92 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Y. 



THE BABCOCK vs. THE "SPACE" SYSTEM, AS 

 A BASIS FOR PAYMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS 

 CREAMERIES. 



By J. B. LiNDSEY. 



By the Babcock system is meant the weighing of each 

 patron's daily cream, raised or separated by whatever proc- 

 ess, taking a fair sample of it, with a suitable sampler, 

 preserving the daily samples, and once in ten days to two 

 weeks testing this average sample for the percentage of 

 butter fat by means of the Babcock tester. The percentage 

 of butter fat found, multiplied by the pounds of cream, 

 gives the pounds of butter fat actually in the cream. 



The directors of the creamery, having a certain sum of 

 money to divide, and knowing the total number of pounds 

 of butter fat collected, divide the former amount by the 

 latter; the quotient resulting represents the 2)^'ic6 p^'^' pound 

 to be paid for the butter fat. The vakie of a pound of 

 butter fat for the month having been in this way deter- 

 mined, is multiplied by the i)ounds of butter fat furnished 

 by the patron, and the product represents the money he is 

 entitled to each month for his cream. By this method the 

 value of the cream is based entirely upon its content of 

 butter fat. 



The space system is familiar to all. The milk in deep- 

 setting cans is submerged in ice water, and after a certain 

 time the number of spaces of cream on each can is read by 

 means of a strip of graduated glass set in the side of the 

 can. A "space" is a circular volume of cream, i-| of an 

 inch thick, and 8^ inches in diameter. It is assumed by 

 those who favor this system that a space of cream has com- 

 paratively the same value, no matter from what milk it is 

 raised. A given quantity of poor milk may furnish fewer 



