THE BABCOCK TEST 39 



the test bottle with the legs so spread that one 

 of them rests on the highest point and the other 

 on the lowest point of the fat, and then move 

 it down so that the lower leg rests at the zero 

 point; the upper will rest at the correct reading 

 of the fat. 



7. Emptying the waste. The waste in the bot- 

 tles should never be emptied into anything but 

 earthen jars. This waste contains much strong 

 acid, and should be thrown where it cannot do 

 injury to plants or animals. It is customary 

 to place a board cover over an ordinary jar, 

 and then bore holes about an inch in diameter 

 through this cover. Through these holes the 

 necks of the inverted test bottles are thrust and 

 their contents allowed to drain into the waste 

 jar. The jar is then emptied where its con- 

 tents are not likely to cause injury, and washed 

 out with hot water to remove the grease unde- 

 stroyed by the acid. 



The importance of every dairyman owning a 

 pair of scales and a Babcock tester is discussed 

 in a later chapter of this work. 



EXERCISES 



1. Why are the milk bottles whirled at high speed 

 in making a Babcock test? 



2. What is the strong acid used for ? 



3. Why should the milk be thoroughly mixed imme- 

 diately before taking the sample? 



