13 



The Jersey grade predominated, especially 

 Breeds of Cattle, east of the Connecticut river, while west of the 

 Method of river a considerable number of Holstein grades 



Replenishing were observed. There was the usual collection 

 Herd. of cows of no particular breed, while herds of 



pure bred stock were found in only one in- 

 stance. A few milkmen raised at least a portion of their stock, but 

 the majority, because of a lack of skim milk as a food for the calves, 

 believed it better suited to their conditions to purchase as needed. 

 Eighteen of the 29 dairies inspected kept a pure bred sire. It is to 

 be regretted, however, that so few seemed to have any definite ideas 

 concerning the establishment of a permanent improved dairy herd. 

 It was not possible, as a rule, to be present 

 Care and Handling at the milking, but from the information ob- 

 of Milk. tained it seemed evident that few made any 



special preparation in the way of change of 

 clothing, etc. In occasional instances only were the udders of the 

 cows brushed, washed or wiped with a damp cloth. The milk was 

 drawn into ordinary open tin pails, and when filled the contents were 

 strained through a wire strainer, frequently covered with cheese 

 cloth, into an 8'^ 2 quart can, which stood upon the barn floor, or on 

 a shelf in rear of the cows. After the milking was completed, the 

 cans were removed to the dairy room located at an end of the barn 

 or in a small building near by, and stood in ice water until ready for 

 delivery. Some milk rooms were very dirty, and in too close prox- 

 imity to the stable. Only a few possessed a large tank in which the 

 entire milking could be poured and mixed, thus preventing the de- 

 livery of an uneven product. No more milk was bottled than was 

 necessary to supply the demand, the larger part being retailed from 

 cans. One milk bottling machine was noticed, the bottles being 

 filled by its use immediately after milking, and set away in cold water 

 or cracked ice. 



A few dairymen possessed separators for the purpose of obtaining 

 a thick cream, while others retailed only a thin cream, raised by the 

 deep setting process. Babcock machines for determining the quality 

 of the milk produced by individual cows, or by the dairy herd, were 

 not in use, although in some instances the product was sent to the 

 experiment station for analysis. Most dealers seemed to be confi- 

 dent that the milk produced by their herds was up to the standard 



