SECRETION OF MILK 407 
tration of attention are necessary. Milking is an art, but 
many milkers never learn it. On setting down the stool 
and taking his position the operator should speak gently 
to the cow and put her at ease. The 
teats are then firmly grasped with 
dry hands and pressed tenderly until 
they fill up with milk. In closing 
the hand on the teats the ends of the 
fingers should be placed only part 
of the way around, so that they will 
be in a position to press in unison 
with the palm of the hand. 
It is not the best practice to put the — MILKING 
fingers wholly around the teats, as many re ish eda 
do; less force results and the work is less ic ial 
effective. What is desirable is to imitate 
the calf in sucking; the hand is to be not 
only sharply closed against the teat, but vigorous uphand pressure 
against the udder is to be made at the same time. The hand move- 
ment should be rapid and continuous. It spoils the cow to stop and 
start or otherwise to check in any way the milk flowing from the 
teats. Even if the teats are small, this manner of milking is best. 
First strike up, then down with snap and vigor. It is wrist work, not 
arm movement. As the udder empties let the hand creep upwards, 
with more of the udder inclosed in the hand, and keep doing this 
until the last drop is drawn. It is to be remembered that clean milk- 
ing and quick movements are of first importance in success in 
securing much milk and in maintaining the milk flow for long 
periods. 
15. Machine milking—From four to six minutes are 
required by use of the machine milker to milk a cow. 
This rapid as well as steady removal of milk from the 
teats is an advantage, since it is less annoying to the cow 
than much of the hand milking. If the machines are well 
cleaned the sanitary effect naturally is more pronounced 
because there is less opportunity for dirt or germs to get 
into the milk. While, therefore, equal or better sanitary 
results may be obtained by machine milking under ordi- 
