20 
IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
the method of preparing Roquefort cheese was, like some other great 
di scoveries, accidental. A lad in Switzerland was in the habit of taking 
his neon lunch with him while tending his father's herns. By chance 
one day he left his lunch in a cave. He was surprised some days later 
to Z.iX M.g lunch, and was especially pleased with the new flavor which 
the cheese had acquired. From that date to this Roquefort cheeses have 
been made in that cave by the inhabitants of that province. 
This species of bacteria has also been grown in many other places 
wherever the dairymen wished to make this particular kina of cheese, 
just as Indian corn though originally found in America has been grown 
successfully in many parts of the world. 
Bacteria, are bought and sold in the market. They are used to ripen 
the cream, for making butter. They give a desirable flavor to the but- 
ter when the right species are used in the right way. Like weeds im 
the garden, pathogenic and troublesome bacteria seem to thrive where we 
do not want them. Warm temperature, moisture and food supply are the 
conditions that favor the wonderfully rapid growth of bacteria. The first 
step in the care of the milk is to cool it to a temperature or at least 50 
degrees Fahrenheit or below, and keep it as cool as possible until it i.s 
ready to be used. 
Since every cubic inch of air in a barnyard contains hundreds of bac- 
teria, every particle of dust and every fiber are alive with these minute 
organisms, it is absolutely necessary to keep the milk carefully covered. 
It becomes easy to see, from the standpoint of bacteriology, that the milk 
should have special care. It is not necessary for every milkman to be- 
come an expert bacteriologist in order to furnish a pure supply of milk, 
but it w^ould be extremely to his advantage to get the view point of the 
bacteriologist, and to keep posted on the progress of the science as de- 
veloped by our various state experimental stations and our national 
bureau of chemistry. Pamphlets of the greatest value are issued from 
these stations at various times giving the most valuable and reliable 
information that can be obtained. Such documents are issued and designed 
primarily for those who are engaged in the dairy industry. 
The following is the result of some bacteriological counts in the city milk 
of Cedar Rapids. 
Date. 
June 'Zii, IbOG 
July 2, 
June 23, 1906 
July 2. 1906 
99 •> ?5 
Milk. No. of bacteria per cu. centiui. 
Sample No. 1. 
475,000 
” 2. 
365,400 
” ” 3. 
150,000 
,, ” 4. 
730,000 
” 5. 
145,600 
” ” 6. 
283,000 
• ) ,, j 
232,000 
” ” 8. 
534.000 
” ” 9. 
440.000 
” ” 10. 
266,000 
” ” 11. 
800,000 
” 12. 
130,000 
” ” 13. 
484.000 
” ” 14. 
208,000 
CREAM. 
Sample No. 1. 
465,500 
” ” 2. 
351,000 
” ” 3. 
421,000 
” ” 4. 
656,000 
” .5. 
630,000 
