THE VITAL PHENOMENA OF BACTERIA. 135 



troduced into Finland this method of souring 

 cream ; Weigmann has recommended its use 

 in Holstein ; and Stein and Boggild have in- 

 troduced it into Denmark with marked success, 

 so that butter made from such cream has, in 

 the last year, gained everywhere a majority of 

 the first prizes. In Germany, although the 

 method in the first instance emanated from my 

 laboratory, very little advantage has yet been 

 taken of these facts. The circumstance that 

 the dairymen themselves do not push the mat- 

 ter energetically, but are waiting for State in- 

 itiative, is in part to blame for this condition. 

 It is most necessary, however, to awaken the 

 farmer, with or without State aid, as is proved 

 by the whole situation of the butter question. 

 The replacement of butter by " artificial but- 

 ter" which, when real oleomargarine, is 

 prepared out of beef fat, has not solved the 

 question, for the simple reason that good beef- 

 fat is itself dear, and hence in the manu- 

 facture of oleomargarine, other fats, often of 

 disgusting nature are always in part substi- 

 tuted for it. Consequently oleomargarine is 

 as a matter of fact everywhere sold at prices 

 above its real value and is not a fair substitute 

 for butter. On the other hand, butter is often 

 handled on small farms so badly, and with such 

 lack of cleanliness, that we can certainly under- 



