978 
ANDREW HYDE. 
have been abundantly suppled nutritious food ; the two and a 
half per cent, milk is usually that of inferior animals indiffer¬ 
ently fed. 
If cream has been removed it cannot always be determined 
by the appearance of the milk. Cream or fat is the most es¬ 
sential constituent of milk. In butter or cheese factories it is 
the basis of value of the milk delivered by the patrons. It 
should be equally so for milk delivered to individuals and 
families. How is the consumer to know if milk that should 
have four per cent, of fat contains only two and a half or three 
per cent. ? There is no inexpensive way for consumers to regu¬ 
larly and easily find that out. The invention is yet to be de¬ 
vised for determining the fat content of milk according to these 
conditions. Until it appears purchasers of milk are at the ten¬ 
der mercy of the seller. It is true that the Babcock test is 
a rapid method for finding the fat content of milk, but the least 
expensive apparatus obtainable for the purpose of a single test 
costs about five dollars. Moreover the detail required for mak¬ 
ing the test renders its use impracticable for general household 
purposes. Another way and one that would be more generally 
adopted, if known, is the collection of a composite sample, and 
sending it to a milk analyst. The expense is practically 
nothing, but it requires a little painstaking effort. Consumers 
could generally adopt this plan and pay for the milk according 
to the fat it contains. 
Retailing milk direct to customers is considered to be the 
best of all markets for dairymen, especially in places where 
milk is not subject to the requirements of a legal standard for 
milk and inspection. Milk delivered to a butter or cheese fac¬ 
tory, as stated, is sold on a basis of its fat content, and is tested 
as often as is necessary, frequently once a month, to determine 
the value, and payment is made according to the quality. If 
the milk is an inferior article, the return to the dairyman is 
correspondingly less. Milk sent to contractors in a distant city, 
where inspection is established, must be of a certain standard of 
purity and quality or it is subject to deduction. Hence the 
