804 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [OcV. 2, 1908. 



The vat slioiild be covered with a clean cloth or canvas covorinj? to keep 

 the temperature even. Tt is essential that the temperature should l)e kept at 

 .about 90' or 92' Fahr., so that the production of lactic acid is not checked. 



If tlie temperature is allowed 

 to falL tlic development of 

 acid is cliecked, and the curd 

 takes a much longer time to 

 form into a Haky substance. 

 Fifteen minutes after the curd 

 has been tln'own together, it 

 should lie cut into square or 

 oblong blocks, about 18 inches 

 liy 6 inches, and tui'iiod over, 

 and allowed to remain for an- 

 other period of ten or fifteen 

 minutes. Then if (he curd is 

 firm the blocks could be piled 

 two deep ; but if the curd is 

 soft, they should be left single 

 and turned ovei'. The object 

 of this process is to eject the 

 whey from the masses of cui'd. The process of turning evei-y ten ininutes 

 should be continued, never allowing the whey to form in jiools between the 

 blocks else the colour is likely to become bleached or mottled in places. In 

 the course of about two liours from the time the whev was drawn, the blocks of 

 curd win have assumed a smooth soft velvety feeling, and when tried on the 

 hot iron will draw fine threads aliout 2 inches long. The object of matting 

 the eui'd is to iiii])n)ve the texture. Cheeses made from a w(dl cooked curd 

 that has been properly matted, when they are marketable, will always show 

 a nice waxy texture so different to the soft pastiness that is always found 

 in a badly cooked and improperly cheddared cheese. The curd should now 

 he milled and spread over the liottom of the vat. 



Fig 5.— Curd Rack. 



Fig. 6. Curd Mill. 



The object of milling is to cut up the curd so that the .salt will be eveidy 

 distributed through the curd. Unfortunately there are a large number of 



