THE DAIRY. 297 



the Doctor's views on the subject of milk. The facts set 

 forth are very important, and ought to be deeply impressed on 

 the minds of all who have the oversight or management of 

 dairies. They are given -by the author in the form of apho- 

 risms, that they may be the more readily adverted to, and the 

 easier retained. 



Aphorism I. Of the milk that is drawn from any cow at one time, that 

 which comes off at the first is always thinner and of a much worse quality than 

 that which comes afterwards, and the richness goes on continually increasing 

 to the very last drop that can be drawn from the udder at that time. 



Among farmers in this country, the last drawn milk from 

 the cow is termed stroakings, and it is well known that it is 

 much superior in point of richness to that which is drawn at 

 first but few have any conception of the vast disproportion 

 in the quality of the first and last drawn milk from the same 

 cow, at one milking. The fact was long since ascertained by 

 Dr. ANDERSON, and confirmed by many years subsequent ex- 

 periments and observation, and holds good to the present day. 

 He took a number of cups, of the same size and shape, one was 

 filled at the beginning of the milking, and the others at regular 

 intervals, the last being filled by the stroakings. The result 

 was "that the cream from some cows, exceeded that from the 

 first, in the proportion of sixteen to one. In other cows, how- 

 ever, and in particular circumstances, the disproportion was 

 not quite so great; but in no case did I find it fall short of the 

 rate of eight to one. Probably, upon an average of a great 

 many cows, it might be found to run at ten or twelve to one." 



The difference in the quality of the cream, however, obtained, 

 was much greater than the difference in the quantity. In the 

 first cup the cream was a thin tough film, thinner and perhaps 

 whiter than the paper on which I write; in the last, the cream 

 was of a thick butyrous consistence, and of a glowing richness 

 of colour, that no other kind of cream is ever found to possess. 

 The difference in the quality of the milk that remained after 

 the cream was separated, was perhaps still greater than either 

 in respect to the quantity or the quality of the cream. The 

 milk in the first cup was a thin bluish liquid, like as if a very 

 large proportion of water had been mixed with ordinary milk; 

 that in the last cup was of a thick consistence and yellow 

 colour, more resembling cream than milk, both in taste and 

 appearance. From this important experiment it appears, that 

 the person who, by bad milking of his cows, loses but half a 

 pint of the milk, loses in fact about as much cream as would be 

 afforded by six or eight pints at the beginning, and loses be- 

 sides, that part of the cream which alone can give richness and 

 high flavour to his butter. 



