424 



Although disagreeing with Heim as to the length of time pathogenic 

 bacteria can live in butter, the author concludes that the geiins of 

 typhoid fever, cholera, and tuberculosis retain their vitality in butter fat 

 long enough (nearly a week) to make infection with these diseases 

 through butter possible. 



It was noticed in tlie above investigation that a Larger or smaller num- 

 ber of colonies of Oidium laetis developed on every plate culture. Tests 

 of 15 samples of butter of different origin showed the presence of Oidium 

 lactis in every case. The author suggests that as Oidium lactic has not 

 been noticed in other fats or oils, aiul as its presence is easily recognized 

 by means of plate cultures, it might furnish an easy and safe means for 

 the recognition of butter fat, which would be of use in some instances. 



Investigations of the milk of sixteen thoroughbred Dutch ccws 

 during one period of lactation, "W. Tleischmsinn ( Land ir. J ah rb., j:*0 

 {1891 1. Siipjih iiiiiit ir. })j>. .v;^). — In issK tin- autlmr published a report 

 of investigations made on the milk of a herd of Dut+^'h cows at the 

 royal domain of Kleinhof-Tapiau during 18S7-8S. The object of these 

 studies was to obtain reliable data forjudging of the value for dairy pur- 

 poses of cows ])r('d in cast Prussia under the control of the East Prus- 

 sian Ilerdbook Scuicty from stock imjjorted directly from Holland. In 

 1888-89 the investigations at Kleinhof-Tapiau were continued, the 

 herd nuinlicring about 145 cows, 129 of which, on an average, were in 

 milk, and more extensive investigations were made of the milk of IG 

 cows during one period of lactiition. 



Observations on the milk of the herd. — The o])servations extended from 

 October 1, ISSS, to October 1. 18S9. During this time the cows were 

 milked twice daily, at 4 a. m. and between 4:30 and 5:30 p. ni., accord- 

 ing to the season of the year. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of 

 each week separate samples of the mixed milk of the herd were taken 

 at morning and at night, and the speeitic gravity and percentage of 

 solids and fat were determined. Trom these data were calculated the 

 percentage of solids not-fat, the i)enentage of fat in the solids, and the 

 total amount of fat containe<l in the milk. 



For feeding the cows were diviiled into two groups. The first group 

 included those cows which had not reached the foiuth quarter in the 

 period of lactation. an<l the second those more advanced in the milking 

 period and those already dry. P>oth lots were fed in the barn from 

 October 18 to May 18, receiving during this time about the same coarse 

 fodders, but the first group was led the larger amount of grain. From 

 the middle of .May until the middle of Sei»tember the entire herd was 

 at pasture; and from the latter date to the close of the exjierimentthey 

 were fed largely in the barn, excluding the cows not in milk. The 

 average yield of milk for the whole year was 8.76 kg. per day or 2,844 

 kg. per year. The average duration of the milking period was 325 days, 

 the cows being dry on an avt'rage about weeks during the year. As 

 the cows were milked at about 4 o'clock in the morning and about 6 



