262 



tlie form of bacteria present. An org^anism wliicli caused a bitter taste 

 in milk was isolated and studied. A cbemical exaniiiiatiou indicated 

 tbattbe bitter taste was not due to butyric acid, as has been stated, and 

 it is suggested that it may be due rather to some intermediate i)r< (ducts 

 in the changes of the albuminoids. 



The experiments on cheese, and the bacteriul(»gical-chemical inv«*sti- 

 gationson the souring of cream and of slimy and stringy milk are to be 

 continued in 1891, and new experiments are to be commenced on the 

 process of ripening cheese. 



(2) Agricultural Institute of University; Dr. H. liodeicaUl, director. — 

 This seed control station examined 1,490 samj^les of seeds with reference 

 to purity, germination, etc. I]x])('riiiH'iits are planned for 1891 on the 

 effect of different conditions of huiiiidity of the aii" on irregularities and 

 difficulties in the germination of seeds. 



Koniysherg ; (1) Agricultural Experiment Station; Dr. G. Klien. chem- 

 ical director. — Examinations and analyses were made of 1,9S1 sam|)les 

 of fertilizing materials, feeding stuffs, seeds, dairy i»roducts, otc, 

 and meteorological observations were taken. In 1889 Dr. Kli»'n* 

 made experiments which he believed i>ointed toward a direct transmis- 

 sion of the fat of food into the milk. The exiu'riments were with goats. 

 The food consisted of bran, to which an increasing amount of i>alm nut 

 oil was added up to the limit to which the animal would consume it. 

 The saponifu-ation <M]uivalent of tlu> milk fat increased from 2.3."ito241; 

 the equivalent for the palm nut (»il added to the food was 247. After 

 feeding a normal ration for some time another trial was made in a 

 similar manner, except that rai)e seed oil, having a sai»oniti<-ation 

 e(|uivalent oJ'177, was added to the V)ran in ]»laee of ])alni nut oil, Tiie 

 saponification of the milk fat fell during this feeding to 2HI. The report 

 for 1890 states that experiments ou this suliject have been ciuitinued, 

 and that the results agree in general with those previously obtained. 



Fish were also made the subject of feeding experiments to determine 

 whether tish of prey could become accustomed to vegetable food in 

 place of animal food, and if so to observe their condition ou an exclu- 

 sively vegetable diet. Repeated attemi)ts to compel them \o aee<']tt 

 vegetable food were unsuccessful, even after a long starvation ])eriod. 



Experiments were commenced iul890 ou the effect of different amounts 

 of gypsum on the development of oat and barley jdants. In these 

 experiments the condition of the ]>lants in soil ]»oor in gyjisum was 

 <ompared with that of plants in soil mixtures containing 10, 25, and ."id 

 ]>er cent of gyi)sum, respectively, and in gypsum without soil, the other 

 conditions as to fertilizers, etc., l)eing the sanu^ in all cases. Measure- 

 ments of the leaves showed, as had been previously found with clover, 

 that the gypsum was favorable to a luxuriant leaf growth, the leaves of 

 plants grown in the soils containing large amounts of gyi»sum being 

 ](Uiger and broader than the others. 



* Jaluesber. ii. Agr. Cbem., 1890, p. tllT. 



