202 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. II, No. 3 
It will be noticed that formic acid has decreased. This will be found 
true for all the organisms studied, the acid probably being decomposed 
by the organisms themselves. In flask i the greatest increase is shown 
in the butyric-acid content. In flask 2, where greater decomposition 
and probably more rapid growth of the organisms occurred, the butyric 
acid is very much less, while the acetic acid has increased. This would 
indicate a decomposition of butyric acid to a lower acid, as Duclaux 
suggests in his theory of the formation of acids lower than butyric. All 
of the volatile acids, except formic, show an increase. A very small 
quantity of succinic acid was formed, but no esters and very little alcohol 
were produced. In flask 2 there was quite an amount of lactic acid, of 
which most was racemic. 
The substances formed by a third Micrococcus are given in Table X. 
This culture was not classified as to variety. It was isolated from a 
cheese when the latter was 44 days old and when the organism was 
present in numbers amounting to 100,000,000 per gram. After 5 
months this cheese developed a good Cheddar flavor. In both flasks the 
media were light brown in color and had a pleasant nutty odor and taste; 
they showed slight digestion and were but slightly acid to litmus. 
Tabi,E X. —Substances formed by the action of an unidentified Micrococcus 
[Computed in cubic centimeters of tenth-normal solution] 
Quantity found. ; Quantity produced. 
Substance. 
Control. 
Flask 1. 
Flask 2. 
Flask 1. 
Flask 2. 
Total volatile acids . 
Formic acid. 
Acetic acid. 
Propionic acid. 
Butyric acid. 
Caproic acid. 
46. 058 
. OOO 
41. 850 
3-999 
.138 
. 081 
.990 
1. 000 
80. 900 
. 000 
52. 669 
. OOO 
37* 060 
14. 886 
. 289 
•434 
. 700 
• 540 
59. 240 
. 000 
14- 530 
8.29s 
6- i 3 S 
. OOO 
. OOO 
. 100 
•375 
•833 
84. 800 
. 000 
3 i- 538 
-8. 29s 
35 - 7 X 5 
3-999 
-138 
38.139 
-8.295 
30 - 92 S 
14. 886 
. 289 
Acids from alcohols . 
Acids from esters . 
Citric acid. 
- 
. I67 
•325 
—25. 560 
. 000 
Total lactic acid . 
Racemic lactic acid . 
. OOO 
Active lactic acid. 
This organism produced quite a quantity of acetic acid and more 
propionic acid than any other organism examined. No lactic acid was 
found. 
In order to determine the influence of the presence of alkali on tne 
character of the products formed, a flask of milk to which was added 
calcium carbonate was inoculated with one of the.micrococci. The sub¬ 
stances formed were acetic, propionic, butyric, and caproic acids, but no 
formic acid. The proportion of these acids was very similar to that of 
the acid formed by Micrococcus d and would indicate that the alkali 
exerted no influence on the character of the substances formed. 
