244 THE BOOK OF BUTTER 



include the fat within the top of the meniscus and what 

 would constitute a straight line at the bottom of the fat. 



11. Record the readings. 



223. Sampling cream. — Cream is more sticky than 

 whole milk. It clings to the agitators, cans, bottles, and 

 the like, in such a way that it is hard to sample. This 

 is especially noticeable when the cream is sour and the 

 body is heavy and sticky. There has been more or less 

 discussion concerning some of the essentials in sampling 

 cream. Recently Scoville ^ made investigations on this 

 subject under the heading of " Difference in Sampling 

 Cream when Cold and Thick or Warm and Fluid." 

 He states that some of the cream was very nearly a solid 

 mass when received at the creamery. In such condition 

 it was impossible to stir properly, so a sample was taken 

 with a McKay sampling tube which had been warmed 

 in hot water. This tube took a column of cream from 

 the top to the bottom of the can, and when the tube was 

 warmed it discharged practically all the cream. He 

 calls attention to the fact that this is a practice followed 

 in some creameries and that the question arises as to its 

 accuracy, whether it is possible to secure an accurate 

 sample in this manner or whether the serum on standing 

 settles to the bottom, thus making the test read high. 

 The experimental cream that Scoville used was obtained 

 from a station which was separating a very heavy cream. 

 Each can was sampled after stirring as well as possible 

 while the cream was cold and heavy. Then it was warmed 

 gradually in warm water to a temperature of approxi- 

 mately 85° F. During this time the cream was stirred 

 carefully so as not to churn it, until it became less thick 



' Scoville, R. I., Some Factors Affecting the Over-run in Cream- 

 eries, A Thesis in Cornell Univ. Library, p, 18, 1916. 



