DAIRY, SEED IMPROVEMENT, STOCK BREEDERS MEETINGS. 20/ 



DISCUSSION. 



L. C. HoLSTON, Leader. 



Mr. HoIvSTon : I am sorry that I am called to open this dis- 

 cussion as a producer of milk. I feel that I have no reason to 

 get up and discuss these questions which have been brought 

 forth by these men who have been trained in their special lines 

 of work. I feel that a few questions may bring out something 

 on the subject of bacteria and all that sort of thing for our 

 good; possibly for the plain man more than for the bacteriolo- 

 gist. We have been hearing about bacteria, harmful and harm- 

 less, but very little about beneficial bacteria. In fact, the sub- 

 ject of beneficial bacteria has never been brought up. 



Member: The condition of our milk, as we deliver it, has 

 been examined by the customer in. our section of the country, 

 by picking up the bottle and looking for the cream on it, to 

 show whether it is good milk. People who use this milk have 

 not yet been trained to find bacteria, and we have to take that 

 into consideration. The cream line is all that is taken into 

 consideration by the present consumer. 



Member: Is there more danger in using pasteurized milk 

 kept for a long time, than raw milk, as it comes from the 

 cow? Perhaps a good many of these questions are foolish, but 

 they are questions that are continually arising in the minds of 

 farmers. We do not know much about bacteriology, but we 

 are willing to learn. We have come here for that purpose. 



Mr. Kelley : Bacteriology is not as bad as it sounds. It has 

 been some years since I have done laboratory work. I have 

 never been classed as a full-fledged bacteriologist, but have 

 studied about it. If Dr. North feels inclined to take issue on 

 what I shall state I believe, I shall be glad to have him do so. 

 The question was asked, what is a beneficial bacteria in milk? 

 The souring of milk in a natural way is where bacterial bene- 

 fits come in. I fail to see why, if milk could be kept just as it 



