1910.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 117 



As ill the foniior trials, roiuliiii:;' to tlie top of ihc iiKMiiscus 

 uavc hii>li results, proportional in most cases to the diameter 

 of the graduated neck; reading to the bottom of the meniscus 

 gave results more nearly corresponding to theory, while the re- 

 sults with the alcohol method were quite uniform and consistent. 

 The high results obtained by attempting to read to the bottom of 

 the meniscus in the case of the three cream bottles was duo to 

 the cloudiness of the fat, which made an accurate reading diffi- 

 cult, if not impossible. 



Webster and Gray,^ as a result of experiment, recommend 

 the following i)rocedure, in reading cream tests: '' Kead from 

 the bottom to the extreme top of fat column, then read the depth 

 of the meniscus and deduct four-fifths gf it from previous read- 



ITunziker - advocates reading to the bottom of the upper 

 meniscus and adding one-third of meniscus to reading in cream 

 tests. 



The introduction of any factor in reading the test tends 

 toward making the method more complicated, and one unac- 

 quainted with its scientific aspects may discredit it entirely. 

 With our present knowledge, and pending further investigation, 

 the writer would advocate reading the tests made in 10 per 

 cent, milk bottles from the bottom to the extreme top of the 

 fat column, including the meniscus, as is now generally prac- 

 ticed ; while for 30 per cent., 0-incli Connecticut cream bottles 

 the reading should be taken from the extreme bottom of the fat 

 column to the bottom of the upper meniscus, preferably by the 

 use of alcohol, as described either by Eckles or Farrington. 



1 Bulletin 58, Bureau of Animal Industry, United States Department of Agriculture. 



2 Report read before annual meeting of Official Dairy Instructors and Investigators Associa- 

 tion, at Milwaukee, 1909. 



