1895.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 93 



spaces than the same quantity of rich milk, it is argued, but 

 the (luality of the space would be equally as valuable for 

 butter purposes. 



The Babcock test as a basis for payment is used almost 

 exclusively in the West. According to Professor Jordan,* 

 the larger number of Maine creameries are using this system. 

 In Vermont a very large portion of the milk and cream sold 

 is paid for on the basis of butter fat it contains. In Con- 

 necticut the creameries are gradually adopting the Babcock 

 system, and the writer has heard of several Massachusetts 

 creameries employing it. Many inquiries have been made 

 during the past year as to the comparative merits of the 

 Babcock and the " space " systems, and the writer thought it 

 advisable, therefore, to make an investigation, and to pre- 

 sent the results obtained as an object lesson to those inter- 

 ested in this all-important branch of farm industry. Such 

 an investigation had already been made by the Connecticut 

 Experiment Station, and the results published in Bulletin 

 119. That station has recommended the Babcock system 

 for general use in Connecticut creameries. 



The Investigation. 



The Cream collected and tested for Butter Fat. 



The writer personally accompanied the cream gatherers of 

 a large creamery in this locality, and took as fair a sample as 

 possible of the cream of one hundred and sixty-five different 

 patrons, by means of a small glass rod run into the mixed 

 cream after the milk had l^een drawn, care being taken to 

 draw off the milk as thoroughly as possible in each case. 

 The sample of cream was run into small numbered glass 

 bottles, and tested for butter fat by the Babcock method on 

 the same day. The weight of the cream was also noted, as 

 well as the number of spaces, and the temperature of the 

 water in the tank. The result of this inquiry is presented 

 in Table I. : — 



* See report of Prof. W\ H. Jordan's lecture before Connecticut farmers in " New- 

 England Homestead," Feb. 15, 1894. 



