678 EXPEKIMENT STATION EECOKD. 



rence lias been isolated from coagulated condensed milk, which the author 

 believes to be the cause of this trouble. It is distinguishable from Micrococcus 

 pyogenes albus only by its being nonpathogenic to mice. The action of the 

 microbe is accelerated by calcium carbonate. 



Extracts from the fourth annual report of the dairy research laboratories 

 at Jaroslav, April, 1909, C. Maass (Milchw. ZentU., 5 {1909), No. S, pp. 

 329-3 Jf 4). — Analyses of milk and butter and investigations on the rancidity of 

 butter are repoi-ted, and a method of preparing dried cultures of lactic-acid 

 bacteria is described. 



The specific gravity of covf's milk ranged from 1.029 to 1.0355, the fat content 

 from 2.5 to 7.4 per cent, with an average of 4.2 per cent, and the sugar content 

 from 3.06 to 5.60 per cent. The average ash content was 0.71 per cent, and the 

 average total solids 13.17 per cent. The specific gravity of goat's milk ranged 

 from 1.0292 to 1.0391, the sugar content from 8.11 to 4.79 per cent, and the fat 

 from 1.4 to 8.5 per cent. 



A number of constants in butters were determined. The Reichert-Meissl num- 

 ber vai'ied from 21.9 to 34.6. The higher figure was reached in butter made in 

 January, and in the average number of samples it gradually decreased until the 

 autumn months. The refractometer readings varied from 40.6 to 45.9, and the 

 specific gravity from 0.8632 to 0.8720. 



In continuation of earlier work on the rancidity of butter the effect of pre- 

 servatives on fat splitting ferments was studied. As a preliminary study, 

 thymol, chloroform, formalin, bichromate of potash, and boric acid were added 

 to cream and stored at a temperature of 15 to 18° for 24 months. The cream 

 was then made into butter and the acidity and refractive index determined. 

 Chloroform did not render the cream sterile. Thymol became dissolved in the 

 fat and naturally affected the refractive power. The bichromate of potash 

 restrained both the action of bacteria and the ferments. Formalin appeared to 

 have no influence in increasing the acidity and was selected as the best pre- 

 servative for further experiments. 



In testing the milk of various cows it was found that at the end of the lacta- 

 tion period milk contains a large amount of ferment. In studying the effect of 

 pure cultures of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi on the acidity of cream PeniciUiuni 

 glaucum was found to increase the acidity, and also O'idium lactis, but in a 

 lesser degree. Peptonizing bacteria had no effect on acidity. A species of yeast 

 was found to prevent the growth of /'. glaucum and O. lactis, and it is sug- 

 gested that this yeast may be added to butter to prevent rancidity. All of these 

 experiments seem to show that rancidity does not progress rapidly from purely 

 chemical and physical causes. 



Twenty-second annual report of the Bernese Dairy School at Riitti- 

 Zollikofen, A. Peter et al. (Jahrcsber. Mollc. SchuJc Riltti^ZoUikofoi, 22 

 (1908-9), pp. 5^, fig. 1). — This report contains the results of experiments in the 

 manufacture of butter and cheese, analyses of milk and dairy products, and 

 notes on the dairy industry and related matters. 



A. Peter and G. Koestler have studied the relation of milk constituents to the 

 composition of Emmental cheese. The average figures for 12 normal cheeses 

 are as follows: Amount of milk 1,197 kg., fat .3.4 per cent, total solids 12.45 per 

 cent, weight of green cheese 112 kg., weight of ripened cheese 102 kg., fat con- 

 tent in cheese 31.58 per cent, total, solids in cheese 66.34 per cent, relation of 

 total solids of the milk to the yield of ripened cheese 1 : 0.685, and relation of 

 fat in the milk to the fat of the total solids in the ripened cheese 1 : 14.04. 



G. Koestler reports that in analyses of pure butter obtained from various 

 sources the Reichert-Meissl number varied so much as to make it of doubtful 

 value as a means of distinguishing between butter and margarin. The same 



