276 IOWA DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



prefer stone jars for carrying the mother culture in and, true enough, 

 they have some good points in their favor, as you can apply the steam 

 direct for sterilizing and they are not nearly so apt to get broken. But 

 on the other hand they are harder to keep clean, and you are more likely 

 to leave them dirty since you cannot see any remaining filth that may 

 be left in them as you can in the glass jars. Another very important 

 point in favor of the glass jars is you are able to see the condition of the 

 curd and thereby have a better idea of the condition of your culture. 

 For sterilizing the glass jars, drop them into a pail of water and boil for 

 a few minutes, and I think you will find this very satisfactory. 



Someone has said of man, "We are a part of all we meet." How strik- 

 ingly true this is of a starter; they also are a part of all they meet, 

 whether it be in the surrounding atmosphere or in the vessels in which 

 they are carried, or if it be from dirty water dripping from wet hands. 

 A drop of water contains millions of bacteria, and the hands should 

 always be clean and dry when handling a starter. 



Therefore the greatest possible care should always be taken not to 

 allow the milk to come in contact with any other than lactic acid bacteria. 



SELECTING MILK FOR MOTHER CULTURE. 



This is a very important part and nothing but the very best morning's 

 milk should be used. Pasteurize it separately and carry it altogether 

 separate from the large starter. And I wish to say here that if you have 

 never experimented with different patrons' milk and compared the flavor 

 obtained from them after having been inoculated with the same culture 

 and set at the same temperature, you will certainly be surprised. I have 

 been conducting these and other experiments for the past year and find 

 it next to impossible to obtain the same flavor from milk from two 

 different herds. You may perhaps get two good starters, but there will 

 always be a noticeable difference in the flavor of the two cultures. Then 

 again, I have herds that I have not as yet been able to get a good 

 culture from their milk. But if you will take two jars of the same milk 

 and inoculate each with a bottle of the same culture and hold at an even 

 temperature you will seldom be able to tell one jar from the other by 

 the difference in flavor. 



In these experiments I have used four of the leading brands of com- 

 mercial culture and have, proven to my own satisfaction that manufact- 

 urers of our commercial culture are to be congratulated on the uniform- 

 ity and reliability of their culture. 



It is well worth your time and trouble to carry on some of these 

 inexpensive experiments, as it will assist you greatly in being able to 

 know how to secure the best culture and familiarize yourself and know 

 a good culture when you have one. 



Milk for the starter should be pasteurized to 200 degrees Fahrenheit 

 or thereabouts, and should be held at this temperature not less than 

 thirty minutes and then cooled to the desired temperature for setting. 



For the large starter about the same method may be used except the 

 skim milk as it comes from the separator is preferable, if it is in good 

 condition, as it is better to skim the top of the starter off, after it has 



