68 A Handbook for Dairymen 



ministration of other departments. It cannot, there- 

 fore, be overemphasized that efficiency and economy 

 in the power plant are fully as important as the con- 

 trol of temperature and pressure in the milk-han- 

 dling rooms, and that they are just as easily attained. 



All this applies not only to large modern plants 

 of complex character, but also to the small plant 

 with its inadequate and, sometimes, antiquated equip- 

 ment. Indeed, such small plants often offer even 

 greater opportunities for improvement and economy 

 through the installation of the proper instrument^. 

 Whether the boilers and refrigerating machines are 

 old or new, large or small, the operators should be 

 provided with high-grade indicating and recording 

 instruments, in order that they may have at all times 

 sufficient information about conditions to maintain 

 a high efficiency and to prevent the loss of costly 

 heat units. 



It is assumed here that steam power and some 

 system of artificial refrigeration are used. 



Now the choice of indicating and recording in- 

 struments for the power plant should be determined 

 by a careful consideration of kind, quantity, and 

 quality. To overload a small plant with instruments 

 that cannot be used to advantage is to gain nothing 

 but expense; yet it is just as shortsighted to attempt 

 to do without those that are really essential to estab- 

 lish a high plant standard. In order to make the 

 installation of instruments an investment rather 

 than an expense, study the performance of the 

 plant itself, note the variable conditions which affect 

 efficiency, and then determine what instruments are 

 needed. 



The particular instruments mentioned here are 

 simply suggestive. It may be that some plants will 

 not need them all, but it is very probable that even 



