86 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



of cheap labor for collecting, and letting the cream routes to 

 the lowest bidder, regardless of his qualifications, are to be con- 

 demned. The law requires the operator of the test to under- 

 stand his part of the work. It is equally important that the col- 

 lector should have a thorough knowledge of sampling. If the 

 sample is taken carefully with the tube, as directed on page 87, it 

 will be done correctly; but if the collector is in a hurry and 

 carelessly lets the tube drop down closed or quickly, so that it 

 fills from the bottom, or takes his sample from but one can when 

 there are several, the sample may be far from correct. It 

 may seem that correct sampling takes a good deal of time, 

 but as a matter of fact it takes but little more time than it does 

 to do the work improperly. As success or failure of the busi- 

 ness may depend upon the results obtained, it is imperative that 

 the work be properly done. The patrons of a creamery are 

 much given to decrying the test when the results do not suit 

 them, but it is safe to say that in nearly every case the discrepan- 

 cies are due to other causes than errors w testing, and very 

 often to sampling, which is within the control of the patron. 

 Let every patron who is not satisfied get a tester himself or in 

 combination with his neighbors, and sample and test his own 

 cream. It would take but little time and perhaps be dollars in 

 his pocket. 



Collectors Apparatus for Sampling and Weighing Cream. 

 Pail for Weighing. For this purpose a light pail not more than 

 9 or 10 inches in diameter and 18 to 20 inches deep, having a 

 strong bail, a lip or nose on the top and handle near the bottom 

 to assist in emptying, is recommended. It should be made of 

 light material and strengthened at the top by a hoop, to avoid 

 denting when being emptied. Such a pail holds 50 pounds of 

 cream, which is as much as a collector cares to- handle at once. 



Scales for Weighing. There are several spring scales on the 

 market that doubtless are good for this purpose, but the best 

 we have seen is a Chatillon dial spring scale with an adjustable 

 tare, that will weigh up to 60 pounds by tenths. These scales 

 are very convenient and are sufficiently accurate with light 

 weights for this work; but are reported by some who have used 

 them, not to be very accurate when loaded to near their full 

 capacity. Of course all spring scales deteriorate quite rapidly 



