invention. One authority says 

 that, if the experiment stations had done nothing but pro- 

 duce the Babcock milk tester, this one result would have been 

 a good return for all the expense. By enabling the farmer 

 readily to test the quality of the milk of each cow, he can 

 weed out those which are unprofitable, and thus make his 

 business more successful. He can also detect wastes in his 

 dairy. The creameries will eventually pay for the cream 

 they receive by this test. The bureau has made two hundred 

 and ninety-eight tests of milk, cream, buttermilk and skim- 

 milk. 



Tests of cream showed a range of from 12 to 33 per cent 

 of butter fats. The first w^as commercial cream, purchased 

 in the open market in Boston, the last a sample of separator 

 cream made at a dairy school at Greenfield. 



Samples of buttermilk have been tested, with a range of 

 from 3 per cent down to a mere trace of butter fat. Al)out 

 .30 is considered a good average. 



The samples of skim-milk examined varied from .10 to 

 .50 per cent of butter fats. The lowest samples of skim- 

 milk were taken from the separator at the dany schools. 



The whole milk of individual cows examined showed a 

 vaViation of from 1.80 to 9.80 per cent of butter fats. Sam- 

 ples testing 9.80 per cent and 9.20 per cent were from 

 farrow Jerseys which had been in milk over a year, — one 

 owned in Southbrid^e and one in Baldwinville. Both of 

 these extremes are abnormal ; from 3 to 6 per cent of 

 butter fats will cover the majority of specimens, those below 

 3 and above 6 being about equal in number. Four tests 

 were made of milk at different stages of milking. In one 

 case the strippings contained as high as 11 per cent of but- 

 ter fats. In two cases the result was as follows : — 



First of the milking, 2 per cent ; strippings, 8 30 per cent. 

 First of the milking, 1.40 per cent; strippings, 5.30 per cent. 

 First of the milking, 1.10 per cent ; strippings, 7.80 per cent. 



