THE STATE AS FARMER 77 



the matter too small for the State itself to 

 stoop to ? Ought we to trust anyone but the 

 medical authority on the spot to take all 

 precautions, and to use all educational in- 

 fluences to make those who might spread the 

 evil fully alive to the risks ? 



The next difficulty we have with milk is 

 to keep it clean at the farm. Those who have 

 made elaborate tests report that half the 

 impurities which are found in milk at the 

 end of its journey to the homes have entered 

 it at the farm itself. Some of these are 

 the direct results of dirty habits, but many 

 of them are due to pure ignorance in the 

 carrying out of regular duties. The bedding 

 down and the feeding of cows, for instance, 

 injure milk because of the dust they cause, 

 and should therefore be attended to at any 

 time rather than the milking hour. The first 

 piece of machinery that comes into use — if 

 we except actual milking machines, which 

 are still only on their trial, and a simple 

 filter — is the cooler or refrigerator which is 

 used at the farm itself. As certain societies 

 already reserve the right to approve of the 

 pattern of such cooling apparatus, we are 



