366 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



has not been demonstrated. Unquestionably the individuality of the 

 animal is an important consideration; but experiments with a number 

 of animals continued tlirough a series of years would contribute mate- 

 rially to our information on this point, especially if such experiments 

 could be carried on at a number of stations. It would require time, 

 but such work would in the end be of the greatest practical interest. 

 The matter is far from clear, either from the scientific or the practical 

 standpoint. 



Dairy bacteriology presents a most i)romising field for investigation, 

 and has already cleared up many points as to the cause of good and 

 poor butter and cheese and suggested many improvements and safe- 

 guards in the handling of milk. The proper management of the ripen- 

 ing of cream, the use of pure cultures and of pasteurized cream, the 

 numerous sources of contamination, the relation between the bacterial 

 flora of the foods and the quality of the product, and the causes of 

 various so called "milk faults," with remedies for the same, are ques- 

 tions u])on which the bacteriologist can profitablj^ devote much study 

 and give most useful information. The importance of bacteriology in 

 dairying has only Just commenced to be appreciated, and we have only 

 made a beginning in this direction. For a station where dairying is 

 made a prominent feature the bacteriological side can not be overlooked. 

 It compares in importance with chenustry and animal nutrition. It has 

 contributed some of the greatest advances in dairying of modern times, 

 and the problems for its solution touch every stage of dairy work from 

 milking to the finished product. 



It has recently been claimed that the incompleteness of churning 

 sweet cream may be overcome by making the cream acid with dilute 

 hydrochh)ric acid. Experiments have been made at several (German 

 experiment statiims and creameries with quite satisfactory results. A 

 rather shorter time was required for churning, and the butter was 

 usually (luite normal in taste and appearance, though lacking in aroma. 

 The results were, on the whole, quite promising, and it was claimed 

 that the butter would keep longer than sweet-cream butter, but the 

 matter has hardly passed beyond an experimental stage. Taken in 

 connection with Dr. deSchweinitz's proposition to use the products of 

 the desirable bacteria of ripening cream instead of the cultures them- 

 selves, the use of an artificial acid and aroma in sweet cream suggests 

 itself as possibly within the bounds of practicability and a not altogether 

 visionary theme for experiment. 



The breeding of cows especially adapted to local conditions, the 

 sanitary arrangements of stables, ventilation, heating, cleanliness, and 

 allied questions may, in many cases, be studied incidentally. 



In addition to the regular dairy work, and often in connection with 

 it, there is opportunity for special studies on milk and dairy products. 

 We have, for instance, very little exact chemical knowledge as to the 

 constituents of milk, especially the nitrogenous constituents. The 



