So many improvements or inventions have been introduced in the
setting of milk for cream that the term "skimming" has become almost
a misnomer. In both deep and shallow setting, arrangements have been
made in several of the patent pans and cans for drawing out the milk
from the bottom and leaving the cream. Glass gauges are set in the
vessels so that the exact depth of the cream can be seen, and the milk
drawn down close to the cream or a small amount of the upper portion
of the milk left with the cream. In skimming with a skimmer or dipper,
many aim to take the upper portion of the milk, on the theory that
the separation is less perfect toward the top than it is lower down.
Especially may this be done where a dipper or skimmer without holes is
used. It is claimed by some careful experimenters and close observers
that this adds to the quantity of butter yielded without deteriorating
the quality.