86 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



The report on the condition of the swine, 10 hours after they were killed, was as 

 follows : — 



"Lot 1, fed on mixed grain ; leaf lard, fairly firm ; best of the three lots. 

 Lot 2, fed on ground wheat ; lard, softish ; not so firm as hogs of lot 1. 

 Lot 3, fed on ground buckwheat ; lard soft, and hogs also soft. 



The report on the sides of bacon after they were cured was as follows : — 



Lot 1, fed on mixed grain ; four hogs ; all the sides turned out good hard meat, 

 they were the best of the three lots. 



Lot 2, fed on ground wheat ; five hogs ; six sides were soft and four quite firm. 



Lot 3, fed on ground buckwheat, five hogs ; two sides were soft and eight sides 

 were firm." 



Conclusions. — From these tests it is evident that the feeding of wheat alone and of 

 buckwheat alone is not always a cause of " soft " hogs and "soft" sides, since 

 some of the swine fed on wheat and buckwheat yielded sides classed as firm. Further 

 tests in this connection are in progress. 



Quantity of grain per pound of increase in live weight. 



From feeding experiments extending over three years in the fattening of 112 swine 

 upon grain, it appears that : — 



1. On the average 438 lbs, of grain (barley, rye, pease, wheat, frosted wheat, 

 and wheat bran) was the quantity consumed per pound of increase in the live weight ; 



2. In the feeding of grain, considering quantity of feed consumed, and the general 

 healthjaf the animals, it is profitable to feed the grain ground and soaked in 

 water for an average period of about 30 hours ; 



3. It is profitable to add about 3 or 5 lbs. of skim-milk Or buttermilk per 

 head per day to the grain fed to fattening swine. 



PART II— THE EXPERIMENTAL DAIRY. 



The work at the Experimental Dairy, which has been carried on far enough to be 

 reported upon, comprises the following : — 



(1.) Comparative tests of pure Cultures of bacteria in the ripening of cream ; 

 (2.) Churning cream at different stages of ripeness. 



I. COMPARATIVE TESTS OF PURE CULTURES OF BACTERIA. 



It is well known that the flavours peculiar to butter and cheese are due to the 

 development and growth of bacteria in the milk or cream before and after they are 

 manufactured. 



Bacteriologists have rendered valuable service to the dairy industry through 

 patient and intelligent research. Selecting from samples of first class butter 

 or ripe cream, certain species of bacteria, which seemed to impart to the butter that 

 flavour which is found in good butter only, and cultivating them in a sterilized medium, 

 — sometimes using milk, cream and whey — when they found what they considered the 

 right ones, they placed on the market what is known as pure Cultures of bacteria for 

 ripening cream. In the course of the last few years several of these Cultures have been 

 obtainable, and now the question is often asked : "Which is the better or best?" To 

 help to ascertain that, was the object of these practical tests. 



