THE MILK TESTS.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 362, 3 November 1898, Page 2

THE MILK TESTS.

Mr Spbagg, the Manager of the New Zealand Dairy Association, has communicated the following to the New Zealand Herald : I do not know much about this matter. I was told tint some of our suppliers wished to have independent tests made, and I instructed our manager to give all facilities. I have not received any report upon the subject, and have very little more information than I have obtained from your correspondent's paragraph. I understand the samples were taken fairly, and that they were uniform duplicates. This is all that I know. Of course, I shall get details later on. The samples treated by us would be dealt with in the usual manner. That is, in accordance with agreement, by the Babcock method, which is the one adopted throughout New Zealand, Australia, and, indeed, almost everywhere. Theßabcock is what is known as a "commercial test." to distinguish it fromananalyst'sscientific test. Between these two there is, as far as the actual work is concerned, about as much difference as there would be between weighing small things on ordinary dispensing scales, and weighing them on the very delicate scales used by analysts. In addition to this, however, there is this important difference: The graduations of the Babcock testing tube are set so as to show, not the amount of butterfat actually contained in the sample, but, to quote the words of an authority, " the amount of butter realisable from milk by separation." The difference between these two amounts, to again quote the same authority, is 0.4 petcent., on a 3.6 standard, or roughly speaking, nearly twice the amount of the discrepancy said to exist between Mr Pond's test and our own. This shows that our tester has read the test high. The allowance is to provide for the unavoidable losses thvough separating and churning. Every time milk or cream is touched a small loss takes place. In separating a little butter fat gets left in the milk. In churning a little is lost in the butter-milk, and the allowance is to make up this inevitable loss iu handling. Every treatise upon the Babcock, or other commercial form of testing, carefully sets all this forth. You see how this differs from an analyst's scientific method, which takes note of every particle of butter-fat in the sample, aud knows nothing about making allowances for any purpose. I have said that the Babcock is now the recognised commercial test the world over, and its reliability, for the purpose for which it is provided, that is, of showing " the amount of butter realisable from milk by separation," is universally acknowledged. Our friends have already been informed that this commercial test, extending over the last season's operations, has worked out almost exactly, aud that the fine fraction of difference is in suppliers' favour. Further, that all information which could possibly be required by anybody, to enable them to Cheek this statement, is at my office, and is available to any, or all, of our suppliers.