THE GRADING OF MILK 



173 



the water bath in the evening ; next morning the blown or very 

 spongy samples may quickly be picked out. The following table 

 has been drawn up in order to illustrate the system : 



* In practice round figures only need be noted. To facilitate the calculation of 

 the average, i may be written as |. When the fermentation result is denoted by two 

 letters, this denotes an intermediate form. 



The average of the four weekly tests places the milk in the class 

 which has to be reckoned with during the corresponding month. 

 The figure is rounded off to the nearest unit, fractions of | or over 

 being counted as 1. The grading of milk has been dealt with at 

 length because it furnishes just basis for payment according to 

 quality, the only really effective means available for improving 

 the quality of milk. If such a system were established there 

 would be some hope that the farmers would exert themselves to 

 ensure the clean treatment and proper cooling of their milk, just 

 as the more progressive of the Danish farmers have succeeded in 

 increasing the fat content of their milk since the system of pay- 

 ment according to " fat units " was adopted by most of the co- 

 operative dairies in Denmark. The two systems may easily be 

 combined by allowing a small increase in the price per fat unit for 

 first-class milk, and making a corresponding deduction in the case 

 of third-class milk. Double the amount should be deducted for 

 fourth-class milk. There would be no surer means of guarding 

 against butter and cheese defects, and there could be no better re- 

 commendation for the dairy products than the fact that they had 

 been made from milk sufficiently clean and fresh to be palatable 



