820 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The effect of the feeding of cows upon the " new butter number" of the butter fat 

 was studied during a period of '■'< months, greater variations being observed than in the 

 case of tlie Reichert-Meissl numbers. It is believed that further investigations are 

 necessary in order to determine the maximum "new butter number" for pure butter 

 fat which would he necessary for drawing conclusions as to the adulteration of butter 

 with cocoanut oil. 



The quality of cheese as affected by rape and other green forage plants 

 fed to dairy cows, V. S. Baeb and W. L. Cablyle ( Wisconsin Sta. Bui. 115, pp. PJ, 

 figs. 2). — During 1VI00 it was observed that rape was specially valuable as a soiling 

 crop for dairy cows so far as yield of milk was concerned hut that it seemed to flavor 

 the milk worse than any other feeding stuff used. 



During 1901 the effort was made to devise some method of feeding this crop so 

 that the milk would not he injured for cheese making. The influence of the stage 

 of maturity of the crop at the time of feeding and the effect of withholding rape 

 from cows for several hours before milking were especially tested. During 1902 the 

 studies included clover, cabbage, and corn as soiling crops in addition to rape, and 

 tests were also made to determine the effect of cold curing of cheese upon the objec- 

 tionable flavors. 



The following general conclusions are drawn: 



"Rape, if fed even in limited quantities to milking cows, is likely to impart to the 

 milk a taint which will be imparted to the cheese, and can not be eliminated by any 

 art known to the cheese maker at the present time. 



" Cheese made from rape-fed milk presents both offensive odors and tastes. 



"The longer the period of feeding extended, the better the quality of the cheese 

 produced with reference to flavor, indicating that the systems of the cows producing 

 the milk tended to conform to the peculiarities of the feed and thus eliminate, at 

 least a portion, of the noxious flavors. 



"The flavor of the product from the morning's milk where the feeding was done 

 immediately after milking was of a decidedly improved quality over that from the 

 evening's milk where the feeding was done shortly before milking. 



"The body, texture, color, and general make up of the cheese are not affected in 

 any manner by the feeding of rape to milch cows for cheese-making purposes. 



" When cabbage was fed to milch cows disagreeable flavors were always imparted 

 to the cheese, and these bad flavors were intensified as the ripening advanced. 



" Milk from cows fed exclusively upon green clover produced cheese having alow, 

 flat flavor which finally became sharp and repugnant. 



" Green forage corn when fed to cows produced an excellent quality of milk for 

 cheese. The cheese were of fine texture, with clean, high flavor at all stages of the 

 ripening." 



Relation of flavor development in cold-cured Cheddar cheese to bacterial 

 life in same, II. L. Russell and E. < r. Hastings ( Wisconsin Sta. lipt. 1904, pp- 155~ 

 163). — Determinations were made of the number of bacteria in cheese partly ripened 

 in cold storage at 40° F. and then held at 60° for varying periods. In all the cheeses 

 examined there was a decline in the bacterial content which diminution was invari- 

 ably more rapid than that in control samples kept continuously at 40°. 



There was no evidence of any actual development of bacteria. An increased flavor 

 in cheese removed from cold storage to the higher temperature was not apparent 

 until after about 2 weeks, and then the marked development of flavor occurred 

 simultaneously with a sharp diminution in content of acid bacteria, which fact is 

 considered inconsistent with the hypothesis that the growth of such organisms is 

 directly related to the production of flavor. 



" Whatever agents are concerned in this process seem to be affected by the tem- 

 perature in a profound way. As to the exact nature of these agents no definite 

 answer as yet seems possible. So far as inferences can be drawn from these studies 



