Sept., 1909.] A STUDY OP FARM BUTTER-MAKING. 2(i3 



Bacteria in the Cream. — As has already been stated, some 

 bacteria are desirable and necessary in cream ripening, while 

 others are detrimental. The desirable bacteria get into the cream 

 in two ways; they are either introduced by nature or by man. 

 Fortunately, the bacteria which produce the desirable flavor 

 Nature generally suplies in the cream in greatest numbers, pro- 

 vided the milking and care of the milk and cream has been 

 carried out under cleanly conditions. When the desirable bac- 

 teria are introduced into the cream by man, the cream is then 

 ripened by what is termed a starter. The use of starters has 

 become quite common in creamery butter-making, and is in fact 

 necessary in many cases to produce a uniform quality of butter. 

 On the farm, where the butter-maker has control of the milk 

 from the time it leaves the cow, starters are seldom necessary 

 and are only to be recommended in special cases. To success- 

 fully handle a starter from day to day means much extra labor. 

 It necessitates good equipment, a ready supply of boiling water 

 or steam, good facilities for controlling temperatures while the 

 starter is ripening, as well as facilities for keeping the starter 

 at a temperature below 55° F. after it is ripe until it is needed. 

 Furthermore, it requires a general knowledge of bacteria, of 

 conditions favorable and unfavorable to their growth, and of the 

 many sources from which milk can become contaminated. It 

 also requires thorough appreciation of what cleanliness means 

 and of the fact that bacteria, although invisible, are found every- 

 where. An object may look ever so clean but still be covered 

 with millions of bacteria. The fact that on the farm butter is 

 often made only every second, third or fourth day makes the 

 use of starters still more difficult. Considering the question of 

 starters for New Hampshire conditions from the above stand- 

 point they can not be generally recommended. There are times, 

 however, when starters are necessary, as for instance when the 

 cream will not sour or when undesirable bacteria have become 

 so numerous on the dairy utensils and in the dairy room that 

 they control the ripening from day to day. Also on some of 

 the largest and best equipped dairy farms starters undoubtedly 

 could be used successfully and be a means for obtaining a more 

 uniform and better flavored butter. 



There are two kinds of starters, home made and commercial. 



