258 STARTERS 



jars again with their respective covers and shake each jar until 

 contents are smooth. Then taste the mother starter of each jar, 

 using 1 the spoon and always dipping the spoon in hot water for 

 each jar. 



Select the jar the contents of which have the cleanest and 

 best flavor and transfer with the scalded spoon, one spoonful of 

 its contents into each of the six jars containing the freshly pas- 

 teurized startoline milk. Seal the jars of the third propagation 

 and place them in the insulated box. In hot weather it may 

 be advisable to pour enough tap water (temperature 50 to 60 

 F.) into the insulated box to- have the jars stand in about two 

 inches, of water. This will help to control the temperature. 

 Close the insulated box. 



The next morning, examine the jars without removing their 

 lids. If the milk in them is coagulated, place the jars im- 

 mediately into the cold room, or preferably into ice water until 

 ready to use. If the milk shows no signs of coagulation, raise 

 the temperature to at least 75 F. and hold until coagulated; 

 then set in cold water until ready to use. If after a few hours 

 at 75 a satisfactory coagulum does not form, reject the contents 

 of the jar. 



Succeeding Propagations. The succeeding propagations are 

 made in exactly the same manner as directed for the third 

 propagation. All the mother starter that is of good quality and 

 that is not used for inoculation into jars is then utilized for 

 the inoculation of the "big" starter in the starter vat or starter 

 can. 



The amount of mother starter used to inoculate fresh mother 

 starter milk in the jars, and the temperature at which the mother 

 starter is held, should be such that in 12 to 18 hours a nice, 

 smooth and soft coagulum forms on the jars, without the ap- 

 pearance of wheyed-off water. The better, purer and more 

 active the startoline, the less startoline need be used. One dessert 

 spoonful per jar is ample in the case of good startoline. If the 

 holding of the jars at 75 F. causes the curd the next morning 

 to be too firm and possibly to whey-off and to be too high in acid, 



