THE NEW SELF-ACTING COWMILKING MACHINE COMPANY, SHEFFIELD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2121, 10 December 1880, Page 3

THE NEW SELF-ACTING COWMILKING MACHINE COMPANY, SHEFFIELD.

The new Self-aoting Cow-Milking Apparatus, which is now being manufactured by a company specially formed to produce it in large quantities at Sheffield, and of which Mr Buohanan is managing director, consists of a series of four separate small india-rubber tubes, at one end of which are fastened four silver tubes a little over a couple of inohes in length, each with their sides perforated at the upper end. These silver tubes are inserted to the depth of an inch in the teats of the cow, and those who have used them state that they have never noticed the slightest injury to the animal's udders. " Their use," says the " Farmer," " tends rather to increase than to diminish the supply of milk," and the machine possesses several advantages over previous specialities which have been invented for the purpose. In the first place, after the silver ends have been inserted in the teats the tubes may be said to be self-acting, thus materially diminishing the expenses of a milkmaid. The time also occupied in milking is decreased, and to an animal with sore teats considerable irritation is avoided. From what also we can see of these little machines the; should prove not only very durable, but extremely cleanly and cheap." A writer of " Farming Notes," in a recent issue of "Land and Water," gives it the following unsolicited and valuable testimonial: —

"It's—it's—a perfect success. No doubt about it whatever now. I had, I must allow, my misgivings about it when I first caught sight of the apparatus. As it lay at the bottom of a paper box, it resembled, of all things a coil of young serpents, or rather eels; for the tubes were glossy brown. But what am I talking about ? why, no less than a reoently perfeoted milking machine, which is a perfect godsend to all her Majesty's lieges who may inhabit, as we do, a cider district, where a dairymaid it is almost impossible to find—a non-pasturage cider distriot I mean. But in any country and any distriot, how satisfactory it must be to know that the cream which clots upon your coffee, and the butter balls you smooth upon your toast, have been gathered and wrung from purest, untainted, untinted liquid. In Holland, we have all read how exquisitely careful that frugal people is to guard against contamination in the cowshed and dairy; how they wash the udder and tie up the tail to prevent its flopping into the pail, should a random fly arrive to persecute the docile animal in course of yielding her precious freight. But catch an English dairywoman taking all these nice precautions. You may order it, and see it done once or twioe, but it will not be persevered in, you may rely upon it, when your back is turned. What, then, you ask impatiently, is the nature of this treasure ? It consists of four delicate india-rubber tubes, about a foot long, bound together at one end, there being, to prevent compression, about an inch of metal pipe inserted in eaoh. The other ends ere armed with a fine silvered blunt-pointed rod about the length and diameter of a bodkin, with a number of fine holes drilled near its extremity. The dairyman just draws the teat so as to fill it with the lubricating fluid, and gently inserts a pipe, which is readily done without objection or resistance on the part of tho cow. At once the milk begins to flow from the other end. Insert the other three pipes, and the milk will pour out for about three minutes, when the udder is drained dry. Bemove the pipes. Voila, the whole process! " Of oourse, every one must be there to see. There was the gardener, and the cowman, and the dairymaid, and ourself and a few more, all being incredulous as to the promised effect. ' I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it,' is the cook's comment, in which all joined chorus. 'l'm beggared if that don't beat me,'observed the fat gardener, who is himself an accomplished hand at milking ; and the pipes being removed, he bent his majestic figure and tried what he could do in tho way of ' stripping ' tho udder more. ' I couldn't have drawn her so dry,'he remarked, rising from his fruitless perfora ance. Upon trial it was found that the machine had finished off a oouple of cows before the milkmaid had done with one." The new self-acting cow milker haß been tested by a large number of practical agriculturists, dairymen, &c, and on every hand seems to have met with commendation, not only for its adaptability, but for the rapidity with which the milking of the animals can be effected, and this, it is stated, can be generally done effectually in about four minutes. Mr F. N. Menzies, the secretary of the Highland and Agricultural Society, Edinburgh has given the following valuable certificate : " From F. N. Menzies, Esq., Secretary of the Highland and Agricultural Society, Edinburgh. "3, George IV. Bridge, Edinburgh, " Dear Sir, —Your new Cow Milkers have been used by me for more than a year, and I can with confidence recommend them as most simple, clean, and advantageous. I consider them very beneficial to tho cows, as they prevent sore teats, besides effecting a great saving of time and trouble to the dairymaid. They are also eminently useful where cows are impatient and will not stand to be milked by hand. When we first began to use them, I was very frequently present when the cows were milked ; but my dairymaid quite took to them, and manages them perfectly. You are quite at liberty to refer to me, as I really think them a great benefit, both to the owners and the cows.

"F. N. Menzies. "N. Buohanan, Esq., 3, Fargate, Sheffield."