30 



BULLETIN 849, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The average number of men in each plant bears a very close rela- 

 tion to the quantity of milk handled. It will be noted, however, that 

 there is a wide variation in the number of men employed at the vari- 

 ous plants in each group. Some plants employ six times as many 

 men as others of the same size. Although some other factors are in- 

 volved, such as the relative quantities of bottled milk handled, these 

 figures effectually illustrate the fact that some plants are not oper- 

 ated so efficiently as others, which is due, to a great extent, to the 

 faulty layout and arrangement of rooms and machinery. Many 

 plants could cut down their labor by' a more economical layout of 

 machinery and equipment, while others could reduce it by installing 

 more labor-saving machinery. Some plants have too many floors or 

 stories to be able to utilize labor efficiently. For example, it is often 

 necessary to have a set of men with a foreman on each floor. It can 

 be readily seen that a plant with four or five floors requires more men 

 and can utilize labor less efficiently than a plant handling the same 

 quantity of milk with only one or two floors, although the latter plant 

 may have nearly as much floor space as the larger building. The 

 gravity system of milk handling (which is now generally recognized 

 as the most efficient) can be used as well in a plant of 2^ stories as in 

 one of 4 or 5 stories. By having the pasteurizing equipment on a 

 mezzanine floor, practically all the milk handling can be done in one 

 room ; the gravity system of handling can be used and the number of 

 men can be reduced to a minimum. 



SANITARY REQUIREMENTS. 



WATER SUPPLY. 



An abundant supply of water should be available at the plant at all 

 times. Large quantities of water are required for pasteurizing and 

 cooling, for boilers and refrigerating machinery, and also for wash- 

 ing purposes. The quantity required for washing bottles and cans 

 and cleaning up milk apparatus is considerable, and. besides, there 

 are the requirements necessary for keeping the floors and walls well 

 washed. Table 7 gives the quantity of water used at several plants of 

 various sizes. 



Table 7. — Quantity of water user] at milk plant* of various sizes. 



Capacity of plant (gallons). 



Up to 1,000... 

 1,001 to 2,000.. 

 2,001 to 3,000.. 

 3,001 to 5,000.. 

 5,001 to 10,000 

 Over 10,000... 



Average 

 quantity 



of milk 

 handled 



daily. 



Gallons. 

 500 

 1,566 

 2,692 

 3,500 

 6, 788 

 15,999 



Quantity of water used daily. 



Average. 



Gallons. 

 4,800 

 14,255 

 11,722 

 17,735 

 16,135 

 112,007 



Gallons. 

 (') 

 11,000 to 18,300... 



6,710 to 17,235 



3,070 to 32,400 



102,000 to 122,015. 



Quantity of water used 

 daily per 100 gallons 

 milk handled. 



Gallons. 

 960 

 909 

 436 

 509 

 238 

 700 



Variation. 



Gallons. 



520 to 1,220. 

 287 to 580. 

 77 to 1,080. 



611 to 850. 



1 Only 1 plant in group. 



