CONDUCTORS, STRAINERS, ETC.
When treating of receiving milk, we spake of conductors as difficult to
clean. We consider them an abomination in a cheese factory; yet almost
every factory uses them. We believe there are some, however, arranged
for delivering and receiving milk by driving through one end of the
factory. The milk is brought in small cans, out of which it is poured
into the weighing-can by hand. The weighing-can is on a truck running on
a railway along the sides or ends of the vats, into which the milk is
readily emptied by tipping. This does away with both faucets and
conductors, and the idea is worthy the attention of all factorymen.
When cranes are used in receiving milk, the outside conductors are not
needed, but there are two or three long conductors, inside the factory,
used for running the milk from the weighing-can into the vats. Sometimes
we see one of these tin tubes ten or fifteen feet long. It is impossible
to keep such a thing clean. A peep into this, or shorter ones, will show
that they are not kept clean. Take as much pains as the hands may to
clean them with a swab on a long stick, they will soon get coated over
inside by the milk drying on; and, unless extra pains is taken, they
will be lined with a beautiful coating of green and gold! They are used
at night, and, unless the weather is very bad--and many pay no attention
to the weather--they are allowed to stand over night where used, ready
for the next morning. The milk and cream get dried on the inside
surface, and nobody has the time, if the disposition, to soak it off.
Further, tin conductors will get dents in them. The milk will collect
and dry in the angles made by these dents. How, in the name of common
sense, can any one get at them to clean them, in a tube ten or even four
feet long? It is an impossibility. The milk collects, from day to day,
until the conductor is full of foul ferments, through which all the milk
of the factory is run and tainted. It is no fault of the cheese-maker,
because he can't help it, if he employs a hand constantly on these
abominable tubes. He may use a swab with strong ley, or salt and water,
or both, and run hot water through the tubes till the patrons begin to
come with their milk, but the "damned spots" will not "out." Of course,
he will somewhat neutralize their active properties as ferments, but he
does not altogether get rid of them. The only way in which he can do it,
is to pitch the nasty things out of the window.
If conductors must be used--and their use seems to be a foregone
conclusion--let them be made in the form of open spouts. A foot or so
next to the head, is all the tube that is needed--and this should be
large enough to readily admit the hand for the purpose of washing. The
rest should be an open spout, which can be easily and speedily cleaned
and scalded. Many owners of factories, however, are too penurious to
spend a few dollars in order to get rid of this nuisance of long tin
conductors. They would rather lose--or, at least, run the risk of
losing--five hundred dollars on the sale of their cheese, than spend
five dollars for the purpose of avoiding this fruitful source of taint.
If the cheese is poor, the blame can be laid on the cheese-maker; or, if
the taint is too manifest in the vat of milk or curd, it can be charged
upon the carelessness of the patrons.
There is another source of trouble, which lies entirely with the
cheese-maker, or with the hands under him whom he trusts. This is the
strainer. In cool weather, perhaps there will be no difficulty, if the
strainer is properly washed, scalded and dried each morning after the
milk is all in. But in hot weather, especially if the atmosphere is damp
and steamy, if a strainer is left over night without rinsing, it is sure
to sour. Yet, the strainer, like the conductor, is often left at night
just as used, ready for the reception of the next morning's milk. Both
are likely to be sour. The milk in the vat is "old," especially next the
cream, which acts as an air-tight covering. Now, run hot milk through
the sour can, conductor and strainer, into this mess of changed milk,
and any one, with even but a modicum of brains, can see what is likely
to be the consequence. It will be a batch of sour, leaky cheese.
Where an agitator is used, the trouble of milk souring or tainting
beneath an air-tight covering of cream, is obviated. Washing cans,
conductors and strainers at night, gets rid of the difficulty from these
sources--that is, as far as the can and strainer are concerned, and
partially as regards the conductor. A thorough rinsing in cold water,
immediately after the last mess is run in, will be found to answer the
purpose. It is usually late, and there is no hot water for regular
washing and scalding. But a few moments' work will complete the rinsing
in cold water, and this will not be found a very hard task for even the
jaded hands of a cheese-factory. During all the hot weather, this should
be strictly attended to. It will pay in a double sense--it will prevent
sourness, and make the can, conductor and strainer easier to wash the
next day.
The old-fashioned thermometer is also a source of annoyance, if care is
not taken in cleaning it. It will fill up with ferments between the face
and back, in an astonishingly short space of time, during hot weather.
In short, there is no way of keeping it perfectly clean, except by
slipping the thermometer out of the back or case, and carefully washing
and scalding it--and in doing this, it is exceedingly liable to get
broken. We are therefore glad to notice the introduction of a new
thermometer for dairy purposes. It is simply constructed, plain, easy to
clean, and no more expensive than the common kind now in use. Those in
need of thermometers will find this style much better adapted to their
uses. The glass is fastened to a plain plate of metal, the two edges of
which are bent forward to give it the requisite stiffness.
Of course, agitators, dippers, rakes, &c., need to be carefully cleaned.
But we have before spoken of the importance of the most scrupulous
attention to cleanliness throughout, on the part of the cheese-maker as
well as of the patron. Cleanliness is an indispensable virtue in all
departments of dairying.