FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION 211 



The Proper Richness of the Cream. 



Adjust the cream screw of the separator so as to secure 

 cream testing about 35 to 45 per cent fat. Low-testing cream 

 sours and spoils more rapidly than high-testing cream, so that 

 by the time it reaches the creamery it is often in condition unfit- 

 to be made into good butter. In the spoiled and curdy condi- 

 tion, it also makes difficult accurate sampling and testing. It is 

 undesirable further, because it diminishes the amount of skim 

 milk available for the feeding of calves and pigs ; it increases 

 the cost of transportation for every pound of butter fat ship- 

 ped; it makes impracticable the use of a reasonable amount of 

 starter in the creamery, and starter is essential for the produc- 

 tion of the best quality of butter; it does not churn out exhaus- 

 ively and yields an excessive amount of buttermilk, augmenting 

 the loss of fat and thereby reducing the churn yield. 



There are no advantages in producing a cream testing high- 

 er than 45 per cent. Too rich cream is undesirable because it 

 tends to clog the separator ; it increases the loss in handling due 

 to sticking to the receptacles ; it makes difficult accurate /samp- 

 ling and thereby tends to yield incorrect tests. 



It is desirable to produce somewhat richer cream in sum- 

 mer than in winter to prevent excessive souring in summer and 

 difficult handling in winter. 



Protection of Cream in Transit. 



The cream should be kept in the cooling tank until it leave? 

 the farm. While being hauled on the wagon and waiting for 

 the train at the station, it should be properly protected against 

 heat in summer and cold in winter. This can be done by using a 

 covered wagon for hauling, or by hauling the cream in insulated 

 cans, or by slipping a jacket over the cans, or by covering the 

 cans with a wet blanket in summer and a dry blanket in winter. 



If the cans arrive at the station long before train time, as 

 is often the case, a cooling tank filled with water and locatect 

 in the shade, should be provided so that the cream is reasonably 

 protected against the hot summer weather. 



