Dairying in the Olden Bays 91 



advent of the revolving or barrel churn a mighty 

 load was lifted from the spinal column of the 

 pioneer dairymaids and dairymen. 



DAIEYMAID LICKED HEB FINGER 



But to return a moment to the milkhouse: the 

 milk would be spread out in shallow pans that the 

 cream might rise — there's a scientific reason why 

 cream rises to the top, but, please let me off. I 

 only know it does and besides, natural science was 

 not on the bill-of-f are when I feasted at the round 

 table of knowledge. I asked a farmer the ques- 

 tion once, in my tender years, and he said the best 

 always comes to the top like big berries in a box 

 or big apples in a bag. That's the way he side- 

 stepped and I have to pass on this cream-rising 

 query, too. 



Well, after the cream had risen and formed a 

 leathery bridge across the top of the pans, so the 

 flies and spiders and other adventurers might not 

 fall into the milk and perish, the dainty dairy- 

 maid would run an index finger around the edge 

 of the pan to loosen the cream. If she was a dairy- 

 maid with a normal appetite she'd lick her finger 

 and then proceed to skim the milk with a tin 

 skimmer. The cream would be allowed to ripen 

 for two or three days in a stone crock before 

 being churned. 



