446 Bacteria in Relation to Country Life 



souring mass. It is also important that the formation 

 of lactic acid by the bacteria take place rapidly, since, 

 the more rapid the accumulation of acid at the beginning 

 of the process, the better the keeping quality of the 

 pickles. Hence, various expedients are employed or 

 have been suggested for hastening the initial souring, 

 such as the maintaining of higher temperatures in the 

 cellar for a day or two; the pricking of the pickles with 

 needles to facilitate the penetration of the juice and the 

 more rapid diffusion outward of the sugar; the addition 

 of sugar that will be transformed by the bacteria into 

 acid; the addition directly of small quantities of lactic 

 acid; or the addition of pure cultures of lactic acid 

 ferments. 



There is no doubt that some of these expedients 

 may be employed to advantage in assuring a more 

 uniform product and in improving its keeping quality. 

 This is especially true of the addition of large numbers of 

 vigorously growing lactic-acid ferments. Lactic-acid 

 starters can be prepared in this case by allowing pure 

 cultures of Bacterium lactis acidi to develop in pasteur- 

 ized milk which is to be added subsequently to the 

 pickle casks. 



On the whole, a better understanding of the micro- 

 organic processes underlying the pickling of cucumbers, 

 and, similarly, the pickling of tomatoes, apples, melons, 

 and the like, as is practiced on the continent of Europe, 

 will allow a greater uniformity and palatability of product. 

 Among the Slav peoples of eastern Europe, the lactic 

 fermentation of vegetable substances is also extensively 

 employed in the preparation of borsch from beets. 



