HANDLING MILK. 59 



Hero are between twenty and thirty different constit- 

 uents, in various proportions. Their combination is 

 effected through the organism of the cow, the ultimate 

 work beinir performed by the udder, where it is no soon- 

 er completed than reaction begins and change is the 

 result. 



DETKKIOKA'I TON OF MILK IN THE UDDEll. 



The longer the milk remains in the udder, the more it 

 is impoverished by absorption ot some of its ingredients. 

 This is specially true of the tats, which are taken up by 

 the absorbent vessels of the udder and carried into gen- 

 eral circulation. For this reason, the first milk drawn 

 which is the first secreted, and therefore remains in the 

 udder the longest is the poorest milk drawn, and that 

 which is last secreted and last milked (the strippings) is 

 the richest. Hence, the longer the interval between 

 milkings, the poorer the milk for butter making. Three 

 milkings a day will give better results than two. 



DO FATS EXPAND BEFORE CONG EALING V 



If milk is to be set for cream, the sooner it is put to 

 rest and the less heat it looses before setting, the better 

 for the separation of the cream. If cooled down much, 

 the cream will rise more slowly and separate more im- 

 perfectly. In cooling, the fluids and semi-fluids condense 

 faster than the fats, and hence become relatively heavier, 

 and settle as the fat globules rise, b}' virtue of tiie law of 

 gravitation. The theory has been broached by Mr. H. B. 

 Gurler, of DeKalb, Illinois, that in sudden cooling, the 

 rluids and semi-fluids are not only condensed, but the fats 



