REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURIST. 87 



The Cultures put under test were : — 



1. Zofmiann's pure Culture of lactic ferment (liquid.) 



2. Chr. Hansen's " " " " " (dry.) 



3. Central Experimental Farm Culture (liquid.) 



4. Ordinary buttermilk (liquid.) 



" Fermentation starter " is the designation applied to the portion of fermented (or 

 sour) milk, buttermilk or cream which is added to cream to ripen it for churnin«. 

 The ripening of the cream consists in the development of the ferment or ferments 

 which are added to it, or which get into it from the atmosphere, from contact with 

 vessels or utensils or from other sources. 



The milk which was used in the preparation of the fermentation starters herein 

 reported on, was treated according to the directions, issued by the manufacturers of the 

 Cultures of lactic ferment before they were added to it. The fermentation starters which 

 were used in tests recorded in table 2 were prepared directly from the cultures as 

 received from the manufacturers. There was no likelihood of a deterioration of them before 

 the tests were made. The cream used in the tests was previously pasteurized (heated 

 to 154° Fahr,) and all other conditions of treatment were alike in the tests. 



The first named Culture was originated and manufactured by Mr. Zoffmann of 

 Denmark, and was sent here by Mr. Ed. Wagner, of New York, arriving in apparently 

 good condition ; the fermentation starter prepared from it always had a flavour similar 

 to that of sour whey ; it also had a somewhat more " rennetty " action on the milk and 

 cream into which it was put, than the others at the same temperature. When the 

 starter, prepared from it, was left standing for a short time, the whey or water appear- 

 ed on the surface. 



The Chr. Hansen's Culture was prepared at Chr. Hansen's bacteriological labora- 

 tory, Copenhagen, Denmark. At first the Culture was put on the market in liquid 

 form, but as it did not keep satisfactorily when shipped to distant places, a change 

 was made in its preparation, and it can now be obtained in dry form, from the leading 

 dealers in dairy supplies. It is claimed that it will keep quite vigorous for at least 6 

 months in a dry state when properly sealed. The fermentation starter prepared from it 

 had a pleasant, clean, though somewhat weak flavour. 



The Central Experimental Farm Culture was prepared at the dairy here. A 

 small quantity — about two quarts — of skimmed milk was heated to 205° Fahr. 

 The temperature was maintained at that point for ten minutes, after which, and while 

 exposed to the atmosphere of the butter-making room, it was cooled to 80° Fahr. It 

 was left in a closed glass-stoppered bottle at the ordinary temperature of the dairy 

 room, from 60° to 70° Fahr., for five days. It was then found to be coagulated and to 

 possess a mild, pure, lactic-acid flavour, which became more distinct, after it had been 

 kept in cold water at a temperature of 40° Fahr. for three days. This was the Culture. 

 As the flavour was such as was characteristic of cream from which fine-flavoured butter 

 had always been obtained, it was decided to prepare from it, a fermentation starter for 

 the ripening of cream. 



The fermentation starter was prepared by heating a quantity of skim-milk, (equal 

 to about ten percent of the quantity of cream to be ripened) to 150° Fahr. The tempera- 

 ture was maintained at that point for ten minutes, after which it was cooled to 80° Fahr. 

 A portion of the Culture, at the rate of ten per cent of the quantity of skim-milk, was 

 then added to it. This became the ' fermentation starter.' It was left to ripen at a 

 temperature, not exceeding 80° Fahr. for 20 hours. When the flavour and odour were 

 distinctly acid, it was placed in cold water at a temperature of 40° Fahr. and kept cold 

 in order to arrest further development of the ferment. The flavour was somewhat 

 sharp and quite pure. The butter made from the cream which was ripened with it, 

 had a richer flavour and better keeping quality than that made from the others. 



The butters were examined and scored, as shown in tables I. and II. 



