374 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



rator bo\sl; (3) rate of Inflow of milk; (4) milk of varyiug butter fat content; 

 (5) amount of skim milk or water used to flush the bowl ; (6) acidity of the 

 milk separated, and (7) irregular sjteed of separator. 



A study of the bacterial content of cream, L. L. Lewis aud W. R. Wright 

 {Okhthonia Sta. Bill. 7,3, pp. 16, charts 13). — Bacteriological examinatious were 

 made of cream as delivered by patrons of the college creamery during July and 

 August, and again during December, January, and February. 



The cream delivered in summer at an age of 3.3 days contained on an average 

 462,G00,tX)0 bacteria ' per cubic centimeter, and that delivered in winter at 

 an age of 5 days contained 134,800,000. The bacterial content was found to 

 increase for the first 3 days in summer and 4 days in winter, after which there 

 was a steady decrease. More than 50 per cent of the cream delivered during 

 the summer months contained an excessive number of gas-producing bacteria. 

 The digesting bacteria were also present in large numbers. The average cream 

 more than 2 days old in summer could not be handled at the creamery with 

 good results. Rich cream contained .less acid than this cream. 



The practical use of starters, L. D. Bushnell and W. R. Wkight {Michigan 

 Sta. Bui. 2.'{6, pp. 139-151, figs. 7). — A practical method of using starters is 

 described in a popular manner in this bulletin. 



Quart bcttles of milk are plugged with cotton and sterilized by steam. One 

 bottle is inoculated with a pure culture of lactic-acid bacteria, and after a trans- 

 fer has been made from this on the second day it is used for inoculating a 

 large can of recently pasteurized milk which may be used the next day as a 

 starter. 



The advantages of the method are stated by F. O. Foster as follows : 



" The method of carrying mother starters in sterilized milk in glass jars has 

 been given a thorough trial in practical work in the college creamery in com- 

 parison with the method commonly employed, jyhich is to inoculate a starter 

 each day from the one prepared the preceding day. The new method has the 

 following advantages: 



" The starter can be kept pure for a niuch longer period, thus saving one-half 

 or more of the cost of pure cultures. 



" The milk is always ready for inoculation and the mother starter can be 

 transferred each daj' when in the best condition and kept vigorous. 



" In case a starter is not needed every day, the mother starter can be carried 

 along conveniently without the trouble of sterilizing milk. 



"After a thorough trial we have adopted the method for our daily use. We 

 find it no great task to sterilize the bottles of milk once or twice a month, and 

 the little extra labor thus occasioned is more than offset by the convenience and 

 sureness of the new method." 



Butter making on the farm, G. H. Barr (Canada Dept. Agr., Branch Dairy 

 and Cold .Storage Conn: Bill. 11, pp. 13, figs. 11). — This is a popular bulletin on 

 farm butter making. The principal suggestions made are summarized in the 

 following statements: (1) Keep good cows, (2) feed them liberally, (3) keep 

 them comfortable and clean when in the stable, (4) skim a rich cream, (5) 

 keep the cream cool. (6) churn at the temperature that will give a flaky granule 

 in the butter, (7) use clean, pure water for washing butter, not more than 3° 

 colder or warmer than the buttermilk, (8) put the butter up in neat, clean, 

 attractive packages, and (9) keep everything in and about the dairy clean and 

 attractive. 



Mottled butter, L. Marcas and C. Huyge {Bid. Agr. [BrusseJs'\. 23 {1901), 

 No. 1, pp. IiS6-.'i91). — Experiments are reported from the results of which the 

 authors conclude that mottles in butter are due to the presence of buttermilk 



