Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



there is no question that they may be dispensed witlj. What are the 

 precise conditions under which butter can be profitably sent to 

 iiondon without preservatives, and whether pasteurisation is essential 

 or not, are points on which further investigations are required. From 

 experiments conducted at the University Laboratory we have ascer- 

 tained that the two chief factors are the number of organisms present 

 of varieties otlier than the lactic acid bacteria, and the amount of 

 butter-milk and curd left in the butter. Pasteurisation and the 

 use of pure cultures of lactic acid organisms as starters are impor- 

 tant means towards attaining this object. Last season little butter 

 was exported to London, and most factories gave over pasteurisation, 

 but with the return of normal conditions there is no doubt that it 

 will be much more extensively adopted than ever before. 



Educational Work- 



The educational work of the year has been chiefly devoted to 

 laboratory courses for factory and creamery managers. The object 

 of these courses is to make the manager practically acquainted with 

 the essential changes underlying fermentation and putrefaction. 

 Every afternoon for a fortnight is spent in working out the chief 

 details of bacteriology as a|)plied to the dairying industries, the 

 microscopes and all apparatus being supplied by the Department. 

 The following classes have been held : — 



1902 University, Melbourne 



1903 Euroa ... ' ... 

 „ Kyneton ... 

 „ Koroit 

 „ Terang ... 



It seems likely that the best attendance at country centres will be 

 secured in cases of factories having a large number of creameries 

 attached. 



Lectures were also delivered in connection with the short courses in 

 agriculture at the following schools : — 



Tatura. Boort. 



Bacchus Marsh. Warrnambool. 



Charlton. Maff'ra. 



Bacteriological Investigations- 



The investigations carried out at the Univeisity Laboratory dur- 

 ing the year have covered the following branches : — a. The prepara- 

 tions of vaccines and antitoxins. — In relation to pleuro-pneumonia in 

 cattle it is found that the micro-organism which causes the disease is 

 so small that it passes throughsome of theso-called "germ-proof" filters. 

 By experimenting with Berkefeld filters a " candle " was obtained 

 which allowed the organism of this disease to pass thiough, but inter- 

 epted all the adventitious organisms that were present in the fluid. 



