356 



Preservation of Eggs. 



occurred, and the ripening* that takes place in the creamery 

 is due wholly, or almost wholly, to the growth of the lactic 

 bacteria. 



A ripened cream is almost a pure culture of acid bacteria, 

 but this does not mean that ripening has been produced by 

 these acid bacteria alone. 



That the lactic bacteria play an important part in the 

 ripening is perfectly evident ; that they are the sole cause of 

 the changes occurring in the ripening is not so evident. 



The peculiar flavour of June butter, which is so much 

 desired by the butter-maker, is not due to the development of 

 the common lactic bacteria. Butter ripened during the winter 

 months develops the two species of lactic bacteria as abun- 

 dantly and as quickly as does that ripened in June, but the 

 flavour does not make its appearance. In the last three 

 experiments recorded, the June flavour was very noticeable in 

 the cream, but the development of the acid bacteria, or the 

 two species referred to, was practically the same as in all of 

 the previous experiments. The June flavour, therefore, can- 

 not be due to these common lactic bacteria. 



To what this June flavour is due Messrs. Conn and Esten 

 are not as yet satisfied. Whether it will prove to be due to 

 the large growth of miscellaneous bacteria during the first 

 few hours of ripening, or whether it is due to a difference in 

 the chemical nature of the cream, remains for further experi- 

 ments to decide. 



Experiments in the Preservation of Eggs. 



During the past three years some interesting experiments 

 in the preservation of eggs have been carried out by Mr. F. 

 T. Shutt, Chemist to the Experimental Farms of the Canadian 

 Ministry of Agriculture. The eggs used in these investigations 

 were quite fresh, being supplied by the Poultry Department 

 of the Experimental Farm, Ottawa, and taken from the nest 

 within a few hours of being laid. In the experiments of 

 1898-99 some of the eggs were treated in the first week of 



