100 EEPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE OF AYRSHIRE. 



position to the decisions of their own palates. Cheshire men and 

 Gloucestershire men equally hold up each their own make as 

 respectively the best. London market prices do not settle the 

 question of quality ; for if Glasgow was London, and London 

 Glasgow, very probably Ayrshire cheese would fetch the highest 

 price in the kingdom ! So far as the writer himself is con- 

 cerned, he much prefers a slice of mild, unctuous, rather waxy 

 Dunlop cheese, to the comparatively hard or woody, short often, 

 dry Cheddar. Whoever first devised " slip scalding," his main 

 object in view doubtless was to make the curd easier to press, 

 or the cheese easier staned, as popularly said in Ayrshire ; but 

 the scalding of the soft pulpy curd, especially if the scalding- 

 whey is raised to 150° or 160° as many do, does give the cheese 

 afterwards a sort of burnt flavour; and the writer thinks also, 

 that, such a high heat must tend to dissolve and separate some 

 of the fatty ingredient from the soft curd. The curd is far more 

 dry and solid when highly -heated by " hot-bathing," or " warm- 

 ing" prior to putting into the chessat, — operations done with 

 like puipose as "slip scalding," — as by the Dunlop makers, and 

 there is less danger by these of fat going off. In these days of 

 chemical madness in relation to agricultural affairs, why don't 

 some of the Cheddar makers manufacture one cheese each by 

 the two modes respectively, both from milk of like strength, 

 and have them analysed for the respective per centage of buty- 

 raceous ingredient. That is the proper test to decide the ques- 

 tion of richness of quality. 



Other things looked upon as about equal, it just amounts to 

 this, that, if a good quality of Cheddar is produced, from 3s. to 

 5s. per cwt. more of price, during the season and in the mean- 

 time, can be expected at home, — but bearing in mind that the 

 Cheddars ripen and dry in quicker, and consequently lose 

 weight sooner ; whilst if .a really first-class quality is turned out, 

 and the seller does not object to incur the risk and trouble con- 

 sequent on sending to the London market, about 10s. per cwt. 

 more may be hoped for there, — but again bearing in mind that, 

 if really first-class quality of Dunlops, slightly coloured with 

 annatto, was in like manner sent for sale to London, it would 

 most probably realise some shillings more per cwt. there as well, 

 particularly when its name — either as " Dunlop," or better simply 

 as " Ayrshire cheese " — was once established. Finally — so far 

 as the reporter can form an opinion, and which, of course, is 

 only to be taken for what it is worth — the old Dunlop mode is 

 yet the best for the large majority of makers in Ayrshire. Let 

 them be more careful in details, and let them get improved im- 

 plements if possible ; and above all things let the landlords, as 

 is their bounden duty in these hard times, provide roomier and 

 better ventilated houses, furnished with all needful adjuncts, 



