240 AGRICULTURAL BACTERIOLOGY. 



membered that, in using this method, success depends upon in- 

 oculating the cream with a large quantity of an exceptionally 

 vigorous organism, the effect of which shall be greater than 

 the effects of those already present. For this reason we can 

 not expect the uniformity which would come from the use of 

 pasteurization. We should anticipate that, whereas the proc- 

 ess might be useful in many, perhaps the majority of cases, 

 there would be frequent instances where the method would 

 fail. 



Results. The results from the use of cultures without 

 pasteurization are not uniform. If we try to compare the re- 

 sults with those of spontaneous ripening, i. e., without the use 

 of "starters," we can obtain our data only from the experi- 

 ences of butter-makers. We can hardly expect to learn much 

 from data given by individual experimental tests, since the 

 question is not, whether the method is useful in any individual 

 case, but whether it is of any practical value under the widely 

 diversified conditions of general dairying. Experimental tests 

 upon this subject must, therefore, always be regarded as of less 

 value than the general verdict of dairymen. The use of some 

 kind of "starters " in this way has been more and more widely 

 adopted in the last five years, until it is probably true that a 

 majority of the better creameries and dairies have adopted this 

 process. Butter-makers emphasize in dairy papers, over and 

 over again, the necessity of good starters. The advantage in 

 the use of such starters is three-fold. In the first place, an 

 improvement in the quality of the butter has frequently been 

 produced. In very many instances, the butter almost imme- 

 diately becomes of such a character as to demand appreciably 

 higher market value. In general dairying, then, whatever 

 may be the results of individual experiments, there has been 

 so satisfactory an improvement as to lead to a constantly ex- 

 tending use of starters. Second, there is little question that 

 there is a greater uniformity in the butter, although the butter 



