172 EXPERIMENT STATIOlSr EECORD. 



importance of watching the bacterial content of each quarter of the udder for 

 the production of high-grade milk. 



Several tests were made to discover some practical method of reducing the 

 number of bacteria present in any given quarter of the udder. Sealing the 

 teats of the udder with carbolated vaseline after milking reduced the number 

 of bacteria somewhat, but the procedure is not recommended until further tests 

 have been made. Injecting the udder with dioxygen or with glycothymolin 

 reduced the number of bacteria, but subsequent irritation renders these methods 

 useless, since the number shortly after ceasing the injection was greater than 

 in the first place and the quarters became slightly inflamed. 



In order to determine how nearly germ-free milk can be produced, a few 

 tests were carried out with the cow used in the teat-sealing experiment. Six 

 samples of milk, from which the strippings and first few streams were re- 

 jected, contained on an average only 35 bacteria per cubic centimeter. Bac- 

 terial counts of the colostrum drawn from a heifer with a first calf showed an 

 average number of organisms present, with a greater tendency to increase in 

 the front quarters than in the hind quarters. Future investigations along 

 these lines are promised. 



An inexpensive homemade milk refrigerator, A. F. Hess (Collected Studies 

 Research Lab. Vcpt. Health N. Y. City, // (1908-9), pp. lJi8-151, figs. 2).— An 

 ice-box to be used in the home for keeping bottled milk cool in the summer time 

 is illustrated and described. 



A handbag refrigerator for the uncontaminated carrying of milk samples, 

 C. B. FiTZPATKiCK (Collected Studies Research Lah. Dept. Health N. Y. City, 

 If (1908-9), pp. 152-155, figs. 6). — The author describes a handbag for carry- 

 ing milk samples in bottles with metal screw tops in such a manner that con- 

 tamination of the samples will not occur after the ice melts. 



Methods and results of paraffining cheese, C. F. Doane (V. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Bur. Anim. Indus. Circ. 181, pp. 16). — Continuing previous work (E. S. R., 18, 

 p. 78), the methods ordinarily practiced in parafiining cheese are described, 

 and a study of the faults common to paraffined cheese is reported. The investi- 

 gations were made at a factory in Wisconsin with cheese of the " daisy " type. 



The average shrinkage in cheeses paraffined directly from the press was 

 0.5 lb. per cheese, those paraffined when 3 days old 0.16 lb., and at 7 days 0.09 

 lb. The average weights when scored after being in storage about 5 months 

 were 21.31 lbs., 21.28 lbs., and 20.97 lbs., respectively. On the basis of these 

 figures apparently nothing was saved in the matter of shrinkage by paraffining 

 directly from the press as compared with paraffining at 3 days of age, and at 

 the latter period the cheese was decidedly of better quality, but there was a 

 very noticeable difference in the final weights and the loss sustained between 

 cheese paraffined at 3 and at 7 days of age. 



After about 5 mouths in storage 8 lots of cheese were examined and the 

 quality of the paraffin coat graded on the basis of 100 for a perfect coat, with 

 the following results : The average score of those paraffined directly from the 

 press was 90.7, at 3 days of age 94.3. and at 7 days 94.6. At the time of scoring 

 it was noticed that practically every cheese paraffined at the time it came from 

 the press was covered with blue mold on the surface of the paraflSn. No defi- 

 nite reason is offered as to why this mold appeared, although it is suggested 

 that possibly some whey found its way through the paraffin covering and fur- 

 nished the necessary conditions for its growth. " Cheese paraffined from the 

 press does not get the color of the rind as quickly as when the color is allowed 

 to develop before paraffining." 



The temperature of the paraffin and the length of dipping were tested with 

 the cheese paraffined at 3 days from the press. Uniformly good results were 



