94 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE OF AYRSHIRE. 



dence ; a proportion of the makers, at least, might easily do the 

 same, if they only bestow equal attention and care, coupled 

 with a determination to excel, on the manufacture and storage 

 of their cheeses. Although natural causes of climate and the 

 kind of food (or, nature of soil, rather) &c, do affect the quality 

 of cheese somewhat, yet such effects are but slight when con- 

 trasted with the differences of quality resulting from good or 

 bad management in the manufacture, and in the after keeping 

 of " the kane." But unless the tenant be provided with all fit 

 accommodation, in the keeping of the milk, in manufacturing, 

 in the storing and ripening of the product, and makes up his 

 mind as well to turn out a really good article, he would be better 

 to hold on by the old method. It is only first class quality of 

 Cheddar that will pay to send to the London market, and Ched- 

 dars of even good quality, about the middle of the season, do not 

 fetch above 5s. per cwt. more in the Scotch markets, — the Glas- 

 gow market, indeed, for two or three years by-gone has been 

 glutted with inferior quality of (so called) Cheddar, bringing 

 only equal price (or less, sometimes) with the average' of Dimlop 

 make ; whilst about the New- Year and after, good old Dunlop 

 have always as yet sold as high in Glasgow as even the best 

 make of Cheddar of like age. And although the Dunlops rate 

 lower during the season, a part of the loss (if not all) is made 

 up by greater weight, as the Cheddars dry in and ripen much 

 quicker. 



The Dunlop makers are some times twitted with their " rule- 

 of-thumb" method, as the Cheddar folks call it; but were not 

 both .Mr. Harding and Mr. Norton (Somersetshire teachers) of 

 opinion that Scotch cheese makers followed " rules " too much, 

 or rather that they made these rules too inflexible. Well, then, 

 " rule-of-thumb " — -that is, attention, skill or tact, and practice- 

 is precisely what is wanted. Tastes for cheese differ, and the 

 variety of manufacture which prevails in Ayrshire amongst the 

 Dunlop makers, is rather advantageous than otherwise to the far- 

 mer, as well as to the consumer; and Scotch consumers' tastes will 

 not be so easily changed as some of the " new lights " would ap- 

 pear to imagine. If the makers following the Cheddar system ever 

 should reach an equality in numbers with those continuing by the 

 old Dunlop mode, the writer does not hesitate to aver, that, good 

 average Dunlops will then fetch from 3s. to 5s. per cwt. more in 

 the Scotch markets than the same quality of its kind of Cheddar 

 make ; and Glasgow market will always be the mainstay of Ayr- 

 shire dairy fanners. Yet the agitation on the subject has been 

 of great good by exciting the Dunlop makers to greater careful- 

 ness, and many have been altering their auld use and wont prac- 

 tice more or less, particularly in respect to thickening at a lower 

 temperature. With more heed given to proper storage and 



