New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 27 



breaking down of the cheese substance. This led to the study of 

 the influence of chloroform in varying quantities not only upon 

 bacteria but also upon the chemical ferments known as enzymes. 

 It also was found necessary to gain a more complete knowledge 

 concerning the classes of bacteria found in fermenting cheese as 

 the first step in gaining some knowledge of the specific action of 

 the several classes. This led to an extensive technical study of 

 cheese flora with the result that a marked advance was made in 

 our knowledge of the various groups of bacteria involved in the 

 problem of cheese curing. These are technical studies which may 

 appear to the unscientific mind as not coming within the limits 

 of practical agricultural investigation, but without which success- 

 ful investigation along the lines indicated could not be carried on. 

 It should be stated that these cheese studies are not yet completed. 

 It is felt, however, that a large amount of fundamental knowledge 

 has been obtained and the outlook for directly practical results is 

 hopeful. 



The bacteriological staff has devoted much time to studies in 

 connection with milk sanitation. In recent years, great interest 

 has been shown in the production for commercial use of milk that 

 is as free as possible from germ life in order that the health of the 

 consumers may not in any way be threatened by unsanitary milk 

 or milk carrying disease germs. There has appeared in the large 

 markets what is known as certified milk — in other words, milk 

 produced at great cost because of the precautions necessary, or 

 regarded as necessary, to reduce the germ content of the milk to 

 a very low figure. Certified milk production, as carried on in 

 some places, has involved the washing of the stable walls, the bath- 

 ing of the animals, scrupulous neatness on the part of the em- 

 ployees drawing and handling the milk, and great precaution in 

 cooling and bottling of the milk. Such methods have been finan- 

 cially possible only through the disposal of the milk at very high 

 prices. These expensive methods of producing sanitary milk 

 were adopted without any definite knowledge as to the absolute or 

 relative influence of the various factors involved, such as the 



