REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 47 



erative efforts great improvement has been brought about in the 

 milk suppUes of a number of cities. 



After the milk dealer has delivered wholesome milk to the con- 

 sumer it is important that the latter should handle and keep it in a 

 sanitary manner until it is used. To meet the needs for information 

 on this subject the Department has issued a Farmers' Bulletin on 

 "The Care of Milk and Its Use in the Home," which is being widely 

 distributed. 



DAIRY PRODUCTS INVESTIGATIONS. 



Investigations regarding the manufacture of butter and cheese and 

 the bacteriology and composition of milk have been continued. 

 Additional work during the year has confirmed the previous conclu- 

 sions as to the superior keeping quahties of butter made from pas- 

 teurized sweet cream. Studies have been made to determine the best 

 temperature for pasteurizing cream for butter making, and 160° F. 

 seems to give the best results. 



A bacteriological study has been made of commercially pasteurized 

 and raw market milk as publicly sold in three large cities, from which 

 it is concluded that there is no development of bacteria in such pas- 

 teurized milk that could be said to make it more unsafe than raw 

 milk kept under similar conditions. 



Investigations into various problems involved in the manufacture 

 of cheese of the Swiss, Cheddar, Camembert, and Roquefort types have 

 been continued, some of this work being done in cooperation with the 

 Wisconsin and Storrs, Conn., agricultural experiment stations. The 

 method of making cheese of the Cheddar type from pasteurized milk 

 has been so improved that it is possible to bring factory milk into 

 practically uniform condition every day, so that a definite routine 

 method of manufacture may be followed throughout the year. The 

 cheese produced by this method has been of high and uniform quality 

 with almost perfect texture, and has commanded the highest market 

 prices. 



ERADICATION OF ANIMAL DISEASES. 



For several years the Bureau of Animal Industry has been engaged 

 in systematic work for the eradication of certain contagious diseases 

 of live stock, and during the past fiscal year unusually good progress 

 has been made. 



TICK ERADICATION. 



The work for the extermination of the ticks which spread the con- 

 tagion of southern or splenetic fever of cattle means much for the 

 future of cattle raising, dairying, and general agriculture in the 

 South. Aside from communicating the disease mentioned, these 

 ticks have such an adverse effect upon the condition of cattle which 

 they infest that it is almost impossible to breed and raise a good 



