734 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
November 6 
BACTERIA AND THEIR RELATION TO 
THE CARE OF MILK AND CREAM. 
Part I. 
It is now more than 200 years since a 
Dutch scientist, looking through the 
comparatively rude microscope of his 
day, discovered certain moving organ¬ 
isms which he thought to be animals, 
but which we now know to have been 
bacteria. Yet this discovery slumbered 
for many years, and it is almost within 
the last generation that there has been 
born the new science of bacteriology, 
which has almost revolutionized medi¬ 
cine and hygiene, and which has opened 
up a hitherto unknown field in agricul¬ 
ture. Bacteria has become almost a 
word to conjure by—a way to explain 
the contagiousness of disease, the in¬ 
flammation of wounds, the effect of ma¬ 
nures upon soils, the phenomena of de¬ 
cay, the fixing of nitrogen by the 
leguminous plants, and the conception 
by which the care of dairy products is 
raised from a mere empirical art to the 
dignity of an exact science. 
The terms, “ bacterium ” (the singular 
form of the word, bacteria), “ microbe,” 
“bacillus,” and less exactly, “ germ,” 
comprise a, probably, almost infinite 
number of low forms of vegetable life. 
They are extremely minute, one-celled 
bits of protoplasm, much simpler in 
their organization than even the yeasts, 
molds, and the economic fungi which 
seem so infinitely removed from the 
flowering plants, or even the mosses or 
lichens. In fact, they may be said to 
represent the very beginning of organic 
life. 
In shape, the various species differ 
greatly, with a distinguishing name for 
each form. Two of the most common 
forms are that of a round ball—the 
“coccus,” and that of a minute rod, the 
“ micrococcus.” Of course, the size of 
these organisms must be extremely 
small. 
The bacillus which is the cause of the 
dreaded anthrax, the malignant pustule 
of man, the “ black leg ” of bovines, and 
which manifests itself in several other 
forms, this rod-shaped bacterium, is com¬ 
paratively a giant. It was one of the 
first known and studied, yet it would 
take, at least, 5,000 of these little rods, 
laid end to end, to measure an inch. 
Bacteria reproduce themselves in two 
ways : The more common and important 
method is by “ fission ”. A cell simply 
elongates itself—the center becomes 
constricted like an hour glass and, 
finally, it breaks apart, and two organ¬ 
isms exist where there was only one be¬ 
fore. The other method is more likely 
a method of self-preservation rather 
than of reproduction. This second 
method is by the formation of spores, 
which have an analogy to the seeds of 
higher plants. These spores are formed 
within the cell, or the cell itself changes 
into a spore by the thickening and dry¬ 
ing down of its walls. Bacterial spores 
have the power of enduring extremes of 
temperature, lack of moisture and lapse 
of time which would be fatal to the 
actively-growing cell. 
So far as known at present, a cell pro¬ 
duces but one spore; while some bac¬ 
terial forms are incapable of preserving 
themselves in this way. Reproduction 
takes place, under favorable conditions, 
with extreme rapidity. It has been 
estimated that some forms will double 
in number every 20 minutes. This may, 
or may not, be true, but if so, any one 
of a mathematical bent can estimate the 
number of the progeny of one cell at the 
end of 24 hours. 
It is a strange fact that it is not the 
bacteria themselves which practically 
concern us, but the products formed by 
their growth. The disease-producing 
bacteria form substances which are 
poisonous to the human system, and it 
is, perhaps, no error to say that death 
from some common disease is death from 
blood poisoning. It is a general rule of 
bacterial growth that they feed upon 
organic compounds which they change 
or break down into other and generally 
simpler compounds. For example : the 
lactic-acid-producing bacteria grow upon 
milk sugar and change it into lactic 
acid. The lactic acid gives the milk a 
sour taste, and when enough is present, 
the casein coagulates, that is, the milk 
curdles as the result of the presence of 
an acid. But like many other forms, 
the lactic-acid-producing bacteria are 
“ self-limiting ”, that is, they cannot live 
in an excess of their own product, so that 
long before all the milk sugar is changed 
to lactic acid, they cease to grow. Now 
if the lactic acid present be neutralized 
by the addition of milk of lime, the bac¬ 
teria will again produce lactic acid until 
the milk becomes too acid for their 
further development. Another class of 
bacterial products of a good deal of in¬ 
terest are the ptomaines, the poisonous 
products of certain forms. For example, 
there is tyrotoxicon, a specific poison, 
sometimes developed in cheese. The 
cases of wholesale poisoning due to ice 
cream, canned meat and shellfish un¬ 
doubtedly belong to this class. So tuber¬ 
culin is only a sterile preparation, not 
of the bacteria of consumption them¬ 
selves, but of tbe ptomaine they pro¬ 
duce. JARED VAN WAGKNEN, JR. 
POULTRY NOTES IN FLORIDA. 
II. W. C , on page 638, seems to get 
the time of year wrong. When I lost 
100 eggs by their being infertile, it was 
early in spring, when I was anxious to 
get out early chickens. Getting a new 
rooster proved that the fault was all in 
the old one. Farther on he says, “ as to 
what our friend says about fertile eggs 
in August I can only say that out of 60 
eggs I only got about nine chicks.” I 
had two hens come off September 30, 
with 26 chicks from 26 eggs, so you see 
our hens did well even in September. H 
W. C. says the New Jersey hens were 
not doing well in August, but if he had 
said his rooster, instead of hens, he 
would have hit the truth. Saving those 
September eggs for setting was the last 
call, for I am getting but few eggs now ; 
my hens are fully moulting, and look 
very shabby. My hens are not uniform 
in moulting ; some begin early in Sep¬ 
tember and some do not begin before 
the last of October. 
