New-York tribune., 1895-08-18

,,,tor.maker but OF a large number; not in one
Iorality but In a dozen States and Is atteeted not
simply by the butter-makers. but by the COM
mss,on merchants to whom the butter Is sold,
who have paid more for inoculated butter tnan
for butter made from the same cream without
incubation. The experience has been most in-
tarestinp one TO me and II has brought me into
relations with a most interesting class OF men.
/ did not go into this matter with the s1ghtesi
expectation Of making money ou' on ~ Du' oi
course I expect to reap snare Oh tne pf""is'
HOW THE "pBi.i.ETs" ARE HENT OUT.
The culture when ready 20 be sent to cream.
cry In made ny into what In termed pellet
something oyer an inch In length and with ~
ameter Of about one-third of an inch II u near
~ white In appearance. but In time VIII become
inert. and turns brown Tne pellet II lncloscd In
a glass tube three incneE long ana hllf hn ineh
IN diameter Both ends of th" tube are open.
The tube II. Of course. sterlll]ed, ana NE pells'
is kept In place first, By means of htefllled cot
ton and then by tght-n'ting plugs or cork.
which have also been put through sierinzlns
process. The tubes containing the pellets are
placed I'm wooden boxes made especially for the
purpose The culture can thus be sent through
the mails with ease.
With each pellet sent out goes circular giving
careful directions to the use OF the culture.
After being applied 10 the cream, the effects are
noticeable IN the first churring, but II requires
several days TO get II up TO us full strength,
after that II is easy keep IL at a high and
uniform standard, though. os has been said, in
practice it has been found advisable 10 make a
fresh inoculation three or four times month.
This does not mean beginning the process over
again each time. but simply maintaining II at
proper degree OF efficiency by renewed applica-
tions OF "B Al" For 81 month treameries
can be kept supplied with that which Is guar
enteed to improve the quality Of the butter they
turn out.
Professor Conn has applied for a patent-not
on bacillus no. 4l-but on the process whlcn ne
has devised for making better butter. In which
"B Al" is the essential factor. When the mater
was first made public last fall he was prepared
to face ridicule, but felt sure OF ms ground
Some OF the newspapers printed articles aDout
Connecticut cranks" discovery, and one OF them
wanted TO know what would happen II some one
else should attempt 10 make butter with inc
deadly No 13" But those things, DR.. Conn says
didn't scare him a bit" While his faith in B
Al" Is abounding. he is ready at any time 70
throw No Al over II another Of the pnumerable
bacilh that flourish in milk proves its superior.
ity.
INNUMERABLE BACTERIA IN MILK.
One Of Professor Ccnn's assistants. Mr.. Drake.
described in a most entertaining way the work
done at Cold Spring Laboratory this summer in
investigating the bacteria Of milk. About eighty
different varieties have been isolated ard are
undergoing propagation. careful record IS
made OF eacn one and later the records will be
collated and the exact results determined. II IS
probable that several of the eighty Will De iound
to be duplicates. but the likelihood is that from
fifty TO sixty species will be added TO those
previously known.
The number Of bacteria in milk is astounding.
and they increase with marvellous rapiiity. Inc
samples which have been used this summer were
obtained by DR.. Conn from seven or eight cream
cries within comparatively easy reach OF ms
home in Middletown. Mr. Drake said that mix
freshly taken from the cow contained only
email number Of bacteria, not more than nine
or ten TO the cubic centimetre. Careful expert.
ments had been made with the milk furnisned
by all the milkmen in Mddletown. mat OF the
most careful and trustworthy milkman was
found to contain about o'clock on the morning
il was served. not less than 10000 bacteria 70
the cubic centimetre but that same mix twenty
four hours later would contain I.oOO,Oo0 IN the
same space.
Hence. it is evident that DR.. Conns search lor
the particular variety that would improve the
quality Of butter was like looking for tny
needle in an immense haymow. Mr.. Drake re-
CARDS the finding OF II most remarkable IL
was pure good luck. Where that particular
bacillus came from. and how 1t got into the milk
in Uruguay, after it had been sterilized IL is i'm
n0SSihle 10 tell