Propagation of Starters 201 



On the other hand, a considerable number of fac- 

 tories in this country have secured an increased flavor 

 and quality in their product from . ripening their 

 cream with the aid of either Hansen's ferment or B. 41. 



The use of culture starters both for the ripening of 

 cream and the ripening of milk for cheese -making has 

 now become almost universal, particularly in factories, 

 and practice in the culture of such starters is a neces- 

 sary part of the training of all successful butter and 

 cheese makers (see Appendix A). Skill in the culture 

 of starters depends very largely in keeping everything 

 surrounding them bacteriologically clean, so that, no 

 matter how skilfullj' directions for the propagation of 

 starters may be written, very few will learn except 

 by actual experience the necessity for bacteriological 

 cleanliness. 



The only reason for a starter becoming impure or 

 going "off flavor" is that it becomes contaminated 

 from some outside source, and this comes from lack of 

 care in handling it or allowing it to come in contact 

 with some person or thing that is not sterile or "bac- 

 teriologically clean;" hence, in tasting or otherwise 

 examining a starter from which a culture is afterward 

 to be made, a portion should always be removed from 

 the starter with a clean spoon or other suitable article, 

 and such portion must be discarded after the examina- 

 tion has been made. The practice of dipping the fin- 

 ger into a starter and then tasting or smelling it is 

 the best possible means of destroying it. 



Where a starter is properly, and carefully propa- 

 gated, it is not only possible to keep it for a long time, 