The black legs of Minorcas are not a 
disadvantage in selling here, but pur¬ 
chasers do object to black pin-feathers 
I have some White Wyandottes coming 
on more particularly for broilers. L like 
to gather large white eggs, three of 
which will weigh as much as four of the 
Brown Leghorns, and I can show pure 
Black Minorca hens that will outweigh 
the Brown Leghorns in the same pro¬ 
portion. 
Regarding the Brown Leghorns lay¬ 
ing the greatest number of eggs, I do 
not think they can beat my Minorcas. 
I started with nine hens in the pen, but 
one died. I have no doubt that the 
eight hens averaged five eggs per day 
for six months, for I seldom got less 
than four, and often five, six, and even 
seven. I like what Mr. Mapes says, and 
hope that he will continue in the same 
track, and give us the results. Does he 
keep, or purpose to keep, whole corn, 
wheat, or other grains before his hens, 
or only ground feed ? I have been think¬ 
ing of giving all ground feed dry for 
some time, and shall do so soon. 
Florida. a. j. aldrich. 
COMMENT BY H. W. C. 
We have about decided to give up the 
Brown Leghorn cross on the Black pul¬ 
lets, except possibly in a very small way. 
There are evidently sound arguments 
against it. The climate of Florida must 
be better for hens than that of New 
Jersey, for we are unable to obtain a 
fair proportion of fertile eggs in sum¬ 
mer. Mr. Mapes does not feed any whole 
grain. His balanced ration is a mixture 
of ground grain and meat, which is fed 
three times a day—always moist. 
+4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4.4>4-'*-4-4”Mr4'4-M'4 , 4-X 
T 
SllCCGSS in any business depends on the 
money you save, and not on your total 
income. If you can <^y|j QNE-HALF 
your feed bills you 
have just that much more profit. 
Tbe 
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-s. 
•5* 
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Guaranteed just as represented In tbe 
illustration or money will be refunded. 
Hundreds sold. No complaints. 
Riverdalc-on-Hudson, N. Y., January 4th, 1897. 
GRANITE STATE EVAPORATOR CO. 
Dear Sirs The “Granite State Feed Cooker and 
Water 11 eater " which I purchased of you some months 
ago gives perfect satisfaction. I am surprised at the 
large amount of heat which can be secured with very 
little fuel. Every stock raiser should own one—simply 
from the standpoint of economy, to say nothing of the 
satisfaction of knowing that you have the best. In my 
opinion, it is the very best on the market. You are too 
modest in your claims for it. 
Truly yours, IIENRY DECKER. 
GRANITE 
STATE 
Feed Cooker and Heater 
will save one-half tbe feed bills. It pre¬ 
pares tbe food so that it may be easily 
digested,and it will make many rough foods 
palatable, so that the chickens will eat 
everything up clean. Careful experiment 
has shown that cooking will increase the 
food value ofcorn meal at leastone hundred 
per cent. Think of doubling the feeding 
value of your crop of corn or wheat, and 
then buy a Granite State Feed Cooker. 
Made in' 7 sizes: 25 gallon, $12; 50 gallon, 
$17 ; 100 gallon, $24. Send for circulars con¬ 
taining full description and testimonials. 
Sold on installments if desired. 
We publish a bonk, “Cooking Food for Stock,” 
which we will send fire if you mention 
this publication when you write. 
GRANITE STATE EVAPORATOR CO. 
560 TEMPLE COURT, NEW YORK CITY. 
+ 
4 * 
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4- 
CREAM SEPARATORS. 
De Laval “ Alpha ’’ and •* Baby ” Separators 
First—Best—Cheapest All Styles—Sizes 
Prices, $50 to $ 800 . 
Save $10 per cow per year. Send for catalogue. 
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Randolph and Canal Sts., I 74 Cortlandt Street, 
CHICAGO. I NEW YORK. 
SEPARATOR and POWERS 
for 1, 2 & 3 horses, with governo r, eitl^ r leTe * 
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k Catalogue 
of Sweep d 
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Shelters, Feed Cutters, __ 
Feed Mills, Steel Land Rollers, Chilled Plows. _ 
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WOOD SAWS 
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Charter Gasoline Engine 
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PROOF by addressing 
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THE LEFFEL ENGINES 
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CENTS 
SWAN’S 
EXTRA HEAVY 
Felt Roofing 
FIRE, WIND and WATER¬ 
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for 100 Square Feet. 
Caps and Nails. \ A. F. SWAH, 102 FlflM St., N. Y 
WAGON 
SOMETHING 
ENTIRELY 
NEW. 
SCALES 
JONES OF BINGHAMTON, Binghamton, N. Y. 
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Address 
COOK Your FEED and Save 
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are tho best for supplying 
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x .. • — • - S06 14th Street, 
CHICAGO, ILL. 
to first inquiries from new territory. Circulars a 
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Fargo Street, 
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9 CORDS IN 10 HOURS 
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--.TRKKS. 
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(H-66 S. Clinton Street, Chicago, IlL 
