78 Report of the Department of Bacteriology. 



the formation of peptones, while a ripened cheese is characterized 

 by the presence of large quantities of the simpler nitrogenous 

 compounds. Since the flavors, which lend greatest value to 

 cheese, are probably associated with the formation of these 

 simpler compounds, this unexplained portion of cheese-ripen- 

 ing is of the greatest practical interest and the influence of 

 bacteria upon this formation as well as the part taken in the 

 same by the enzymes of the milk are at present the subject of 

 investigation. 



