CREAM RIPENING 119 



convenient to wash the starter-cans, when the starter 

 milk is received, and when it is most convenient to pasteur- 

 ize the starter. If the cream is pasteurized, the starter 

 should not be put into it until the temperature has been 

 reduced to below 100 F. 



Before making the transfer to the cream, the starter 

 should be thoroughly agitated to break the curd into very 

 small particles. It is possible to distribute the bacteria 

 in the cream better when the curd is in this condition than 

 when it is lumpy. If the curd is soft and custard-like, 

 it breaks up more easily than when it is somewhat over- 

 ripe and consequently is hard. If the curd is very firm, 

 a wise plan is to pass it through a cream strainer when 

 it is poured into the cream. This will help to put it into 

 a more finely divided condition. It is essential that the 

 cream be thoroughly agitated after the inoculation with 

 the starter properly to distribute the bacteria. 



RIPENING CREAM ON A FARM 



87. Method. On a farm the cream might be handled 

 in the following manner : Suppose the dairy-man separates, 

 each half day, ten pounds of cream testing about 35 per 

 cent milk-fat. On Monday a new starter of about two- 

 thirds of a quart is inoculated from a starter that has 

 been held from Friday or Saturday. The remainder of 

 the held-over starter is put in the ten pounds of cream. 

 The cream is then set at about 65 F. It may have to 

 be set in a cooler place before evening. In the evening 

 ten pounds more cream are added, and all the cream, which 

 is now in one vessel, is set at about 60 F. On Tuesday 

 morning add the morning's cream and set at 60 to 65 F., as 

 during the day it is more convenient to watch the ripening 

 process than at night. In the evening add the evening's 



