Commercial Lactic Ferments. 131 



ferments may gain access to the cream. As between 

 the various forms of artificial starter, there is not 

 much to be said. It is generally held that a starter 

 made from skimmed milk is less likely to contain 

 germs other than those desired than when cream, 

 whole milk, or even buttermilk are used. 



With regard to the use of the various commer- 

 cial bacterial ferments, there is considerable diversity 

 of opinion. Their use was first recommended several 

 years ago in Denmark, as a result of the researches 

 of S torch, and has grown rapidly, both in Denmark 

 and Germany, until at the present time a large part 

 of the butter produced in the former country is made 

 from cream first pasteurized, and then ripened with 

 the aid of an artificial bacteria culture. The use 

 of such ferments has only slightly extended to this 

 country, chiefly through the medium of Hansen's 

 lactic ferment. 



In this country Conn has been the chief investi- 

 gator of similar organisms. From 1890 to 1893* he 

 isolated several organisms, the culture of which in 

 cream improved the flavor of the resulting butter 

 to a greater or less extent. In the latter year he 

 discovered in a can of milk sent from Uruguay to 

 the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago, a 

 germ so much better in this respect that it alone 

 has since been used, and cultures of it placed upon 

 the market under the name of B.41 (Bacillus No. 41). 



A series of investigations by Farrington and Rus- 



*Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, Reports 1890-93. 



