RULES FOR MILKING. 109 



Three important rules have to be observed hi milk- 

 ing : these are, regularity, gentleness, and cleanliness. 

 If possible, each milker should have the same cows every 

 day, and should keep exactly to the same time of milk- 

 ing, and inilk them in the same order, while they are 

 eating their fodder. The milking should be steadily 

 kept on with, till the udder is dry : not done at inter- 

 vals, with pauses between. 



It has been well said, that " To be milked by differ- 

 ent hands, at different parts of the day, in a slow, in- 

 terrupted, gossiping manner, and leaving part of the 

 milk in the udder, will ruin the best cow in the world." 

 Gentleness must be persevered in, however troublesome 

 or wayward the animal may be. A quiet, soothing 

 voice, and tender handling, will, in time, produce the 

 desired effect. Cleanliness is of the highest conse- 

 quence. Not only should the milk-maid be clean in 

 her own person, and always milk with clean hands, but 

 she should wash and sponge the udders of the cows 

 before she begins milking. If this were always done, 

 the milk would be much purer, and the cows would 

 often be saved the pain and annoyance of sore teats, 

 which they are very apt to suffer from, if neglected. 

 Where milking is performed in a slovenly manner, and 

 without regard to cleanliness, instead of being a plea- 

 sant and interesting sight, it becomes absolutely disgust- 

 ing. Self-interest, as well as decency, ought to teach 

 every one to be clean in dairy work ; for the clearness 

 and good flavour of the butter and cheese must greatly 

 depend on the purity of tho milk ; and nothing is so 

 offensive as a dull or dingy appearance in an article of 

 food. 



Nowhere, perhaps, is dairy-work performed with such 

 strict attention to cleanliness, as in Holland. Of the 

 cow-houses of the village of Brock, in that country, a 

 recent writer says, " I am sure that nine-tenths of the 

 poor people of England, and a much larger proportion 

 of the Irish, are not so well and cleanly lodged as the 



