4 6 



Circular as to the Sale of Milk, [april, 



commission of fraud, the local authority might in the first 

 instance call the attention of the vendor to the adverse report 

 of the analyst and afford him an opportunity of submitting any 

 explanation he might desire to offer on the subject. The Board 

 further expressed the opinion that if the explanation were one 

 which the local authority felt able to accept, they might, in the 

 exercise of their discretion, refrain from the institution of pro- 

 ceedings, or withdraw any summons which it might have been 

 necessary to take out in order to avoid the failure of proceedings, 

 at the same time making arrangements for the taking of further 

 samples of the milk supplied, in order that a satisfactory con- 

 clusion as to its character might be arrived at. 



The experience of the past three years has confirmed the 

 propriety of the views expressed by the Board on the subject, 

 and they would be glad to learn that your local authority have 

 made arrangements to proceed on the lines suggested, and if 

 not, that the matter will be further considered at an early date. 



I am also to say that the Board think it very desirable that 

 farmers, dairymen, and all other cowkeepers should have samples 

 of the milk of their cows tested from time to time, so that they 

 may be able to watch the seasonal and other variations in the 

 quantity of milk-fat contained in the milk, and by modifications 

 in the feeding, housing, or time of milking, and it necessary by 

 the disposal of animals giving milk of an exceptionally poor 

 character, keep the quality of their milk at a satisfactory level. 

 The Board have ascertained that with the object of assisting 

 farmers thus to acquaint themselves with the character of their 

 milk the various Agricultural Colleges and Agricultural Depart- 

 ments of University Colleges, &c, are willing to determine for a 

 fee of sixpence the percentage of milk-fat in any sample of milk 

 which may be sent to them from the counties with which they 

 are respectively associated. Detailed information as to the 

 arrangements thus made is given in the Journal of tlie Board of 

 Agriculture for March, 1905. The Board would be glad if your 

 local authority would co-operate with them in the matter, and 

 do what is possible to facilitate the testing of milk in the manner 

 proposed. 



The Board are satisfied that if the keepers of cows will from 

 time to time test the quality of their milk for themselves, and if 



