THIRTY-SIXTH ANNUAL CONVENTION. 57 



just as free from odor as any clean water and if you had been a 

 wanderer up the stream and been thirsty, you would have un- 

 hesitatingly drank this water. We filled a bottle with this water 

 and took it back to Elgin, and at the end of the seventh month 

 there was a green skum that formed on the water. Now this is 

 to illustrate what dayHght and air will do to bacteria, and if 

 daylight and air will perform feats like this, you can appreciate 

 what they will do to bacteria in your stables; so do not under- 

 estimate the importance of air and daylight in connection with 

 the production and handling of milk. I don't believe it is posr 

 sible to have too many windows in a dairy barn. I believe they 

 should be so constructed with iron supports, allowing a continu- 

 ous row of windows along the entire length of the barn, and as 

 many as possible on the end. Windows arranged so that they 

 will open and so that screens can be used on them. The value 

 of the lives of the catle saved on account of this good air and 

 light will more than pay for the increased cost. 



Milking IVIethods. 



Too much care cannot be taken in this most important 

 work. It costs the producer no more to milk cleanly than to do 

 it otherwise if he once forms the habit. Guard against unclean- 

 ly habits on the part of the milker. It is desired that he be at- 

 tired in clean overalls and jacket; these need not be expensive 

 and can be slipped on just before milking. The hands of the 

 milker should be washed clean and dried before he begins his 

 work. Much may be said as to the method of milking, but it is 

 understood by all practical dairymen that a cow should be milked 

 with ''dry" and not wet hands. Mnay have acquired the habit 

 of milking ''wet", as it is usually termed, and it may be hard for 

 them to reform, but if they will observe the filthiness of this 

 practice they will recognize this as a great source of contamina- 

 tion. 



Milk as it is secreted in the cells of the udder, is germ free. 

 If it were possible to get the milk in this condition into germ free 

 receptacles, and if it could then be kept free from contamina- 



