WAIKATO FARMER'S CLUB.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 253, 23 October 1907, Page 9

WAIKATO FARMER'S CLUB.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) CAMBRIDGE, Tuesday. The monthly meeting of the above club was held last evening, Mr. Martin Butler (president) occupying the chair. There waa a large attendance of members, who displayed great interest in the proceedings. In announcing that Mr. A. Beange (manager of the Cambridge Co-operative Dairy Co.'s factory) wonld give a practical demonstratlon with the Babcock tester, the president said there was no doubt that to be a successful dairyman the farmer innst know the value of his cows; and the way to do so wae to have the milk tested periodically. An ordinary hand Babcocli machine, suitable for a dairy farmer, was used in tt,c operation. In the first trial eight different samples of milk were tested. They were placed in a dish containing water hented to about 96deg. Each sample was then well shaken to distribute the cream evenly throughout it; and by the aid of a glass tube exact quantities were then put into glass bulbs with long necks, and they in turn were placed in the revolving machine. Sulphuric acid of .1 strength of between 183 nnd 184dej;, In the proper proportion, was then added to each sample, and the two liquids well shaken together. Then the lid xvus put on to tho revolver, ond for n period of six minutes the samples were whirled round at a speed of 1200 revolutions a miuute. It Is important that the acid should be of a prescribed strength, and this is easily ascertained b>- means of an acidllneter. After the six minutes' churning: had expired, the test bulbs containing the niilk were half filled with boiling water, and they wore then subjected to a further churning for three minutes. Dual port consisted in the bulbs and their long necks being filled up n-ith boilinc water, after which they were subjected to a further rotating for two minutes; and then the butter fat was seen in the necks of the tost bulbs; and as they were graded and marked, they showed exactly how much butter fat was contained in each sample. The first tests ranged from 3.2 to 4.7, the latter being from a machine milked cow belonging to Mr. John Fisher. This cow is an old Jersey, that was -bought at the Ohaupo sale for 45/. She was reputed to have one bad quarter, and she was purchased for the purpose of feeding bull ealres. However, she proved to have the full use of her quarters, and as she gives four gallons of rich uiilk each day, she was added to the herd. According to this test she gives 9.10 worth of butter fat each week. Not a bad return on an investment of 45/. The Cambridge Dairy Company have recently installed an irp-to-date milk sep taken from it was tried in the Babcock tester. It registered .01. demonstrating that there Is little left In the skim inilU to feed the farmers' calves and pigs. Mr. Beiinge kindly tested a second lot of samples: in this case a cow belonging to Mr. Hooker topped the list with 4.4. A hearty vote of thanks was accordPd Mr. Beange- for the great trouble he had taken bringing the apparatus, and demonstrating how it should be used.