362 Milk and Its Products 
After all the moisture is driven off, the sample is allowed to cool 
to room temperature. While cooling, the cup should be covered with 
something (a sheet of paper will do) to prevent the sample taking up 
moisture from the atmosphere. After cooling, the cup is placed on the 
scales. ‘The sample is lighter than before heating, because it has lost 
its moisture. The bar of the scales will therefore remain down. The 
weights are then reversed until the scales just balance. 
Each notch that the larger weight is reversed has a value of 1 per 
cent (reading on the upper scale), and each notch that the smaller 
weight is reversed has a value of .1 per cent. If, for example, after 
heating, the scales just balance when the larger weight rests on 15 
(upper scale) and the smaller weight rests on .2, it would mean that 
the sample contained 15.2 per cent moisture. 
It may be thought by those using the Cornell test for the first time 
that the use of the asbestos sheet is unnecessary. It is true that any 
one who is very familiar with moisture determinations may heat but- 
ter in a direct flame and get fairly accurate results. But the heat of 
a flame is so intense and butter volatilizes so easily that the use of the 
asbestos sheet is always advisable. 
