192 THE BUSINESS OF DAIRYING 



One good careful man or woman can operate 4 

 machines milking 8 cows simultaneously, and an 

 additional hand cannot only carry away the milk, 

 but assist in manipulating the cows' udders. The 

 operating expense of the machines is comparatively 

 small. 



Different kinds of power which may be utilized. 

 — The kind of power employed to operate cow milk- 

 ers is not important provided it is uniform and can 

 be depended upon. 



Dairymen well know that, in the case of hand 

 milking, if they were to stop for a time when a cow 

 was partially milked and then begin again and finish 

 milking, the chances are that there would not only 

 be a decrease in yield, but the milk would be of 

 poorer quality. A similar effect is produced in the 

 case of machine milking. If the engine, or whatever 

 power is employed to work the pumps, stops for any 

 cause during the milking, a marked decrease in the 

 5n'eld of milk results. 



Gasoline engines. — These are most commonly em- 

 ployed for power at the present time. 



Electric motors. — Some farmers located near 

 cities find electricity the most convenient power. 

 This has worked successfully on two farms at least. 

 In one case a trolley line passes near the barn and a 

 wire is attached to the main trolley wire and con- 

 nected with a one horsepower electric motor inside 

 of the building. As electric roads are now being 

 rapidly built through country districts, it is quite 

 possible- that this may prove a popular method of 

 securing power to operate cow milkers. 



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