the same hot stuff which he received the night before! What will be its condition by the time he gets through? No matter! It is his business to make cheese of it. He is employed for that purpose. If the cheese does not prove of the first quality, every patron who furnishes him stinking milk will have strong suspicions that he does not understand his business! And some even insist that the cheese-maker shall pay for all the poor cheese! But any man who is fool enough to make such an agreement, ought to suffer, at least one season. The thought of it, however, is almost "enough to make a minister swear." And, by the way, we have been told of one instance where a minister left the pulpit and took to the cheese-factory—probably for the purpose of practically learning a lesson of patience. He was simple-minded enough to agree to pay for all the poor cheese. He soon found his salary was not equal to such a demand. So he set himself about watching the weighing-can, to keep out the bad milk. This was a Herculean task he had not counted on. We are not informed whether he swore or not; but he actually took his station outside, with a heavy rod of iron, which he was compelled to use, on one or two occasions, to keep the patrons from running rotten milk into the weighing-can! His experience was an instructive one, and ought to be a warning to all ambitious clergymen, as well as to innocent-minded cheese-makers!

We do not mean to say, that the patrons of all factories are as bad as above indicated, nor that they are no better on an average. But we do mean to say, that too many are very careless, and that almost every factory has a few patrons whose milk is apt to be in a bad condition when delivered. Besides, while we hear frequent complaints about bad milk, we never hear of any one's delivering milk in too good a condition. Patrons need have no fears of this, and may take it for granted that they cannot take too much pains with milk, both in point of cleanliness and of keeping it out of the hot sun and expelling the animal heat. We should expect to find, if a careful investigation were made, that the most unsuccessful factories are those where milk is delivered in the worst condition, while the successful ones are those where patrons are more careful and the milk received is generally good. More often depends on the milk than on the cheese-maker. We have heard it remarked, that "almost anybody can make good cheese of perfectly sweet milk;" but it is a smart chap indeed who can make good cheese of poor milk. Every cheese-maker will appreciate our remarks, and we hope they may not be altogether lost on some patrons.

It will not, as a general thing, pay to draw milk over two or two and a half miles, for two reasons: First, it consumes too much valuable time, and next, it churns the milk too much and keeps it too long shut up tight and exposed to the hot atmosphere, if not the sun. If milk, however, were thoroughly cooled as soon as milked, and then carried on easy springs over a smooth road, there is little doubt that it might be drawn four or five miles without much injury, but the expense would be a serious objection to going so long a distance.

Cans that hold over a barrel will be found inconvenient. It is better to use two smaller ones, that can be easily handled, than one very large one. They will cost but little more, and will last considerably longer, as the strain on them will be less. A large can is made of the same material, and is but little if any stronger from additional bracing and staying, and is liable to spring aleak.

As to the use of faucets, it is generally objected to by cheese-makers, as too little pains is taken by many to keep them clean. Their use is, therefore, discarded as far as possible, and we believe cans are generally made without them. Yet, some factories still continue receiving milk through conductors, where, of course, faucets are necessary. They are also a convenience to the patron, in many instances, where the can may be used for other purposes than holding milk. It is, therefore, not likely that their use will ever be entirely done away with. But, if neatly and smoothly put in, and care is observed in cleaning them, there can be no serious objection to them. Small faucets, however, should never be tolerated. Nothing smaller than inch-and-a-half or two-inch faucets should be put in. These are easy to clean, and greatly facilitate emptying. A small spiteful stream is a nuisance, and causes a waste of time at the factory door where expedition is what everybody wants, and is what is needed. If you use a faucet, use a large one, and keep it scrupulously clean.

CHAPTER VII. RECEIVING MILK.

Most factories now unload milk by the use of cranes or some other kind of tipping apparatus. Some of the older factories—there are no very old ones—continue the use of conductors for transferring the milk to the weighing-can. This is the easier but the slower way, and necessitates the use of at least double the number of weighing-cans that are required by the crane. Besides, in the use of conductors, there is the constant inconvenience of standing out in the rain, in wet weather, to hold the conductor, while there is more or less liability to accident from the backing up or starting of the team. Conductors are mean, even impossible, things to clean; and their use, when there is a rush of teams, requires a second man or boy to hold them, while the first does the weighing and makes the necessary entries on the milk-book. If sixty to eighty messes are to be received, at least two weighing cans will be necessary. But by the use of a crane, one weighing-can will do the same work—always provided it has a faucet of not less than three inches in diameter, so that the can may be emptied while a team is driving up and the patron's can is being grappled and elevated ready for tipping. A large faucet is of equal advantage when conductors are used, and, in that case, every patron's can should be furnished with at least a two-inch faucet, to facilitate the transfer of milk to the weighing-can.

The use of the crane is, of course, not entirely free from accident. The strain on the can, when full, is very great, and it is liable to spring aleak, unless well made. But cans made with reference to this use are now furnished with crowning or with patent bottoms, and are so well hooped and braced that no serious accidents of this kind are likely to occur. A can-ear, or a rope long in use, may break. There may be carelessness in hooking on to the can, and the milk may be slopped or spilled by letting a full can turn over too soon, or by too suddenly letting the milk dash into the weighing-can. All these operations require care and experience; but, with proper management, the loss from accident, during a season, will be very slight—perhaps nothing at all.

Great care should be taken in weighing milk, to not only weigh it right, but to make the patron feel that his milk is honestly weighed, and that he is likewise honestly credited on the milk-book. Much suspicion and hard feeling are liable to spring up, if the man who weighs the milk has the appearance of being hasty and careless—especially if he should be ill-natured and disagreeable in his manners. And it may not be out of place here to remark, that good manners and a spirit of accommodation are no more out of place in a cheese-factory than anywhere else. Among a large number of patrons, it would be strange if there were not disagreeable, ill-mannerly men; but a man who retains his self-possession and always acts fairly and talks reasonably, will seldom fail to get along tolerably well and retain the good will of all. It is the right of the patron to know that his