2OO AGRICULTURAL BACTERIOLOGY. 



(Taettamoelk), and they have learned to produce it by placing 

 the leaves of a certain plant (Pinguiculd) in the milk. This 

 plant has not been thought to have anything to do directly 

 with the production of the sliminess, inasmuch as bacteriologists 

 have found upon its leaves an abundance of a certain species 

 of bacterium which produces a sliminess in milk. In very re- 

 cent times it has been claimed that there is actually a slimy 

 secretion produced by these leaves which causes the slimi- 

 ness of the milk. Whether this be true, or the more gen- 

 erally accepted belief, that the effect is due to bacteria, cannot 

 at present be stated. In Holland a special ferment is widely 

 used for the purpose of inoculating milk which is to be made 

 into the famous Edam cheese. This ferment produces a slimy 

 fermentation of the milk and at the same time renders it acid. 

 Cheese made from such slimy milk ripens more rapidly and 

 more uniformly than cheese made without such inoculation. 



Except in a few such instances slimy milk is an undesirable 

 fermentation and sometimes produces great trouble in the dairy. 

 It is one of the most common of the types of unusual fermen- 

 tations of milk, is widely distributed and occasionally is the 

 cause of much perplexity and bother to dairymen. Its gen- 

 eral characteristics are unfortunately too well known. The 

 milk, though apparently treated as usual, fails to sour and 

 curdle normally, but after a few hours begins to be somewhat 

 slimy. The trouble increases until, at the time when the milk 

 should normally sour, it has developed such an amount of 

 slime that it can be drawn out mto long threads. At the same 

 time it has a sweetish taste. Such milk is practically worth- 

 less. It cannot be used for butter-making, for the cream will 

 not separate. It will not be used for drinking or cooking 

 purposes, although there seems to be no reason for believing 

 that it is not perfectly wholesome. Most people, however, do 

 not wish to drink slime and will throw it away. Sometimes 

 such an infection proves very troublesome. It may spread 



