no MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY PLANTS 



and value of butter fat. It should explain in detail the cream- 

 ery's method of paying, of sending reports, and of returning 

 empty cans, and furnish any other special information which 

 might be of value to the shipper. 



A. General Letter of Information. — General letters of 

 information in reference to care of milk and cream, causes of 

 variation in test of milk and cream, should be mailed to the 

 patrons. Such a letter should be brief enough so the patrons 

 will take time to read it. It should cover merely the essential 

 points. Letters in reference to care of mUk and cream might 

 present the following ideas: First, the value of cooling the milk 

 and cream immediately and before it is mixed with cream from 

 the previous milking, and of leaving it in fresh, cold water at a 

 place where the atmosphere is pure; second, the advantage of 

 skimming rich cream; third, care of cream separator and uten- 

 sils, discussing the value of using slacked lime or washing pow- 

 der in the dairy for cleaning purposes; fourth, the value of 

 keeping the barn and cows clean; fifth, the value of using a 

 sanitary milking pail, if a practical sanitary pail can be fur- 

 nished the customers addressed. Other points on the care of 

 milk and cream may be discussed in such a letter, but all 

 should be offered in the form of suggestions and not in the form 

 of rules and no suggestion should be offered unless the writer is 

 able to prove that it will be to the advantage of the producer 

 to follow it. 



B. Shipping Tags and Seals. — Shipping tags and seals are 

 usually furnished by the creamery. A shipping tag should bear 

 the creamery firm name and address and blank lines to be filled 

 in by the shipper with his name, shipping station, and post 

 office. Some creameries have a rubber stamp made for each of 

 their shippers and stamp the tags with the name and address of 

 the patron. This tag will be used for the following shipment. 

 A new leaden seal is also dropped in the empty can and this is 

 used by the shipper, who has a sear press furnished by the 

 creamery, perhaps bearing the creamery name on one side and 

 the number on the other side. 



Other forms of tags are used, such as brass tags. These are 



