TESTING CREAM BY THE BABCOCK TEST 73 



small amounts of cream is by means of a sampling- 

 tube (Fig. 5, p. 27), which must be cleaned for each 

 sample before using. Frozen cream must be thawed 

 and mixed before sampling. Large lots of dried 

 cream or partially churned cream can not be sam- 

 pled with complete accuracy. Cream adhering to 

 the outside of the sampler should not be allowed to 

 go into the test sample. 



METHOD OF KEEPING CREAM SAMPLES 



In keeping composite samples of cream, the same 

 precautions are to be observed as in the case of milk 

 (p. 30). With thick cream special effort may be 

 needed to cause the preservative, especially potassium 

 bichromate, to dissolve and be distributed through 

 the sample. This may be done by warming the jars 

 and mixing the cream carefully by a gentle rotary mo- 

 tion. 



PREPARATION OF SAMPLES FOR TEST 



Before taking from the cream sample the amount 

 to be used in the test, the cream must have its . fat 

 evenly distributed.' To accomplish this, the cream is 

 heated to 105 or 110 F. until it is quite fluid. As 

 recommended by Hills (Bulletin 100, Vermont Exp. 

 Sta., p. 5), the cream is passed through a small sieve 

 (Fig. 33), such as is commonly used in kitchens. Any 

 remaining lumps found in the sieve are rubbed through 

 the meshes by the finger, after which, the cream is 

 thoroughly mixed by pouring from one cup to another. 

 The sample is then quickly taken for testing. 



