40 THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



can be controlled. If you have ice you can lower the temperature 

 40 degrees and cure it in an ideal way. We were surprised a few 

 years ago to hear that cheese had been cured at 17 degrees below 

 the freezing point. A temperature of about 40 degrees gives us a 

 fine solid texture; the cheese is mild flavored, and the low tempera- 

 ture prolongs the life of the cheese. We can put it onto the market 

 when the prices are highest. If a number of factories in Vermont 

 would get together in equipping and operating a curing room, saving 

 the trouble of handling so much cheese in the factory it would be for 

 their interest. Send cheese two or three days old to the curing 

 room and have it looked at properly and you can make the best kind 

 of cheese in Vermont, then Professor Hills would not be com- 

 plaining that he cannot get good cheese in Burlington. 



Secretary Davis. — I would like to ask the Professor if the people 

 of Ohio have a preference for the ideal cow for cheese making? 



Professor Decker. — The cow they are given to preferring is the 

 cow that gives milk rich in butter fat; the Jersey or Guernsey cow is the 

 ideal cheese cow. The cow that gives a lot of rich milk is the cow to 

 have, it makes more and better cheese. % 



Dairyman. — How old does the cheese cured in a low temperature 

 have to be? 



Professor Decker. — Curing the same kind of cheese in this tem- 

 perature you can sell the cheese in two months or six or eight 

 months, but you have to use more rennet extract. It will prolong the 

 life of the cheese at a low temperature, but instead of using four 

 ounces of extract you should use about ten. 



President Aitken. — Our farmers want the money from the milk in 

 about five or six weeks. 



Professor Decker. — Of course that may be, but if it brings you 

 more money, and pays about 10 or 12% interest, I suppose they would 

 not object to going ten or twelve weeks. The question is up to you. I 

 do not know just what you want on the cheese line. I was told you 

 wanted cheese here and I am here; it's a toss up to you if you don't 

 get it. How many factories have you got in Vermont? 



Prof. Hills.— About fifty. 



Professor Decker. — You ought to bite like trout to this. 



Professor Hills. — This matter of a central curing room seems to 

 me is a good one. You all know that the factories in some of the 

 counties are located on the railroads so that it would be a very easy 

 and convenient thing. In Rutland county escpecially they could easily 

 have a central curing room, and I am confident a plant of this kind 

 need not necessarily be an expensive one. 



Professor Decker. — You could get more cheese, a better cheese 

 and possibly would get a better price for it, so the increased price 

 would pay for such a curing room and it will cut down a lot of work 

 in the factory. If you have a curing room you can hold the tempera- 

 ture at 40 degrees; you can put it into boxes; one man can handle the 

 cheese in a curing room for eight or ten factories and then vou have 



