ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 237 



WATER. 



A supply of good water is of the greatest value to a dairy. 

 Spring or well water which comes from a considerable depth is 

 the best, as it is the most free from micro-organism and is cold. 

 Careful attention should be given to protect the water supply 

 from the entrance of surface water, which is always rich in 

 bacterial life, and is especially liable to get into the well or 

 spring during the rainy season. It is also important to make 

 sure that the supply is not contaminated by drainage from resi- 

 dences. The well should be located at a distance from any piles 

 of filth or other contaminating influences; it is advisable to have 

 the water examined occasionally by a bacteriologist. State and 

 local boards of health make such examinations. A good way to 

 help keep a well pure is to use from it freely; the water should 

 never be allowed to become stale. Water is not purified by 

 freezing, so if ice has been cut from a stagnant pond, or is 

 formed from impure water, care must be taken to keep it from 

 coming in contact with dairy products. 



MILKING. 



Milking is an operation which requires skill, as it has an im- 

 portant effect on the amount and quality of milk given. Dairy- 

 men know that there are as great differences between milkers as 

 between cows, and that cows will do much better with some 

 milkers than with others. Indeed, good cows are often almost 

 ruined by poor milkers. 



The milker should avoid handling the cow more than is 

 necessary, and he should make it a rule to do his work quickly 

 and thoroughly He should never go from a sick to a well cow 

 without first cleansing his hands. The habit of wetting the hands 

 with milk is filthy in the extreme and should never be practiced. 

 Some people think it is necessary, but this is a mistake. The 

 hands should be kept dry. If they are not, it is impossible to 

 prevent drops of milk from constantly falling from them into the 

 pail. 



