Analyses of Milk - Below standard - (Continued).

The milkmen, from whom Nos. 6, 23, 24, 25 and 28 in the table were taken, declared that the milk was given to the inspector just as it came from the cows; and that if it was below the standard it was the fault of the cows and not their's. In order to ascertain the truth of the matter, the Dairy Commissioner directed us to go to the dairies of these gentlemen and procure samples which we knew to be "just as they came from the cows." This we did and the result is shown in the table by Nos. 83, 84, 87, 88, 89 and 90.

Nos. 83 and 84 were taken at different times from the same dairy from which came No. 6. Nos. 89, 90, 88 and 87, came from the same dairies as Nos. 23, 24, 25 and 28 respectively.

The following table gives the results of analyses of cheese.

The analysis No. 17 was of the same specimen of cheese as that of No. 1, but was made about three weeks later, during which time the cheese dried out so that it lost 5.42 per cent of its water. This increases the relative proportion of the solids and demonstrates that the fat of cheese should be calculated from the solids only.

The following table shows the results of the analyses of the fat of the cheese above tabulated.

The high percentage of soluble fatty acids in some of the analyses is probably due to the free acid in the cheese. The lower percentage in some is due to the fact that the samples were washed before being analyzed.

Respectfully submitted,

R. D. CLARK, M. D.,
Albany, N. Y.

THE STATE CHEESE BRAND.

UTICA, N. Y., January 2, 1886.

Hon. JOSIAH K. BROWN, State Dairy Commissioner:

DEAR SIR-In answer to your inquiry as to the effect of the statute passed last spring, creating a State brand for "full-cream cheese," it will be necessary to refer briefly to the position of New York State cheese in 1884. The practice of skimming the milk in spring and fall, among the so-called full-milk factories, had been carried to such excess that June and July were practically the only months during which full-cream cheese was made in the majority of our factories. The evil was insidious for this reason, that when only the night's milk was skimmed and mixed with that of the morning, it took an expert judge to detect it in the cheese. The argument among advocates of the practice was, that it was so difficult to tell cheese that was thus made, no great harm could be done by it. For a certain length of time, perhaps four or five months, the cheese would keep and be apparently fine. Then suddenly it would get off-flavored, and the buyer who held it at this period was the loser. English buyers who had previously been caught in this way, grew shy of our fall cheese in 1884, and Canadian cheese of the same dates sold at one-half to one cent a pound higher than ours. In trying to overreach others, our makers had overreached themselves, and when this became evident, the more prudent ones among them began to devise some means for regaining their lost reputation.

Robert McAdam of the Utica Board of Trade, was the first to suggest the creation of a State brand, which there should be a penalty for using on any but full-cream goods. At a meeting of the Utica Board and afterward at a meeting of the Rome Board, his resolutions were adopted. Soon after, the State Dairymen's Association approved and indorsed the plan. Lists of signatures were sent to Albany and the statute as it now stands was framed and enacted, very properly placing the issue of the brands in the hands of the State Dairy Commissioner. During the season of 1885, I understand that 452 numbers were issued, which means that 452 factories adopted the brand in full or in part. To my own knowledge several creameries also applied for and obtained the brand to use during a part of the season when the milk was not skimmed. It is evident that the brand would be even more valuable to them than to full-milk concerns, for it would remove the suspicion that might naturally taint all their product, and enable them to sell their genuine full cream goods for what they really were.

The establishment of this brand has worked marvels in the course of a single season. It has freed our cheese from all suspicion of be[Sen. Doc. No. 24.]

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