122 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pul). Doc. 



faction, if nothing more. It is better to lead than to follow ; 

 to set the pace than to lag behind. To make milk thus in 

 many commmiities is to invite the unkindlj^ criticism and 

 sarcastic comment of one's neighbors, to inspire jealousies ; 

 but in time the example tells, the light lighteneth the Gen- 

 tiles, and the general situation is bettered. Then, too, 

 legislative enactment and municipal regulation are taking 

 cognizance of the relation between dirt and disease, the 

 coli and the colic, the bacterial content of the milk and its 

 keeping qualities ; and are making requirements touching 

 this matter as they have before done as to food values. It 

 is safe to })redict that Ijefore long cleaner milk must be made 

 for Boston and Worcester than is now made, — another 

 reason why it is worth while thinking al)out how, at mini- 

 mum outlay, a maximum cleanliness may be attained. 

 Finally, before dismissing this phase of the subject, let 

 me remark parenthetically that dirty milk kept cold excels 

 in keeping qualities clean milk kept warm. CUean cold 

 milk is the acme of modern milk-making. 



The creameries in the western part of the State, like those 

 in Vermont, experience difficulties in connection with the 

 cream deliveries. Precept, that is to say, dairy experi- 

 mentation, warns the butter-maker that he cannot make 

 high-grade goods from a sour and infrequently delivered 

 cream. It tells him that, if forced by circumstances to 

 receive such cream, pasteurization and special cultures may 

 better it. And it further states that, when he comes to test 

 such cream for the purposes of dividend-making, he must 

 weigh the i)ipette delivery, lest he make gross errors. What 

 answers practice to these say-so's? It admits the conten- 

 tion that sour cream deliveries are to be deplored, but states 

 that the small size of the herds make it impracticable to 

 gather or to deliver it daily; and it states that despite in- 

 struction, pleading and invective, the relatively simple and 

 inexpensive means for keeping the cream sweet are often 

 ignored by a few, to the detriment of the entire make. 



It further says that when circumstances — an all-covering 

 word, like charity — compel the making of such material 

 into butter, precept is right in suggesting pasteurization and 



