CHAPTER XIII 

 FARM SEPARATORS 



THE factors which influence the richness of cream are dealt 

 with in Part II of the chapter on " Variation of Fat in Milk and 

 Cream," while those affecting the efficiency of skimming are 

 dealt with in the chapter on " Separation of Cream." These 

 factors apply equally to power and farm separators. The con- 

 ditions under which farm separators are operated warrant this 

 separate chapter upon this subject. 



Introduction of Farm Separators. Small, or hand, separators 

 have been manufactured for a great many years, but their 

 general adoption is of comparatively recent date. For instance, 

 it was in 1894 not so very long ago that hand separators 

 were introduced into the large dairy state of Iowa. Thirty years 

 ago practically all of our creameries were milk-receiving cream- 

 eries, while to-day the great bulk of our creamery butter is made 

 from cream separated on the farm by means of hand or farm 

 separators. Naturally the people of the Central West (Iowa, 

 Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana) 

 have been foremost in the development of this system, as it is 

 best suited to their conditions. It permits many of the farmers 

 who engage in dairying in a comparatively small way to become 

 patrons of creameries located at considerable distances from 

 them. 



Reasons for Introducing Farm Separators. It requires an 

 investment of about $100 to purchase a hand separator; it may 

 therefore be concluded that some good reasons lead fanners to 

 make such an investment. The chief of these may be briefly 

 stated as follows : 



(i) The farmer is able to skim the milk immediately after it 

 has been drawn, thereby enabling him to feed the milk while 



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