92 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE OF AYRSHIRE. 



poured about 3 inches deep — much shallower of course in butter- 

 making dairies — into wide flat-bottomed vessels, in some cases of 

 earthenware or glass even, oftener of tin or zinc, but still more 

 commonly yet of wood, and where it rests till used next morning 

 as afore-mentioned. Soon as milked the cows are again put on 

 one of the nearest arrass-fields till the evening: is well eloamed, 

 when they are brought in for the night. The complete milking 

 of the cows is a very important matter. If the whole from care- 

 lessness is not entirely drawn off, the cow gradually declines in 

 her milk and becomes much sooner dry. The last milk drawn 

 besides is about ten times richer in cream than that which comes 

 away at first ; and a serious loss indeed is inflicted by careless or 

 incomplete milking. In winter-time the cows are generally driven 

 out to the watering-place, for an hour or so in the middle of the 

 day when the byre is "mucked," and which is much healthier for 

 them than carrying water into the byre. 



The made-up cheese we put to press towards evening, is 

 taken out of the chessat on morning of second day, and is then, 

 in very many dairies though not by all, scalded with the cloth 

 on for near an hour in hot water, fully as hot as can be tholed 

 with the hand. It is wiped when taken from the hot bath, 

 wrapt in a dry cloth, and put to press again. It is removed and 

 dry cloths substituted at noon and evening of same day, revers- 

 ing the cheese in chessat at each remove. Like performance has 

 to be gone through, it may be only once in some dairies, per- 

 haps twice in others, and even three times occasionally, on the 

 third day, by which time the cheese is perfected. The dairy 

 woman has thus always three cheeses in hand. The cheese is 

 then placed without more ado wherever it is to lie till sold and 

 sent off; being reversed and rubbed with a dry cloth every day 

 for a short time at first, and afterwards at lengthening intervals. 

 None of their inward colouring with aunatto, or outside painting 

 with Spanish brown; nor sweating, nor greasing, nor can vass- 

 swaddling, at all ; just the naked unadulterated truth. 



The cases are so very rare in Ayrshire, where the stock is 

 numerous enough as that a cheese can be made from each meal, 

 that it is hardly worth while noticing them ; the manufacture is 

 the same in principle. Some few dairies here and there, but 

 very limited in number, — amongst the best being those of Mr. 

 Hugh Hunter, Barassie, Troon ; and Mr. John Lambie, Hill, 

 Crosshands, — are devoted to the making of small cheeses, from 

 10 to 12 lbs. weight each, and somewhat erroneously styled 

 ' ; imitation Stilton." These are commonly made on the Dunlop 

 method, always " full-milk " or even more some times, and 

 coloured with annatto ; but it is questionable if the higher price 

 they fetch, from 6s. to 8s. per cwt. extra, does more than com- 

 pensate for the greater trouble and labour had with them. 



